What is it?
Green-lipped mussel extract is a nutritional supplement made from a type of shellfish native to New Zealand.
The health benefits of green-lipped mussels were discovered when it was observed that Māori’s who regularly ate them had significantly less arthritis than their inland relatives.
How does it help improve / prevent me from getting arthritis?
Green-lipped mussel extracts are rich in wide variety of anti-inflammatory fatty acids.
Laboratory and animal studies have shown that fatty acids are also important for maintaining joint cell structure and function.
Am I getting this already from my diet?
There are many natural food sources of fatty acids such as a certain fish, nuts and seeds.
It’s a great idea to include fatty acids, such as omega-3, in your regular diet if you are trying to reduce inflammation.
However, not all fatty acids are the same.
Green-lipped mussels are potent source of a rare omega-3 fatty acid called Eicosatetraenoic Acid (ETA).
An animal study suggested that ETA was clearly superior to other omega-3s at reducing inflammation.
Has it been tested?
- A 2017 analysis comparing 20 natural supplements for osteoarthritis found that green-lipped mussel extract had a large effect in reducing pain in the medium term (4-6 months)
- A 2021 review of 9 green-lipped mussel extract clinical trials found that the supplement had moderate effects on osteoarthritis symptoms
We only use the best available evidence in our analysis. Click here to learn more.
How much do I need to take?
Green-lipped mussel extracts are available in powder and oil forms.
Clinical trials using powder extracts studied doses ranging from 1050 to 3000 mg/day.
Clinical trials using oil extracts used doses ranging from 210 and 1200 mg/day.
Does it have any side effects?
Except for some minor gastrointestinal side effects, both oil and powdered extract products are generally safe to use.
Interactions with other drugs haven’t been well studied, but you should be cautious about taking green-lipped mussel extracts with anticoagulants.
As with any supplement, it’s best to talk with your healthcare provider before adding a green-lipped mussel extract to your diet.
Where is the best place to buy green-lipped mussel extract?
For the UK & EU, our green-lipped mussel extract product recommendation is ‘GreenShell’ from simplysupplements.com – each tablet contains 500mg of high-quality powder extract! We would recommend taking 2-3 tablets just before you go to bed for at least four months.
For the USA, our green-lipped mussel extract product recommendation is ‘Mussel 6000’ from Goodhealth – each tablet contains 750mg of high-quality powder extract! We would recommend taking 2 tablets just before you go to bed for at least four months.
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