Emu oil

Emu oil is an oil derived from body fat harvested from certain subspecies of the emu, Dromaius novaehollandiae, a flightless bird indigenous to Australia.^[1][2]

An emu, the source of emu oil

Unadulterated emu oil can vary widely in colour and viscosity anywhere from an off-white creamy texture to a thin yellow liquid, depending on the diet of the emu and the refining method(s) used.^[3] Industrially refined emu oil is composed of a minimum of 70% unsaturated fatty acids. The largest component is oleic acid, a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid. Emu oil also contains roughly 20% linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid) and 1–2% linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid).^[3] Fully refined emu oil has a bland flavour.^[3]

Emu oil has previously been wrongly promoted as a dietary supplement with the claim it can treat a variety of human ailments, including cancer and arthritis.^[4]

Research

Since 2015 two small human studies have been done, one for use as a skin moisturizer and the other for use as an insect repellent.^[5]

Commercial emu oil supplements are not standardised and vary widely in their potency.^[6] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration highlighted emu oils in a 2009 article on "How to Spot Health Fraud", pointing out that many "pure emu oil" products are unapproved drugs.^[4]

See also

• Snake oil
• Ostrich oil
• List of ineffective cancer treatments