By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

September 17, 2018

• What can this strange green-lipped mussel do for you?
• Decrease arthritis pain by as much as 89%
• Shut down pain-generating inflammation at the source

There is an interesting thing about people living on the New Zealand coast. They have a lower incidence of arthritis than those who live inland.

You might think it’s because they breathe fresh, sea air every day. Or perhaps it has something to do with swimming in all the natural salts and minerals in the ocean’s water.

While I’m sure these coastal amenities have their benefits, there is a much simpler explanation for the lower rates of arthritis.

It’s a seafood delicacy called green-lipped mussels. It’s a staple in the diets of coastal New Zealanders.

These strange-looking mussels have a dark green shell and bright green lip. And they can’t be found anywhere else in the world. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get these same benefits.

That’s because today it’s easy enough to buy green-lipped mussel extract. These supplements are loaded with the same joint-defending proteins, fatty acids and antioxidants found in the mussels.

And you will be surprised to learn exactly what they can do for you.

Decrease Arthritis Pain by as much as 89%

Chances are slim that you’ve ever heard of furan fatty acids. These are one of the most powerful nutrients found in green-lipped mussels. They’re similar to omega-3s, but have much more potent anti-inflammatory action.

This makes them a true powerhouse when it comes to improving mobility and fighting off joint pain, stiffness and tenderness. In fact, osteoarthritis patients who take green-lipped mussel (GLM) extract on a daily basis can see as much as 89% decrease in their pain symptoms.

When scientists delved into the way it works using animals, the results suggested GLM supports synovial fluid, connective tissue and joint lubrication to help keep joints healthy, flexible and mobile.

Better yet, it doesn’t come with any of the gastrointestinal side effects that patients often encounter when taking NSAID pain relievers. Instead, it actually improves symptoms in patients who suffer from GI distress.

But the benefits of green-lipped mussel go well beyond your joints. For example, you know how sore you can get when you overwork your muscles during exercise.

This type of delayed onset pain can take you by surprise later in the day or the next morning. However, GLM may help to shut down the inflammation and reduce some of the muscle damage inflicted during vigorous workouts.

There’s another way GLM can help during exercise, too.

If you experience exercise-induced asthma, you may experience breathing difficulties, coughing and a tightening of the chest when you work out. This happens due to narrowing of the airway.

Well, regular intake of GLM may help reduce this narrowing. However, I have to give you fair warning. It doesn’t go to work right away. It takes about three weeks of supplementation before you’ll see this type of improvement.

Shut Down Inflammation at the Root

In addition to the joint supporting and pain-relieving effects of GLM, it turns out that it also acts as a prebiotic.

This means it can have an extremely positive effect on your gut microbiota. As a matter of fact, this positive influence on your microbiome may even be partially responsible for GLM’s effectiveness in treating osteoarthritis.

Now, you know how important your gut is to your health.

When the ratios of unhealthy microbes outweigh the good ones, it reduces your immune function and allows inflammation to run amuck. This gut imbalance is linked to just about every major health concern you can think of.

Of course, this means it also contributes to the development or arthritis.

However, the bioactive compounds in GLM positively influence your gut microbiome. This gives you a big leg up when it comes to treating inflammatory conditions like arthritis.

I recommend taking a minimum of 150 mg of green-lipped mussel daily support for joint tenderness, morning stiffness and pain.

There are also several other inflammation-fighters that can work in conjunction with GLM to relieve all sorts of joint, muscle and stress-related aches and pains.

Some of my favorites include…

• Bromelain (200 mg daily)
• Chicken cartilage extract (400 mg daily)
• Curcumin (500 to 1000 mg twice daily). Make sure it contains 95% curcuminoids with added bioperine.

P.S. If you would like to learn more about how your gut microbiota influences the development of arthritis – and what you can do about it – check out this previous issue of Advanced Natural Wellness.

SOURCES:

Wakimoto T, et al. Furan fatty acid as an anti-inflammatory component from the green-lipped mussel Perna canaliculus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Oct 18;108(42):17533-7.

Coulson S, et al. Green-lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus) extract efficacy in knee osteoarthritis and improvement in gastrointestinal dysfunction: a pilot study. Inflammopharmacology. 2012 Apr;20(2):71-6.

Zawadzki M, et al. Perna canaliculus Lipid Complex PCSO-524™ Demonstrated Pain Relief for Osteoarthritis Patients Benchmarked against Fish Oil, a Randomized Trial, without Placebo Control. Mar Drugs. 2013 Jun; 11(6): 1920–1935.

Indiana University. “Unique omega-3 supplement effective at reducing exercise-induced asthma symptoms.” ScienceDaily. May 2013.

Mickleborough TD, et al. Marine lipid fraction PCSO-524 (lyprinol/omega XL) of the New Zealand green lipped mussel attenuates hyperpnea-induced bronchoconstriction in asthma. Respir Med. 2013 Aug;107(8):1152-63.

Saltzman ET, et al. Perna canaliculus and the Intestinal Microbiome. Mar Drugs. 2017 Jul; 15(7): 207.