The Power of doTERRA On Guard: A Game-Changer in Antimicrobial Research
As someone who has always been passionate about health and wellness, I’m constantly on the lookout for new and innovative ways to support the body naturally. One product that has consistently stood out to me is doTERRA On Guard, an essential oil blend that’s often used for its powerful antimicrobial properties. Recently, I had the opportunity to dive deeper into its effects after learning about a fascinating study conducted by Jennifer Eddins, which examined how On Guard interacts with microbes and its potential applications in both healthcare settings and everyday life.
It all began a few years ago when a health issue emerged in the hospital where Jennifer worked, posing significant risks to patients. The troubling thing was that this issue wasn’t just confined to hospital patients—it was spreading within the broader community, even to those who had never been hospitalized. As the situation worsened, Jennifer felt a growing concern about the lack of effective treatments, especially as microbes often become resistant to standard options over time.
At just the right moment, a dear friend of Jennifer’s, Peggy Smith (who many of you may know), introduced her to a small essential oil company that was starting out—doTERRA. After discussing this growing health threat with colleagues, Jennifer became curious about how live cultures would respond to essential oils, particularly in terms of microbial resistance. This curiosity led her to design a laboratory study to better understand the potential benefits of essential oils like On Guard.
The Study: Testing doTERRA On Guard’s Effectiveness
One of the major challenges in healthcare is dealing with microbial organisms that develop resistance to antibiotics and other standard treatments. In some cases, once microbes develop resistance, there are very few viable treatment options left. This made Jennifer wonder: Could essential oils, like On Guard, be effective in combating microbial growth?
In her experiment, Jennifer tested two essential oils: doTERRA On Guard and Melaleuca (Tea Tree oil). The oils were applied to paper discs, with 10 microliters (roughly one-sixth of a drop) of each oil placed on separate discs. These discs were then placed on plates inoculated with a standardized microbial suspension and incubated for 18-24 hours at body temperature (35°C). After the incubation, she measured the inhibition zones—the areas where microbial growth was stopped due to the oils.
The results were exciting! She found that On Guard produced a 26% larger inhibition zone compared to Melaleuca. This was a significant finding since it had not been widely documented in scientific literature before. It suggested that On Guard was more effective in preventing microbial growth than Melaleuca.
Jennifer didn’t stop there. To further explore On Guard’s effectiveness, she increased the concentration to 20 and 30 microliters. Interestingly, she found that increasing the oil volume didn’t result in a greater inhibition zone. In fact, once the discs were oversaturated, the efficacy slightly decreased. This confirmed something important: More is not always better. Even small amounts of On Guard proved to be highly effective in inhibiting microbial growth.
Real-World Applications: Surface Cleaning
While the lab results were promising, Jennifer wanted to see if On Guard could have real-world applications in cleaning and disinfecting. She set up a smaller study where she prepared a cleaning solution by adding three drops of On Guard to a 32-ounce spray bottle filled with regular tap water. She sprayed the solution onto a surface and let it air dry. Then, she applied a microbial suspension to the surface and allowed it to dry again.
Over the next seven days, Jennifer swabbed the surface daily to check if the microbes survived. The results were nothing short of remarkable: The microbes could not be recovered from the treated surface. This was a huge finding, especially considering that many microorganisms can survive on surfaces for days or even weeks without food. Yet, On Guard was able to neutralize them.
What’s particularly noteworthy is that Jennifer didn’t wipe the surfaces after spraying them. The essential oil solution interacted directly with the microbes, which is a crucial distinction. Traditional cleaning methods often focus on physically removing contaminants, but On Guard seemed to neutralize the microbes in place, which could be even more effective in certain environments.
Future Directions
The results from this study have sparked Jennifer’s curiosity even further. She would love to conduct additional research, including testing On Guard on different surfaces like stainless steel or even medical-grade materials such as prosthetic implants. It would be interesting to reverse the process—apply microbes first and then spray the surface—to see how On Guard works under different conditions.
As a microbiologist (and admittedly a bit of a germaphobe), Jennifer is incredibly excited about the potential of On Guard as an antimicrobial agent. It shows promise not only in healthcare settings but also in everyday life, as a powerful, natural alternative to conventional cleaning products.
In the future, Jennifer hopes to expand this research and publish the results. She believes these findings have the potential to make a real difference in the way we think about essential oils and their role in supporting our health. Once she has further data and credentials to back up these results, I’m sure we’ll be hearing more about it!
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If you're a member of the Oil With Us Community, you can dive deeper into this study by watching the full video and accessing detailed study notes in the Wellness Vault. It’s an exclusive resource designed to empower you with more insights on essential oils and their incredible benefits.
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