Article on Cetyl Myristoleate for arhtritis

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Here is an article I found on something I take for my arthritis

 

Cetyl Myristoleate for Arthritis

Science for Speculation

By Rusty Ford

 

There are a lot of fabulous stories about Cetyl Myristoleate (also

known as CMO or CM) floating across the Internet. Mine is one of

them. There have been a number of articles published in little known

journals or magazines. There have been four small booklets

published. One making fantastic claims, all four filled with

anecdotal evidence but offering no real research to back up the

claims. There are a number of Doctors sharing the results they are

having with their patients but so does every other wonder-working

product. The question is, are there any scientific studies to back

up any of these claims? The answer is yes. To date there are

several patient studies and two double blind studies completed. I

will mention the three most prominent below.

 

Dr Len Sands of the San Diego Clinic completed the first human study

on the effectiveness on Cetyl Myristoleate in 1995. There were 48

arthritis patients in this study. All but two showed significant

improvement in articular mobility (80% or better) and reduction of

pain (70% or better). Obviously the study had its flaws. One doctor

conducted the study, there was no control group and the number of

participants was small. Even so, it suggested to many that maybe

there was some hope here and that more scientific studies should

follow.

 

The first double blind study followed two years later. Dr. H.

Siemandi conducted a double blind study under the auspices of the

Joint European Hospital Studies Program. There were 431 patients in

the study, 106 who received cetyl myristoleate, 99 who received cetyl

myristoleate, and glucosamine, sea cucumber, and hydrolyzed cartilage

and 226 who received a placebo. Clinical assessment included

radiological test and other studies. Results were 63% improvement for

the cetyl myristoleate group, 87% for the cetyl myristoleate plus

glucosamine group and 15% for the placebo group.

 

In August of 2002, a double blind study was published in the Journal

or Rheumatology. The study included sixty-four patients with chronic

knee OA. Half of the patients received a cetyl myristoleate complex

and half a placebo. Evaluations included physician assessment, knee

range of motion with goniometry, and the Lequesne Algofunctional

Index (LAI). The conclusion was that the CM group saw significant

improvement while the placebo group saw little to none. In fact in

their conclusion the state that CM " may be an alternative to the use

of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of OA " .

 

Advanced Medical Systems & Design, Ltd completed the last study I

would like to mention in Oct 2001. It was not a double blind study

but the study included 1814 arthritis patients. The results showed

that over 87% of the subjects had greater than 50% recovery and over

65% of those showed from 75% - 100% recovery following a sixteen day

regimen. I know that this is not the most scientific study but a

study this large does suggest that there could be a positive benefit

to the use of CM in the treatment of arthritis.

 

Conclusion: There is mounting evidence that CM can be effective in

the treatment of many forms of arthritis. While it is true that the

evidence from these three studies can not be considered conclusive,

it is a beginning. It should challenge you to think out side the box

and consider that just because it did not come from a drug company

does not mean that it will not work. With over 10,000 people a year

dying from Nsaids would it not be great to find a safer and more

effective product. Especially with the cost of prescription

treatments for arthritis costing into the hundreds and good Cetyl

Myristoleate products can be found for between $20 and $40.

 

Tom