Overview

Dill is a plant that is used as a cooking spice and as a fragrance in soaps and cosmetics. People have also used dill seeds and the parts of the plant that grow above the ground as medicine.

People use dill for digestion problems, liver problems, urinary tract disorders, infections, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Some chemicals contained in dill seed might help relax muscles. Other chemicals might be able to fight bacteria and increase urine production like a "water pill."

How does it work ?

Some chemicals contained in dill seed might help relax muscles. Other chemicals might be able to fight bacteria and increase urine production like a "water pill."

Uses & Effectiveness

Insufficient Evidence for

  • Aging skin. Applying dill seed extract to the skin may reduce the size of skinwrinkles and improve the firmness of skin. But this benefit is probably small. And applying dill doesn't reduce the number of skin wrinkles.
  • Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea). Early research shows that taking dill for three days at the start of pain reduces pain in women with menstrual cramps.
  • High levels of cholesterol or other fats (lipids) in the blood (hyperlipidemia). Early research shows that taking dill by mouth for 6 weeks while following a cholesterol-lowering diet doesn't lower blood fats in people with high cholesterol and clogged heart arteries (coronary artery disease, CAD).
  • Labor pain. Early research shows that taking dill seeds at the beginning of active labor might help shorten the duration of labor. But it doesn't seem to reduce labor pain.
  • Bronchitis.
  • Colds.
  • Cough.
  • Digestive tract problems.
  • Fever.
  • Gallbladder problems.
  • Infections.
  • Intestinal gas (flatulence).
  • Liver problems.
  • Loss of appetite.
  • Sleep disorders.
  • Sore mouth and throat.
  • Spasms.
  • Urinary tract problems.
  • Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of dill for these uses.

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: Dill is LIKELY SAFE when consumed as a food. Dill is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people when taken by mouth as a medicine. Some people are allergic to dill.

When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if dill is safe. Dill can cause skin irritation in people with dill allergies. Also, fresh dill juice can also cause the skin to become extra sensitive to the sun. This might put you at greater risk for sunburns and skin cancer. Avoid sunlight. Wear sunblock and protective clothing outside, especially if you are light-skinned.

Special Precautions and Warnings

When taken by mouth: Dill is LIKELY SAFE when consumed as a food. Dill is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people when taken by mouth as a medicine. Some people are allergic to dill.

When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if dill is safe. Dill can cause skin irritation in people with dill allergies. Also, fresh dill juice can also cause the skin to become extra sensitive to the sun. This might put you at greater risk for sunburns and skin cancer. Avoid sunlight. Wear sunblock and protective clothing outside, especially if you are light-skinned.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It's POSSIBLY UNSAFE to use dill as a medicine if you are pregnant. Dill seed can start menstruation and that might lead to a miscarriage.

There isn't enough reliable information to know if dill is safe to use when breast-feeding. It's best to stick to food amounts.

Allergy to plants in the carrot family: Dill may cause allergic reactions in people who are allergic to plants in the carrot family. Some of these include asafoetida, caraway, celery, coriander, and fennel.

Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism): People with underactive thyroid don't make enough thyroid hormone. Taking dill as a medicine seems to lower thyroid hormone levels. This might worsen symptoms in people with underactive thyroid, who already have low levels of thyroid hormone. Don't taking dill as a medicine if you have underactive thyroid.

Surgery: Dill extract might lower blood sugar. There is concern that using dill extract might interfere with blood sugar control during and after surgery. Stop taking dill extract at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Interactions

    Moderate Interaction

    Be cautious with this combination

  • Lithium interacts with Dill

    Dill might have an effect like a water pill or "diuretic." Taking dill might decrease how well the body gets rid of lithium. This could increase how much lithium is in the body and result in serious side effects. Talk with your healthcare provider before using this product if you are taking lithium. Your lithium dose might need to be changed.

  • Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with Dill

    Dill extract might lower blood sugar. Diabetes medications are also used to lower blood sugar. Taking dill extract along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to go too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.

    Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, metformin (Glucophage), pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others.

Dosing

The appropriate dose of dill depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for dill. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.
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CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

This copyrighted material is licensed from Therapeutic Research Center, LLC. Information from this source is evidence-based and objective, and without commercial influence. For professional medical information on natural medicines, see Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Professional Version.
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