Emu oil
Alternate names: Aceite de Emu, Bush Chook, Dromiceius Nova-hollandiae, Émeu, Emu, Huile d'Émeu
Actions: Anti-inflammatory, Cholesterol-lowering, Crohn's disease, Dermatologic, Effects on 5-fluorouracil toxicity
Background
Emu oil comes from the fat of a large, flightless bird called the emu. The emu is native to Australia and is now farmed in the US, Canada, and Europe.
Emu oil contains chemicals called fatty acids. These chemicals might reduce pain and swelling. Emu oil also has moisturizing and cosmetic properties similar to mineral oil.
People use emu oil for hair loss, eczema, burns, high cholesterol, psoriasis, wound healing, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Emu oil contains chemicals called fatty acids. These chemicals might reduce pain and swelling. Emu oil also has moisturizing and cosmetic properties similar to mineral oil.
People use emu oil for hair loss, eczema, burns, high cholesterol, psoriasis, wound healing, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Safety Safety definitions
When taken by mouth: There isn't enough reliable information to know if emu oil is safe or what the side effects might be.
When applied to the skin: Emu oil is possibly safe when used for up to 8 weeks. It's usually well-tolerated.
When applied to the skin: Emu oil is possibly safe when used for up to 8 weeks. It's usually well-tolerated.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if emu oil is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.Effectiveness
Effective Effectiveness definitions
There is interest in using emu oil for a number of purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.
Dosing & administration
In adults, emu oil has most often been applied to affected areas of the skin 2-3 times daily for up to 8 weeks. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what type of product and dose might be best for a specific condition.
Interactions with pharmaceuticals
It is not known if Emu Oil interacts with any medicines. Before taking Emu Oil, talk with your healthcare professional if you take any medications.
Interactions with herbs & supplements
There are no known interactions with herbs and supplements.
Interactions with foods
There are no known interactions with foods.
vital.ly has licensed monographs from TRC Healthcare.
This monograph was last reviewed on 16/11/2023 11:00:00 and last updated on 19/07/2018 19:02:11. Monographs are reviewed and/or updated multiple times per month and at least once per year.
Natural Medicines disclaims any responsibility related to medical consequences of using any medical product. Effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this monograph is accurate at the time it was published. Consumers and medical professionals who consult this monograph are cautioned that any medical or product related decision is the sole responsibility of the consumer and/or the health care professional. A legal License Agreement sets limitations on downloading, storing, or printing content from this Database. No reproduction of this monograph or any content from this Database is permitted without written permission from the publisher. It is unlawful to download, store, or distribute content from this site.
Natural Medicines rates safety based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Likely Safe, Possibly Safe, Possibly Unsafe, Likely Unsafe, Unsafe, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate. For more information about Natural Medicines’ Safety Rating System, click here.
The Natural Medicines Effectiveness Ratings are assigned for specific indications. A product might be rated "Possibly Effective" for one condition, but be rated "Likely Ineffective" for another condition, depending on the evidence. For more info click here.
