Are Essential Oils A Waste Of Money

Essential oils have been effectually for more than five,000 years. But according to experts and government health agencies, they may now be riding a wave of popularity based on false promises.

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Over the final 10 years, these aromatic, institute-based extracts have taken off, every bit multi-level marketing companies take begun to promote them every bit natural remedies to the full general public. The problem is that there's limited clinical research on the therapeutic value of essential oils — and experts are cautioning consumers about the potential dangers associated with overuse, which could lead to toxicity.

"Consumers should be mindful of health fraud scams which are products that claim to prevent, treat, or cure diseases or other wellness conditions, but are not proven condom and effective for those uses," Nutrient and Drug Administration (FDA) spokesperson Lindsay Meyer told ATTN:. "Health fraud scams waste coin and tin can pb to delays in getting proper diagnosis and treatment. They can also cause serious or fifty-fifty fatal injuries."

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In 2014, the FDA issued warnings to 3 companies, including Utah-based doTERRA — one of the largest companies that produces essential oils — virtually the medical claims distributors had fabricated almost their products. In its alert letter to doTERRA, the FDA stated that at to the lowest degree 15 of its essential oil compounds were being "promoted for atmospheric condition that cause them to be [classified as] drugs" past certain distributors. Those weather included Ebola, cancer, brain injury, autism, Alzheimer's Affliction, tumor reduction, and ADHD.

The FDA hasn't approved any essential oil products every bit drugs considering they haven't met the bureau's standard for safety or effectiveness — and then any fourth dimension a seller makes a claim near their potential therapeutic employ, they're required to include the following FDA disclosure: "These statements accept not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This production is non intended to diagnose, care for, cure, or preclude disease."

In a alphabetic character responding to the FDA, which was obtained past ATTN: through a public records request, doTERRA president David Stirling said the company had taken immediate corrective activity to address the agency's concerns. They sent a company-broad e-mail reiterating its policy, which instructs sellers to include the FDA disclosure on their personal websites and in other marketing material. The company also contacted individuals cited in the agency'due south alarm letter and promised to improve the visitor's compliance monitoring arrangement and rent boosted staff to ensure that distributors are adhering to corporate guidelines.

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But a search of social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook turns up dozens of recent examples of doTERRA and other essential oil distributors promoting these products as treatment options for various medical conditions — from breast cancer to melanoma to Lyme affliction — without including an FDA disclosure. ATTN: contacted doTERRA past phone and e-mail for annotate, merely the company said a representative could non exist fabricated bachelor by the fourth dimension of publication.

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For some aromatherapy professionals who have studied essential oils and integrated them in their practice, the recent popularization of these products by certain companies has come as an unwelcome development.

"I remember my master concern correct now is that a lot of the companies are encouraging people to use tons of essential oils all the time — and I don't think that'due south a proficient practice," Dr. Linda Halcon, an associate professor emerita at the University of Minnesota'due south School of Nursing who has practiced aromatherapy for 18 years, told ATTN:. Certain essential oil distributors accept marketed their products to children, infants, and pregnant women, Halcon said, and that's cause for business organisation considering "essential oils do cantankerous the placenta" and "there'southward very piddling inquiry on those populations."

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Halcon emphasized the authorization of these "chemical substances" and warned that overuse of essential oils could pb to toxicity. She applauded the FDA for encouraging companies that sell essential oils to avert making claims well-nigh the medical potential of these substances in the interest of increasing sales, saying "I prefer they exist seen in a holistic way as one of the therapies that tin be used."

Beak McGilvray, director of the essential oil company Plant Extracts International, told ATTN: in an e-mail that certain companies that sell essential oil products to the general public have largely skirted federal regulations — much to the frustration of traditional producers.

"The manner in which essential oils are used and advertised in America is regulated by the FDA," McGilvray said. "I recommend that you peruse the FDA web site, and search for 'essential oils.' There you volition meet, among over 2,000 entries, that official warning letters have been issued to sure companies and, as notwithstanding, the warnings remain to be acted upon, as far as we know."

He added that raising attention to "the current regulatory situation" would encourage "the proper authorities to act on these matters that are already on their agenda."

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Source: https://www.attn.com/stories/14568/what-you-need-know-about-essential-oils

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