Introduction

A breeze blows by, and it smells warm, sweet, and buttery, for many people, this aroma of chocolate chip cookies would transport them to their grandmother’s house. It would remind them of fond memories from their childhood. That is how powerful scents can be, similarly to this aromatherapy has had a rise in popularity. Aromatherapy is when the scent of essential oils is used for therapeutic benefit.“Last year alone consumers in the United States spent $1 billion on essential oil products and is expected to exceed $11 billion by the year 2022.” The essential oil industry is extremely popular and continues to grow. Many people turn to them to uplift their spirits and help them sleep. But with the popularity of essential oils, it becomes a very easy place to make money. Some people who turn towards essential oils may be doing so as a last resort and are willing to try anything. Or they might believe they are a more natural approach. This makes it very easy to market essential oils if you know your crowd. 

An example of this is Dr. Josh Axe’s 2014 livestream 8 surprising essential oil remedies.  Later posted to his YouTube channel, in the video Axe makes a series of claims about the wonders of essential oils. Axe also promotes his book Essential Oils: Ancient Medicine and his website. The main goal of Josh Axe’s video is not to help people but to advertise his products.

Dr. Josh Axe

It is important to know who Josh Axe is before getting into his video. He is a co-author of the book Essential Oils: Ancient Medicine and runs his own website draxe.com. “He has a doctorate in chiropractic and naturopathic medicine; he is not a medical doctor.” Axe is partially credential-mongering. He is technically a doctor but is not an expert in all of the areas he advises in. But he makes sure people know he is a doctor by using it in his social media handles and URLs so that people will trust him and his advice. Josh Axe’s website is a way to make a profit (see fig.1).“The mission of the website appears to be the sale of questionable nutrition and natural health-related products, with articles promoting a wide variety of health-related pseudoscience.”

Josh Axe is known for promoting unsafe health treatments. For example,  “Dr. Axe promotes chelation therapy as a treatment for autism, even though it has been thoroughly debunked.” Chelation therapy is a process that removes heavy metals from the body. “He also promotes coffee enemas as a means to fight cancer even though they have been shown to be unsafe.” Coffee enemas are a process where coffee is injected into the rectum. By promoting these unsafe treatments it is shown that Josh Axe’s medical advice should not always be trusted.

Fig.1 Josh Axe’s Instagram, showing him using Dr. in his username.

Fennel can have positive effects on breast milk but does not increase its production.

In the gut health section of his video, Josh Axe talks about the benefits of fennel. While gesturing to the screen Josh Axe says, “Or actually, the blend of fennel and fenugreek is known to increase breast milk production” (5:13) (see fig.2). Josh Axe makes this claim in the gut health section of his video. He claims that it is “known” to increase breast milk production, but does not cite any studies. This is true for all of the claims he makes throughout his video. He does not once provide any resources he has used. He also does not explain how what he is claiming works. Which is why he heavily relies on the trust of his audience. If he explained the science behind his claims, it would make them more believable.

“However, no increase in serum prolactin has been found with fennel use in nursing mothers.” Serum prolactin is the hormone responsible for breast milk production. “Two small studies found an increase in some parameters such as milk volume, fat content and infant weight gain with fennel galactagogue therapy.” There is no evidence that fennel can increase breast milk production, but it can help raise the quality of breast milk. Axe does not warn viewers of the potential dangers of fennel. This is a common theme throughout his video, Josh Axe is sure to mention the positives but never the negatives. According to The National Library of Medicine, “Excessive maternal use of an herbal tea containing fennel, anise, and other herbs appeared to cause toxicity in 2 breastfed newborns that were consistent with toxicity caused by anethole, which is found in fennel and anise.” The advice that Josh Axe is giving could potentially be very dangerous, by not explaining how much fennel to use or how to use it his viewers can be hurt more than they are being helped.

Fig.2. Josh Axe gesturing towards the screen (Axe).

ADHD can not be “fought”.

In the “brain” segment of the video Axe says, “And cedarwood, we know, is also very motivating in terms of an oil, and cedarwood in medical studies has been shown to support fighting ADHD.” Axe claims that cedarwood oil has been shown to support fighting ADHD in medical studies, but does not list what studies. He also chooses the word fighting, by choosing this word it implies that he thinks ADHD is bad and needs to be fought. This makes viewers feel like ADHD needs to be fixed, making them more likely to buy from his website.

“There’s no significant evidence showing that essential oils directly help with ADHD symptoms.” ADHD is a brain-based disorder with symptoms such as hyperactivity, lack of attention, and being impulsive. Essential oils have been shown to promote calmness and focus which can reduce symptoms of ADHD. Axe is partially right, essential oils may help some people manage their ADHD symptoms, but it is not backed by research.

If something is natural, it does not guarantee its safety.

To start out the video Axe says, “ More people need to know the truth about essential oils because a lot of people today are turning to products that have severe side effects that are synthetic, when God put nature’s remedies here on Earth for us to use like essential oils” (0:40). While standing in front of a screen that says Ancient Medicine(see fig.2). In this claim, Axe pulls the “ancient card”. This means he is implying that because essential oils are supposedly natural and have been around forever they have to work. He also claims that people need to know the truth about essential oils making it seem like people have not been told the truth and are being lied to. He also uses this to promote his book, Essential Oils: Ancient Medicine. He is implying that his book holds answer that his viewers need to know in order to be happier and healthier.

Although Axe claims essential oils are natural, they are not guaranteed to be safe. “Though essential oils are widely used and considered safe when used as purchased, they are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).” This means that essential oils could contain things that consumers do not know and the quality is not guaranteed. They contain more chemicals than most people believe. According to the American Lunch Association, “These highly concentrated and potent essential oils can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The inhalation of VOCs commonly has negative effects on the respiratory system. Individuals can have different reactions to essential oils, just like they might to other medicines, products, allergens or irritant triggers.” Axe once again does not warn his viewers of the negative effects that could occur.

      Fig.2. Josh Axe standing in front of the screen which says Ancient Medicine (Axe).

Ty Bollinger

One co-author of Axe’s book Essential Oils: Ancient Medicine is Ty Bollinger. He and his wife, Charlene Bollinger are in the same health and wellness business. According to AP news, “The Bollingers are part of an ecosystem of for-profit companies, nonprofit groups, YouTube channels and other social media accounts that stoke fear and distrust of COVID-19 vaccines, resorting to what medical experts say is often misleading and false information.” This is a very concerning person for Axe to be working with.

Similarly to Axe, Bollinger does not have the credentials to 100% back up his advice. According to AP news, “Ty Bollinger describes himself as a “medical researcher” on bios posted on his website and in at least one book. He holds degrees in accounting and taxation from Baylor, but the AP could find no indication that he has any scientific or medical training, and he declined to answer questions about his credentials.” He is known for being anti-vaccine and promoting alternates to chemotherapy. His opinions are typically in the minority.

Conclusion

Many people want to do whatever they can to be healthier and happier. But things are not always what they seem and people do not always know what they are talking about. Dr. Josh Axe is right about some things but consistently does not paint the full picture. He does not share any research that would support his claims with his viewers. He also does not explain why the things he are claiming would happen would. Dr. Josh Axe uses his Youtube channel and website as a source of income and to him money is more important than truth. He serves as a good example to never take advice blindly and always do your own research.