Green-Lipped Mussel
Supplement Forms/Alternate Names:
Introduction
Green-lipped mussels are shellfish from the oceans of New Zealand. They have been used to ease joint pain. They can be eaten or taken as a pill, powder, or extract.
Dosages
600 to 1000 milligrams once daily
What Research Shows
Likely Effective
- Osteoarthritis —likely to ease pain, stiffness, and improve function and quality of lifeC1-C3
May Be Effective
- Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) —may ease symptoms in children and adolescents B1
Not Enough Data to Assess
- Asthma A1
Editorial process and description of evidence categories can be found at EBSCO NAT Editorial Process.
Safety Notes
It is likely safe for most adults who are not allergic to shellfish to take green-lipped mussel for a short time. Not enough studies have been done to say whether it is safe to take for a long period or during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Green-lipped mussels may be contaminated with a harmful parasite.D2
Interactions
Talk to your doctor about any supplements or therapy you would like to use. Some can interfere with treatment or make conditions worse, such as:
- Green-lipped mussel may cause liver damage in some people.D1
References►
A. Asthma
A1. Mickleborough TD, Vaughn CL, 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):1152-1163.
B. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
B1. Kean JD, Sarris J, et al. Reduced inattention and hyperactivity and improved cognition after marine oil extract (PCSO-524®) supplementation in children and adolescents with clinical and subclinical symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2017 Feb;234(3):403-420.
C. Osteoarthritis
C1. Zawadzki M, Janosch C, 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 5;11(6):1920-1935.
C2. Stebbings S, Gray A, et al. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial to investigate the effectiveness and safety of a novel green-lipped mussel extract -BioLex® -for managing pain in moderate to severe osteoarthritis of the hip and knee. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2017 Aug 22;17(1):416.
C3. Liu X, Machado GC, et al. Dietary supplements for treating osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(3):167-175.
D. Safety
D1. Sukumaran S, Pittman KB, et al. A phase I study to determine the safety, tolerability and maximum tolerated dose of green-lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus) lipid extract, in patients with advanced prostate and breast cancer. Ann Oncol. 2010 May;21(5):1089-1093.
D2. Coupe A, Howe L, et al. First report of Toxoplasma gondii sporulated oocysts and Giardia duodenalis in commercial green-lipped mussels (Perna canaliculus) in New Zealand. Parasitol Res. 2018 May;117(5):1453-1463.
Last reviewed March 2020 by EBSCO NAT Review Board Eric Hurwitz, DC Last Updated: 6/22/2020