From the Greek words arthro, which means “joint” and itis, referring to “inflammation,” arthritis is the number one cause of disability troubling people over the age of 65.

It has several forms, each one with a different cause: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, septic arthritis, gout and pseudogout, juvenile arthritis, Still’s disease, and ankylosing spondylitis. Lyprinol, the anti-inflammatory supplement manufactured from the New Zealand green-lipped mussel extract, has been found effective and safe in relieving the most prevalent forms of this condition.

Osteoarthritis, the most common form, is either caused by an infection or an injury to the joint, or is simply caused by aging. It generally affects the larger joints which bear the body’s weight, such as the knees and the hips. In some cases, the end joints of the fingers may be affected.

Numerous clinical trials have demonstrated that Lyprinol may help relieve the pain associated with osteoarthritis, with no gastrointestinal side effects commonly associated with the usual osteoarthritis medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Similarly, Lyprinol effectively reduces the swelling associated with rheumatoid arthritis. This type of arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the body “attacks” itself. It is characterized by extreme pain and can eventually destroy the joints, resulting in loss of mobility.

Rheumatoid arthritis has been found to affect mostly females and generally affects the smaller joints, such those in the toes, fingers, and wrists. To combat this debilitating condition, Lyprinol blocks a certain biochemical pathway which is responsible for the production of inflammatory compounds.

Compared to other marine oil products, Lyprinol has a more intricate lipid structure. It contains substances such as marine sterols and omega-3 fatty acids, known to be potent anti-inflammatory compounds.

Patients who have suffered for years from debilitating conditions such as allergies, arthritis, bronchial tightness, and other inflammatory disorders have alsways turned to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for relief. However, the plethora of side effects associated with NSAIDs has made them search for safer alternatives, one of which is Lyprinol.

Lyprinol is a scientifically tested formulation of five main classes of lipids including sterols, free fatty acids, triglycerides, sterol esters, and polar lipids. In addition to these, it contains more than thirty various essential fatty acids (EFAs) – a blend of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated fatty acids.

Extracted from the green-lipped mussel of New Zealand, it was found to be stable and effective for overall wellness. It has no known adverse reactions, unlike NSAIDs which have been linked to side effects such as nausea, headache, gastric ulcers, and diarrhea or constipation, among others.

Anti-inflammatory drugs which are currently being used principally work by inhibiting the cyclo-oxygenase pathway. In the light of the vital functions of inflammation assigned to the lipoxygenase pathway, there has been significant interest in the search for an effective 5-lipoxygenase pathway inhibitor in the past few years. Lyprinol has been established as a safe and effective 5-lipoxygenase pathway inhibitor.

A study made by Shiels and Whitehouse showed that Lyprinol exhibited anti-inflammatory actions different from those of a majority of NSAIDs. In an experiment for dysmenorrhea relief in that report, Lyprinol clearly demonstrated that even at large doses, it did not cause gastric irritations in contrast to several NSAIDs commonly used to treat dysmenorrhea.

In another study, this time conducted by Whitehouse, Roberts, and Brooks in Australia, Lyprinol was used to treat arthritis, along with a host of other remedies like herbal formulations and over-the-counter (OTC) NSAIDs.

They found that the three OTC NSAIDs tested – aspirin, ibuprofen, and the sodium salt of naproxen – were efficacious but gastrotoxic.

Even chronic asthma sufferers are relieved to know that they don’t have to depend on traditional asthma medications, some of which are steroid-based. In an experiment undertaken at the University of St. Petersburg in the U.K., there was a significant decrease in the amount of inflammatory cells found in the airways of perticipating asthmatics.

This study opened the doors for hundreds of asthma patients all over the world who constantly rely on harsh conventional treatments. Damian Bond, DB5 Healthcare U.K.’s Managing Director, states that although it generally takes a couple of weeks for Lyprinol to manifest its full efficacy, some users have reported positive changes in as quick as three days.

Derived from the oils of the green-lipped mussel, Perna canaliculus, Lyprinol is a rich source of various beneficial lipid groups and the much-touted Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, known to combat excess inflammation in our bodies.

This mussel is cultivated in the uncontaminated waters of the Marlborough Sounds in New Zealand where it is popular as a staple of the coastal Maoris. Via an intricate patented process, Lyprinol is stabilised and extracted from these shellfish and packed in convenient softgel capsules.

Aside from its little-known medical benefits such as the treatment of dysmenorrhea, colitic disease, and various skin disorders, Lyprinol shows a remarkable track record in two of its most significant benefits:

• Relieves various forms of arthritis. Scientists at the University of Queensland conducted tests to see how Lyprinol would fare against two of the more common anti-arthritic medications Ibuprofen and Indomethacin.

  This was done after Lyprinol showed an impressive 93% reduction of swelling in rats (in an earlier experiment) in contrast to untreated controls. In the next comparative study, Lyprinol and these two more common drugs were administered orally using the same dosage.

  They found that the drugs Ibuprofen and Indomethacin were outperformed by Lyprinol by a 2:1 factor! In the same vein, a double-blind clinical test at the West Glasgow Hospital University Trust using Lyprinol on both osteoarthritic patients and those with classical rheumatoid arthritis showed outstanding percentages of patients with marked relief.

• Helps maintain healthy breathing passages. A study done by English and Russian scientists showed that Lyprinol is effective in inhibiting the cyclo-oxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase pathways which are responsible for eicosanoid production. Leukotrienes are eicosanoids which are known to induce asthma.

  In this experiment, 46 patients suffering from atopic asthma were given two capsules of Lyprinol or placebos twice a day for eight weeks. In the group given Lyprinol, patients experienced a significant reduction in daytime wheeze and an increase in morning peak expiratory flow.

  These amazing results convinced the scientists to conclude that this powerful lipid extract from the New Zealand green-lipped mussel may indeed have beneficial effects on individuals with atopic asthma.

  Lyprinol also provides relief to individuals constantly bothered by allergies, which are accompanied by an inflammation and constriction of the airways. These are caused by any of the following factors: dust and pollution, smoke or vapours, perfumes and aerosols, gases, wood smoke, pollens, molds, and even certain types of food.

The most exciting thing about Lyprinol is that these benefits are attained with this powerful marine extract without having to experience any of the unpleasant side effects that come with most anti-inflammatory drugs.

We know today that simply transforming the extract from the green-lipped mussel into powder form is not enough to produce the potent anti-inflammatory effects of Lyprinol. This is because the essential lipids known for maintaining unconstricted airways can easily become ineffective when exposed to oxygen and heat.

The manufacturers of Lyprinol have ensured that a patented process in the handling of Lyprinol’s components, from the mussel selection to its harvest, storage, refining process, manufacturing methods, and distibution is such that the finished product leaves no harmful residues and is safeguarded from oxidation.

The New Zealand Green-Lipped Mussel

Perna canaliculus, the shellfish from which Lyprinol is sourced, thrives in coastal areas where there is a regular ocean current. This green-lipped mussel serves as a sort of filter, extricating the sea nutrients while dispersing waste matter.

In the ’70s, researchers from the U.S. embarked on a search for shellfish that could be tapped to treat various diseases. This study included the green-lipped mussels from New Zealand, which the coastal Maoris have already been consuming for years as part of their regular diet.

It was found that the coastal Maoris who ate mussels regularly had less incidences of arthritis than their relatives who lived inland. It was then that scientists became excited about the possibility of these mussels possessing substances that could help people get relief from inflammatory diseases.

Shaky beginnings

When the initial results came up inconsistent and erratic, however, critics were quick to quash whatever significant advances have been made. What the early scientists failed to take into consideration was that the Maoris who seemed to be protected from arthritis ate the mussels fresh from the sea.

This means that because of the procedures used in processing the extract – most notably refrigeration, freeze drying, or extremely high temperatures – the active components underwent oxidation and thus became less potent. This explained why the initial results never came close to the outstanding statistics registered by the Maoris who only ate fresh mussels.

Stabilization Technology

Soon, the researchers worked overtime to come up with a process that would effectively stabilize the mussel’s meat. When the process was developed by the Australian MacLab Group, the true potency of the green-lipped mussel on various medical conditions became evident.

Since then, the process of stabilizing freeze-dried mussel powder, specifically that patented by the Maclab Group, became the gold standard in the preparation of Lyprinol. In fact, they only channel this stabilized powder to Pharmalink International, the registered makers of Lyprinol for human use.

Do you suffer from arthritis pain or asthma? You may want to try Lyprinol. Lyprinol is an oil extracted from green-lipped mussel. Several clinical studies have shown that it is exceedingly effective as an anti-inflammatory agent in alleviating symptoms of asthma, arthritis and allergies.

In an arthritis study, researchers compared Lyprinol to other oils known to have anti-inflammatory properties and discovered that Lyprinol is 200 times more potent than Max-EPA®, 250 times more potent than unprocessed green-lipped mussels, and 350 time more potent than salmon oil. Why is Lyprinol so effective and what makes it a superior marine oil?

The answer simply lies in the fact that Lyprinol is a purer product than the majority of fish oils. This is due to the fact that the green-lipped mussels grow in a secluded and non-contaminated environment. The New Zealand government takes every precaution to keep the waters, in which green-lipped lives, free from pollutants that affect fish from other parts of the world.

I hear you saying: Is this it? Not quite. Another major reason, besides the pollution-free waters, is the fact that the lipids contained in Lyprinol are distinctively rich and efficacious. So, what’s so special about the green-lipped mussels?

We have all heard the saying: “You are what you eat”. Green-lipped mussels feed on a single celled organism called plankton. Due to the intense sunlight that descends on the water they inhabit, planktons are abundant with antioxidants. In order to survive, the planktons must guard themselves from the extremely high and deadly levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Because of the UV radiation, the planktons have evolved to avert its oxidative stress. Since the mussels feed on the planktons, they absorb their protective properties. In turn, when you eat the mussels or their extracted oil, you get the plankton’s excellent protective mechanism.

In conclusion, while all fish oils are beneficial, Lyprinol contains a greater amount of antioxidants than most others.