Sniff your way to better grades? study tests aromatherapy for exam jitters
NCT ID NCT07258719
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether using aromatherapy before quizzes and tests could lower test anxiety in college students. Twenty students applied essential oils (doTERRA ADAPTIV or Thinker) before exams, then measured their heart rate and blood pressure. The goal was to see if the oils helped them feel calmer and perform better.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- essential oils (doTERRA ADAPTIV and Thinker)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a simple, drug-free way to help students manage test anxiety.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early study with only 20 participants. Results may not apply to all students, and the effect could be due to a placebo or the act of taking a break rather than the oils themselves.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
20 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Sep 2025
- Finished
-
Dec 2025
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 to 99 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * current student * participating in selected course at the University Exclusion Criteria: * allergy to essential oils * pregnant
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky, 40506, United States
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