Patients flex their mussels for pain relief: Clam oil extract could help millions

• Mussel oil extract could help sufferers of osteoarthritis
• Reduced joint pain by 89 per cent during tests on patients
• Of the 8.5m sufferers in the UK, 71 per cent are in constant pain

A mussel oil extract could provide effective pain relief for the millions who suffer from osteoarthritis, new research suggests.

The supplement – extracted from New Zealand green-lipped mussels – was found to reduce pain in people with the degenerative condition by 89 per cent.

It also proved more effective than traditional fish oils at easing symptoms.

Reef relief: Oil extracted from a specific type of mussel has been found to significantly reduce pain in people with osteoarthritis

‘These are remarkable findings, especially as no side effects were reported,’ says Professor Jacek Szechinski, who led the study.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, with about 8.5 million sufferers in the UK.

It causes inflammation and damage around the joints, often leading to stiffness and severe pain. According to Arthritis Care, 71 per cent of sufferers are in constant pain.

Common pain: About 8.5million people suffer from osteoarthritis in the UK

The new study, published in the Marine Drugs journal, compared the supplement Lyprinol, which uses a patented extract process that preserves mussels’ potent lipids, with fish oil commonly taken for the condition.

Researchers at Poland’s Clinic of Rheumatology and Internal Medicine tested 50 adults with osteoarthritis in the knee or hip.

For 12 weeks, half the group was given Lyprinol (1,200 mg daily) and half a traditional fish oil supplement.

The pain assessment scores for those on mussel oil showed a significant improvement within four weeks and 91 per cent reported an improved quality of life.

Those on fish oil showed no such reduction in pain or improved mobility.

‘This could potentially mark a major breakthrough,’ says consultant rheumatologist Dr Sundeept Bhalara from Spire Bushey Hospital, Hertfordshire.

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