Emu Oil Reference Guide

Emu Oil side effects

There are no known side effects to using emu oil. However, it is recommended that women who are pregnant or lactating do not use emu oil.

Emu oil comes from the emu, a prehistoric bird that is thought to have roamed the outback of Australia nearly 80 million years ago and still exists today.

Much like the Native Americans' relationship with the bison, the Aborigines of Austrailia looked upon the emu as the core of their very existence. The emu provided them with food, clothing, shelter and spiritual sustenance.

Emu oil is rendered from the thick layer of subcutaneous fat on the back of the bird. Most commonly, it is used for the production of cosmetics but has also been proven to have medical properties, as an intensive pain reliever used in the treatment of chronic arthritis, strains, sprains, and muscle pain. It is also widely used as a wound healing accelerant.

Emu oil is a good emollient and water-binding agent with anti-inflammatory properties. However, not all emu oil sold on the market today is of animal origin.