One small factor that should be cleared up at this point is the statement so often heard, ‘Oh, it must be safe because it’s natural!’ This is, of course, not true at all! Just because something is natural does not mean either that it is ‘safe’ or that it will not have adverse side-effects if taken as a food or a medication. Some of the most powerful poisons known are perfectly natural, and some of the most powerful activities come from aquatic organisms.

Thus it is not being suggested that the reason that the extract from the Green-Lipped Mussel is safe and does not have adverse side-effects is simply because it is of natural origin. The fact that the extract is of natural origin is, however, considered to have a very strong bearing on its effective action in relieving rheumatic and arthritic symptoms.

The sort of side-effects which can be experienced with orthodox drug therapy as used in the treatment of arthritis are gastric ulceration, hemorrhage, liver and kidney malfunctions, impaired hearing and vision, skin disorders and loss or premature greying of hair. The mussel extract treatment does not give any of these types of side-effects, which is a tremendous boost to its value in therapy.

It is fair to comment, however, that effects which might be described as unpleasant have occurred, though they have been associated mostly with an allergy and have been temporary. Some people, with an allergy to shellfish, have reported nausea, dizziness and even skin rash when they have taken mussel extract capsules. Upon ceasing to taken them, the condition has rapidly disappeared.

There have also been reports of some indigestion, diarrhea or constipation caused by the capsules, but such reports have been from relatively few people and the condition has been temporary. Serious side-effects have been absent with this substance which, as has already been said, gives it a considerable advantage over the orthodox drug treatments.

*17/48/5*