The emu is a flightless bird that weighs about 100 lbs at adulthood. It is native to Australia, but is now raised in North America and Europe for meat, leather and the fat under its skin, which can be as much as 1/4 of its body weight. The American Emu Producers Association states that this oil is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. The indigenous Australians and settlers used it for healing wounds, relieving joint and muscle pain and cooking. Limited scientific research, mainly on animals, supports these uses along with others that range from cosmetic preparations and hair loss treatments to a variety of home remedies for common ailments.
Muscle and Joint Inflammation
The American Emu Producers Association reports that a 1997 study, published in "Inflammopharmacology" by J. Snowden and M. Whitehouse, provided evidence that emu oil is effective for relieving arthritis symptoms in animals. Depending on its source and the diet of the host birds, filtered emu oil or clear oil (CO) varies greatly in the content of primary components like oleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid and antioxidants. Researchers made adjustments for factors like skin penetration capacity of the oil by diluting their preparations with olive oil and adding eucalyptus oil for uniform skin absorption rates. When applied to the shaved skin of rats with arthritis symptoms for four days, emu oil was as effective as aspirin taken orally. This study also found that the most effective emu oils came from Australian stock.
Cholesterol
The American Emu Producers Association states that the organization commissioned Auburn University to make an analysis of the fatty acids in emu oil. The Auburn researchers—M. Schmidt, A. Brown and P. Smith—published their findings in INFORM, an American Oil Chemists Society publication in 1995. They reported that filtered emu oil contains nearly 70 percent unsaturated fats. Oleic acid is emu oil’s primary monounsaturated fat at 40 percent, followed by linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated fat, at approximately 20 percent. Smaller percentages of other unsaturated fats make up the total. According to AEA, emu oil may be helpful for lowering cholesterol because of its heart healthy fat composition, comparable to popular vegetable oils. Wright State University indicates that some people report using emu oil to lower cholesterol; however, scientific research on humans has not confirmed this benefit yet.
Cosmetic Preparations
Since Australia’s indigenous people have used emu oil for centuries for wound healing and it contains antioxidants that include carotenes and flavones, emu oil has begun to find its way into a range of cosmetics. The University of Virginia states the oil appears to be beneficial for treating problems like bedsores and thinning skin in elderly patients. Since this oil penetrates skin well and delivers essential fatty acids, helps your body restore skin and hair cells, cosmetic manufacturers are adding it to product lines that include soaps, shampoos, moisturizers and anti-aging creams. Emu oil has no known adverse effects, according to Wright State University. The Australian traditional uses for eczema, burns and other skin conditions do not have supporting evidence documented by clinical research yet.
References
- American Emu Producers Association: Emu Oil(s): A Source of Non Toxic Transdermal Anti-Inflammatory Agents in Aboriginal Medicine
- American Emu Producers Association: Fatty Acid Analysis of Emu Oil
- Wright State University: Popular Natural Remedies, Part XIII, Emu Oil
- University of Virginia: SoapNuts May 1999: Emu Oil
- JM Snowden and MW Whitehouse “Anti-inflammatory action of emu oil” Inflammopharmacology. 1997;5(2):127-32
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