Carvone

PhytochemicalMonoterpeneBest with a meal

What is it

Carvone is a terpenoid found in spearmint (R-(-)-carvone) and caraway/dill (S-(+)-carvone) essential oils. It is responsible for their characteristic aromas and is used as a flavoring and as a constituent of digestive support supplements.

Evidence for 1 use

AI-assisted evidence assessment — talk to your doctor before relying on any single supplement.

Digestive comfort

Limited Evidence

Caraway oil products containing carvone have small clinical evidence for functional dyspepsia and IBS.

How it works

Carvone is well-absorbed and metabolized in the body. R-carvone in spearmint may have memory and cognitive effects in preclinical studies, and spearmint extract has small clinical trial support for working memory. S-carvone in caraway is used in digestive blends for carminative (gas-relieving) effects. Most supplement appearances are at flavoring levels rather than therapeutic concentrations.

Dosage

There is no established therapeutic dose for isolated carvone. Spearmint extract studies use 600 to 900 mg/day of standardized rosmarinic-acid extract; caraway oil is used at 50 to 200 mg/day.

When and how to take it

Most relevant timing is with meals for digestive applications.

1 commercial form

Compare the main delivery options and what they’re best suited for.

Component of spearmint or caraway essential oil

Usually consumed via essential oil capsules or as a flavoring component.

Well absorbed.

Safety

Considered safe at food and typical supplement levels. Concentrated essential oils can irritate mucosal tissue and cause GI upset at high doses.

Who should be cautious

Pregnancy: typical food and flavoring exposures are safe; concentrated essential oils warrant caution.

Interactions

No well-documented drug interactions at flavoring or typical supplement doses.

Food sources

Fresh spearmint or caraway seed

Amount
1 tsp
%DV
—

Frequently asked questions

Are R- and S-carvone different?⌄

Yes. They are mirror-image molecules with different aromas (spearmint vs. caraway) and somewhat different bioactivity.

Does carvone help digestion?⌄

Caraway oil containing carvone has small clinical evidence for dyspepsia and IBS support.

References

Carvone on Wikidata — Wikidata link

Carvone (ChEBI:38265) — ChEBI link

Carvone (PubChem CID 7439) — PubChem link

Carvone on NIH DSLD (US supplement label database) — NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database link

Research on Carvone (PubMed search) — PubMed link

Track Carvone with Pilora

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Evidence-based·How we grade evidence

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This page is educational, not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Evidence grades are AI-assisted assessments — talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement, especially if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, on medications, or managing a chronic condition.