TikTokers have discovered navel oiling, an Ayurvedic tradition that focuses on applying castor oil to the belly button area. Here’s what it is and what it can do.
Social media influencers are putting oil in their belly button in hopes of seeing benefits.
As described on platforms like TikTok, navel oiling (also known as navel pulling) involves placing a few drops of castor oil (an odorless, yellowish vegetable oil with anti-inflammatory properties) in the belly button or massaging castor oil on the abdomen.
In one post, @EdensGardenEssentialOil claims the practice improves sleep and gut health, reduces constipation and pain, and increases energy. In another post, @LunaLuxe_2 asserts that navel pulling helps with digestion, cramps, and bloating.
Navel oiling may be trending, but the practice has been around for thousands of years. It’s rooted in ayurveda, an ancient system of traditional medicine that originated in India.
In ayurveda, navel oiling is known as nabhi chikitsa, or “treatment of the belly button region,” says Meena Makhijani, DO, a certified ayurveda practitioner and board-certified family medicine, geriatric medicine, and integrative medicine physician at UCLA in Calabasas, California.
“TikTokers are realizing the benefits of these ayurvedic practices and packaging them in catchy ways,” says Dr. Makhijani.
How Is Belly Button Oiling Being Discussed Online?
Influencers approach belly button oiling in different ways. A common method seen on TikTok is to place a quarter-size amount of castor oil in the palm and massage the oil into the abdomen (starting with the belly button) in a clockwise direction for a few minutes.
Another method is to place a few drops of oil on the fingertip and put it into the belly button. Some people lie on their back and drop the castor oil directly into the belly button and fill it up like a well before massaging the oil into their abdomen.
Others apply the castor oil to a piece of cloth or cotton ball and leave it in their belly button overnight, wrapping their torso with a larger piece of cloth (known as a castor oil pack) to keep it in place. Some people also place a heating pad on the abdomen in the hopes of boosting absorption.
Why Does Ayurveda Promote Navel Pulling?
According to ayurvedic tradition, the nabhi, or belly button, is a marma, or vital energy point of the body, Makhijani says. Marma points are similar to acupoints in traditional Chinese medicine, and are said to regulate life energies (known as “doshas”) that flow through the body.
“In ayurveda, oil is used all over the body, as well as internally and in every orifice, and has different benefits based on location, mode of use, type of oil, and dose,” Makhijani says. Putting oil in the navel is said to help regulate a fire-related energy (or dosha) known as “pitta.” By balancing the various energies in the body, ayurvedic tradition teaches that you can improve digestion, reduce pain, and avoid disease.
It’s traditionally believed that pitta energy can be balanced with navel oiling to benefit any concern related to the lower abdomen, reproductive organs, and urinary system, Makhijani says.
Western Medicine Has a Different Perspective
While respectful of other cultures’ traditions and belief systems, many practitioners of conventional Western medicine do not see any special benefit from navel oiling.
“There is no physiological effect from putting any kind of oil, or other fluid, into the belly button,” says Richard J. Paulson, MD, the director of USC Fertility and a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles.
The belly button, he notes, is a remnant of the umbilical cord. “Once the cord falls off after birth, the belly button heals and is covered by skin that is similar to the skin on the rest of our bodies,” Dr. Paulson says. “Therefore, putting castor oil on the belly button would have the same effect as putting castor oil anywhere on the body.”
Can Belly Button Oiling Help With Digestive Issues?
Castor oil has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a laxative when taken by mouth to ease short-term constipation. But can putting castor oil in the belly button and massaging the area help with digestive issues as well?
Ayurveda says yes. “This region is strongly linked to our digestion due to its location,” Makhijani says. “Treating this area [may] help with multiple digestive areas, especially constipation.”
Yet there is a lack of clinical research to support claims about the key role of castor oil.
Some recent research suggests that belly button therapy may help with gastrointestinal issues. For example, a recent meta-analysis of 33 studies found that, when applied to the belly button area, a mixture of montmorillonite powder (a type of clay) and anti-infective spices (cinnamon, clove, and a traditional Chinese medicinal herb called wu zhu yu) relieved diarrhea in children when administered along with routine medical care.
The researchers acknowledge that the studies included in their meta-analysis are of limited number and low-quality.
The scientists speculate that when therapeutic substances are applied to the belly button, an area of the abdomen that contains many blood vessels, the skin more readily absorbs the active ingredients. Yet there is no biomedical research supporting this theory at this time.
Other research (conducted on hospitalized ICU patients being fed through a nasogastric tube) showed that application of warm compresses to the abdomen improved overall digestive functioning. The researchers theorized that heat increased blood flow to the midsection, which may have improved gastric motility (how quickly food moves from the stomach to the small intestine) and reduced symptoms of indigestion (including gas).
The massage component of navel oiling may also help digestion even without the use of castor oil. A review of 13 research studies showed that massaging the abdomen improved gastric motility and peristalsis (the muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract), helping ease constipation.
Can Castor Oil Help With Gynecologic Issues?
Some TikTokers claim that navel pulling helps with gynecological issues like menstrual cramps, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS; a hormone imbalance that causes irregular periods, weight gain, acne, excess hair growth, and, sometimes, infertility), and endometriosis (when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus and causes pain, irregular periods, and infertility).
But there is no evidence that putting castor oil in the belly button has any effect on PCOS, menstrual cramps, or endometriosis, Paulson says. There are more effective ways to treat and manage menstrual cramps and symptoms of PCOS and endometriosis, he notes.
To treat menstrual cramps, try placing a heating pad on your abdomen, taking a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and practicing stress-reduction activities like yoga and meditation.
PCOS and endometriosis often require multiple medications and, sometimes, surgery.
Can Putting Castor Oil in Your Belly Button Relieve Stress?
There’s no scientific evidence that navel oiling specifically reduces stress. But the act of gently rubbing castor oil into the abdomen may be soothing.
Research shows that massage therapy, in general, decreases levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) and increases serotonin and dopamine (feel-good brain chemicals).
Who Should Try (and Who Should Avoid) Putting Castor Oil in the Belly Button?
If you’re curious to try navel oiling, Makhijani says the practice is generally considered safe, but it’s best to consult a certified ayurvedic practitioner first for personalized recommendations based on your health concerns.
Makhijani also suggests doing a skin patch test before putting castor oil in your belly button to make sure you don’t experience skin irritation or contact dermatitis (an allergic skin reaction).
To do a skin patch test, apply the oil to a quarter-size area on your skin twice daily, choosing a spot where you won’t accidentally rub it away (such as the underside of your arm). Repeat for 7 to 10 days and watch for signs of a skin reaction, such as redness, itching, or swelling.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Alookaran J et al. Castor Oil. StatPearls. May 24, 2024.
Bu ZJ et al. Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Chinese Medicine Belly Button Application for Childhood Diarrhea: A Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Frontiers in Pediatrics. August 2023.
Ni H et al. Effectiveness of Heat Application on Gastric Variables Among Patients With Nasogastric Tube Feeding Admitted in the Intensive Care Units at a Selected Hospital: A Randomized Control Trial. Cureus. June 2024.
Gu X et al. Analysis of the Efficacy of Abdominal Massage on Functional Constipation: A Meta-Analysis. Heliyon. July 2023.
Menstrual Cramps: 5 Tips for Getting Relief From Period Pain. Houston Methodist. September 24, 2021.
Justin Laube, MD, is a board-certified integrative and internal medicine physician, a teacher, and a consultant with extensive expertise in integrative health, medical education, and trauma healing.
He graduated with a bachelor's in biology from the University of Wisconsin and a medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School. During medical school, he completed a graduate certificate in integrative therapies and healing practices through the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing. He completed his three-year residency training in internal medicine at the University of California in Los Angeles on the primary care track and a two-year fellowship in integrative East-West primary care at the UCLA Health Center for East-West Medicine.
He is currently taking a multiyear personal and professional sabbatical to explore the relationship between childhood trauma, disease, and the processes of healing. He is developing a clinical practice for patients with complex trauma, as well as for others going through significant life transitions. He is working on a book distilling the insights from his sabbatical, teaching, and leading retreats on trauma, integrative health, mindfulness, and well-being for health professionals, students, and the community.
Previously, Dr. Laube was an assistant clinical professor at the UCLA Health Center for East-West Medicine and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, where he provided primary care and integrative East-West medical consultations. As part of the faculty, he completed a medical education fellowship and received a certificate in innovation in curriculum design and evaluation. He was the fellowship director at the Center for East-West Medicine and led courses for physician fellows, residents, and medical students.
Lauren Bedosky is an experienced health and fitness writer. She regularly contributes to top websites and publications like Men's Health, Women's Health, MyFitnessPal, SilverSneakers, Runner's World, Experience Life, Prevention, AARP, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, Livestrong, Fitness, Shape, Family Circle, Healthline, Self, Redbook, and Women's Running.
When she's not writing about health and fitness — her favorite topics being anything related to running and strength training — she's reading up on the latest and greatest news in the field and working on her own health goals.
