Research has demonstrated that the oil derived from the emu is unique. Thus, this oil bears closer scrutiny as a valuable commodity in a marketplace that favours natural, environmentally friendly products and demands effective relief without side effects. A combination of unique qualities gives emu oil its amazing effectiveness.
There are three main attributes of emu oil. The first is its penetration ability of human skin. The oil’s composition and molecular structure let it penetrate the skin, rather than staying on the surface level. This is because the overall composition of emu oil is remarkably similar to the composition of human skin, which also makes it an excellent skin conditioner. This deep penetration permits a deep moisturizing effect and at the same time, supplies nutrition to the deeper skin layers. The oil is non-irritating and does not clog the pores (non-comedogenic), plus it resists the growth of bacteria. Emu oil helps to improve skin health. To understand how it does this, a brief explanation of the makeup of our skin is needed. Our skin is made up of layers. The first layer, the epidermis, is joined or tethered to the second layer, the dermis, by what is called rete pegs. Rete pegs help give skin its tautness and elasticity. As we age, our skin gets thinner and the rete pegs disappear. This causes the top layer to sag and wrinkles result. Emu oil will increase skin thickness up to 30% and help these rete pegs to grow back, which means that it can slow and even reverse the aging process in skin. The second attribute of emu oil is it’s anti-inflammatory ability. This fine tunes the body’s healing response and reduces inflammation, which in turn allows quicker skin recovery with less scarring. Thirdly, emu oil produces relief from pain. This relief can be superficial as aiding in wound and burn healing, shingles, cold sores, or deeper, as in a sprained ankle or arthritis. (see link to diagram above)
Of particular interest is the fact that emu oil contains a variety of essential fatty acids (EFA’s), including linoleic acid (Omega-6 - as high as 24% total content) and alpha linolenic acid (Omega-3 - as high as 2% total content). These EFA’s are used by the body to manufacture the all-important hormones that regulate many body processes, which could be the underlying reason for emu oil’s healing qualities:
Our body’s need for fats can be broadly grouped into structural and functional needs.
Structural needs - All our cell walls are made of fat which separates the watery contents of each unique cell from the adjacent cells. These cell walls are complex constructions which contain pores, channels and receptors. They enable the cell to receive and send signals and to respond to various chemicals and to release various chemicals. When fats are missing from our diets, our body makes fat from the protein and carbohydrates which we eat. Unfortunately, it cannot make some types of fats that are required by the cell wall. Therefore, all cell wall structures are defective when some of the necessary essential fats, such as found in emu oil, are missing from our diets. We can think of our skin as the largest cell wall we have. A dry, itchy skin (i.e. a defective skin) is a sign of missing essential fatty acids.
When the essential fats are missing from our cells, the more rigid saturated and monounsaturated fats must be used in their place. This rigidity impairs all our cells, which must be flexible to work best. Hard arteries can be thought of as containing rigid, saturated fats rather than the soft, polyunsaturated fats.
Functional needs - Fats play many very different roles in our body. Not only are they the simple concentrated energy source, they also cushion us from injury. All cells produce hormones directly from the fatty acids. These hormones influence all aspects of local cell activity. They are involved in such activity as inflammation, healing, and cell growth and dying. When we don’t have enough of the correct fats, these processes of every day life do not operate at peak efficiency. The essential fatty acids (Omega 3 and 6) must be received from our dietary intake or topical application. Emu oil can provide the necessary fats that are required to normal cellular function. (Dr. Leigh Hopkins, Pharm.D)
