Can Frankincense Help Any Health Conditions?

Possibly, but it depends on which frankincense you mean. "Frankincense" isn't a single ingredient. It's a family of resins from different Boswellia trees, and the science behind each one looks quite different. We carry two varieties for two different reasons, so here is what the research does and doesn't say about each.

Joint health: Boswellia serrata

Boswellia serrata (Indian frankincense, or Shallaki) is the most extensively studied variety, mainly for joint health.

In a head-to-head randomized, controlled trial, a standardized B. serrata extract was compared with valdecoxib, a prescription COX-2 inhibitor, in people with knee osteoarthritis. The extract performed comparably for relieving symptoms. It had a slower onset but a favorable safety profile over the study period. Other randomized trials also report meaningful improvements in joint pain and stiffness, although the benefits appear to be short-term.

Keep in mind that this trial was small and open-label, so it's encouraging rather than conclusive.

Mood and calm: Boswellia sacra

Boswellia sacra (Omani frankincense) is the historically prized resin from Oman and the Horn of Africa. Its research story is earlier-stage but fascinating.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins and Hebrew University found that incensole acetate, a compound in Boswellia resin smoke, activated specific brain ion channels linked to mood regulation. In mice, it produced anti-anxiety and antidepressant-like effects.

This was an animal study, not a human clinical trial, so we won't claim frankincense is proven to support mental wellbeing in people. It is notable, though, that a ritual use going back about 5,000 years, burning frankincense for the "soul," lines up with a plausible, measurable brain mechanism.

So, can it help?

• Joint comfort: B. serrata has human clinical trials behind it, with promising but short-term results.
• Mood and calm: B. sacra has early mechanistic evidence in animals that supports its traditional use, but human trials are still needed.

Neither one is a cure for anything. They're two resins with two different evidence profiles, and we'd rather tell you exactly where each one stands than blur them together.

This post is for information only and isn't medical advice. If you have a health condition or take medication, check with your healthcare provider before adding a new supplement.

Sources

• Sontakke S, et al. "Open, randomized, controlled clinical trial of Boswellia serrata extract as compared to valdecoxib in osteoarthritis of knee." Indian Journal of Pharmacology, 2007;39(1):27-29.
• Moussaieff A, et al. "Incensole acetate, an incense component, elicits psychoactivity by activating TRPV3 channels in the brain." FASEB Journal, 2008;22(8):3024-3034