Green-lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus)
Also called Perna canaliculus, greenshell mussel, New Zealand green-lipped mussel, GLM, PCSO-524, Lyprinol.
Best grade C across 6 graded outcomes Other Last checked
The short answer
From 13 sourcesGreen-lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus) is a New Zealand shellfish sold as freeze-dried powder or an omega-3-rich lipid extract. A 2021 systematic review found a moderate pooled effect on osteoarthritis pain from few, mixed-quality studies. Newer trials split: a 2026 trial reported less knee pain, a 6-month trial improved only symptom scores, and a 2017 trial found no pain benefit.
Every graded outcome on this page
6 rows · line = participants- CGrade CHyperactivity and inattention in childrenAttention in childrenn 144
- CGrade CKnee osteoarthritis symptoms, pain and physical performanceKnee osteoarthritisn 120
- CGrade CKnee pain and function (WOMAC, VAS)Knee osteoarthritisn 100
- CGrade CHip and knee osteoarthritis painOsteoarthritisn 80
- CGrade CJoint pain and the cartilage marker CTX-IIJoint discomfortn 55
- DGrade DMuscle function and soreness after eccentric exerciseMuscle recoveryn 20
- 3 more graded outcomes, in the evidence chapter
Key facts
- What it is
- Whole freeze-dried mussel powder or a lipid extract (such as PCSO-524/Lyprinol) containing omega-3 fatty acids15
- Systematic review
- 9 trials reviewed, 5 pooled: VAS pain effect size −0.46 (95% CI −0.82 to −0.10); evidence limited by study number and quality1
- Null trial
- A 600 mg/day extract for 12 weeks did not beat placebo on pain in 80 people with hip or knee osteoarthritis3
- Supplement comparison
- A 2018 meta-analysis of 20 osteoarthritis supplements found only green-lipped mussel extract and undenatured type II collagen had clinically important pain effects at medium term; none did long term13
- Shellfish
- It is a mussel, a mollusc; Health Canada lists molluscs among priority food allergens and advises people allergic to them to avoid products that contain them7
- Canada
- A Health Canada-licensed lipid extract is labelled do not use if pregnant or breastfeeding6
What it is
Green-lipped mussel is a New Zealand shellfish sold as a freeze-dried powder or lipid extract for joint comfort.
Forms, side by side
3 forms named in our sources. The rest show what our data holds, and say plainly where it holds nothing yet.
Green-lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus) forms compared
3 forms| 3 forms | Whole freeze-dried mussel powder | Lipid extract (e.g. PCSO-524/Lyprinol) | BioLex extract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absorption in people | No human absorption data in our sources.1 | No human absorption data in our sources.1 | No human absorption data in our sources.3 |
| GI tolerance | Generally well tolerated in reviewed studies; no meaningful safety concerns in a 2026 trial.12 | No significant side effects in an 8-week asthma trial.5 | Assessed for safety in a 12-week osteoarthritis trial.3 |
| Studied for | Knee osteoarthritis and joint discomfort | Osteoarthritis pain and asthma symptoms | Hip and knee osteoarthritis (null on pain) |
- Whole freeze-dried mussel powder
- Lipid extract (e.g. PCSO-524/Lyprinol)
- BioLex extract
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form line shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
Trial map
6 graded outcomes, largest study first6 graded outcomes: 3 improved, 1 mixed, 2 no effect. The largest, a 2017 randomized trial of 144 people on hyperactivity and inattention in children, found no effect.
1Hyperactivity and inattention in children
No effect · Grade C · RCT, 144 people, 2017
Children aged 6–14 (mean 8.7 years) with clinical or subclinical ADHD symptoms in Australia
Dose, result and source| Outcome | Found | People | Study | Who was studied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyperactivity and inattention in children | No effect | 144 | Grade C · RCT, 2017 | Children aged 6–14 (mean 8.7 years) with clinical or subclinical ADHD symptoms in Australia |
| Knee osteoarthritis symptoms, pain and physical performance | Mixed | 120 | Grade C · RCT, 2024 | Adults aged 55–80 with early signs of knee osteoarthritis in New Zealand |
| Knee pain and function (WOMAC, VAS) | Improved | 100 | Grade C · RCT, 2026 | Adults aged 40–75 with symptomatic radiographic knee osteoarthritis in Korea |
| Hip and knee osteoarthritis pain | No effect | 80 | Grade C · RCT, 2017 | Adults with moderate to severe hip or knee osteoarthritis |
| Joint pain and the cartilage marker CTX-II | Improved | 55 | Grade C · RCT, 2022 | Postmenopausal women with overweight or obesity and joint discomfort |
| Muscle function and soreness after eccentric exercise | Improved | 20 | Grade D · Crossover RCT, 2023 | Healthy untrained adult men in New Zealand |
Every graded row
6 rowsShowing 6 of 6 outcomes. Human trials only.
CGrade CHyperactivity and inattention in childrenAttention in childrenNo effectRCT
n 144 · 2017
No effect No benefit over placebo on the primary outcome, parent-rated hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity. Post hoc subgroup analyses and a recognition-memory gain at week 8 (not sustained at week 14) favored the extract.
- Design
- RCT, n = 144, 2017
- Population
- Children aged 6–14 (mean 8.7 years) with clinical or subclinical ADHD symptoms in Australia
- Form
- PCSO-524 lipid extract (Lyprinol)
- Dose
- 3 capsules/day (≤45 kg) or 4 capsules/day (>45 kg), each with 50 mg of mussel lipids
- Duration
- 14 weeks
- Source
- Reference 10 · PubMed 27921139 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CKnee osteoarthritis symptoms, pain and physical performanceKnee osteoarthritisMixedRCT
n 120 · 2024
Mixed VAS symptom score fell more than with placebo (median −28.1% vs 0.0%, P=0.03). The KOOS sport and recreation score, intermittent pain and the fast-walk test showed only non-significant trends (P=0.08–0.09), and the share of people with a clinically important improvement did not differ between groups. Mild indigestion or reflux affected 8 people on mussel powder and 2 on placebo.
- Design
- RCT, n = 120, 2024
- Population
- Adults aged 55–80 with early signs of knee osteoarthritis in New Zealand
- Form
- Whole GreenShell mussel powder (PERNAULTRA)
- Dose
- 3 g/day
- Duration
- 6 months
- Source
- Reference 8 · PubMed 38645882 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CKnee pain and function (WOMAC, VAS)Knee osteoarthritisImprovedRCT
n 100 · 2026
Improved WOMAC total improved more than placebo per protocol (−3.66, p=0.032) but not significantly by intention to treat (p=0.061); VAS pain fell 19.9 mm more (p<0.001). CRP and ESR unchanged; no meaningful safety concerns.
- Design
- RCT, n = 100, 2026
- Population
- Adults aged 40–75 with symptomatic radiographic knee osteoarthritis in Korea
- Form
- Green-lipped mussel powder
- Dose
- 1,000 mg/day
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Source
- Reference 2 · PubMed 42464085 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CHip and knee osteoarthritis painOsteoarthritisNo effectRCT
n 80 · 2017
No effect No significant difference from placebo in VAS or WOMAC pain, WOMAC-20 response or quality of life at 12 weeks; WOMAC stiffness improved (p=0.046) and paracetamol use was lower after week 12.
- Design
- RCT, n = 80, 2017
- Population
- Adults with moderate to severe hip or knee osteoarthritis
- Form
- BioLex green-lipped mussel extract
- Dose
- 600 mg daily
- Duration
- 12 weeks plus 3-week follow-up
- Source
- Reference 3 · PubMed 28830491 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CJoint pain and the cartilage marker CTX-IIJoint discomfortImprovedRCT
n 55 · 2022
Improved VAS pain fell more than placebo (−13.2 vs −2.9 mm, p=0.04); urinary CTX-II did not differ overall but was lower in women with symptomatic knees; KOOS, COMP and cytokines unchanged. 49 completed.
- Design
- RCT, n = 55, 2022
- Population
- Postmenopausal women with overweight or obesity and joint discomfort
- Form
- Whole greenshell mussel powder
- Dose
- 3 g/day
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Source
- Reference 4 · PubMed 36544504 (opens PubMed)
DGrade DMuscle function and soreness after eccentric exerciseMuscle recoveryImprovedCrossover RCT
n 20 · 2023
Improved Isometric and concentric peak torque recovered better than on placebo at 48 and 72 hours, soreness faded faster (VAS pain p=0.018), and creatine kinase was lower at 72 hours.
- Design
- Crossover RCT, n = 20, 2023
- Population
- Healthy untrained adult men in New Zealand
- Form
- Whole Greenshell mussel powder
- Dose
- 3 g/day
- Duration
- 4 weeks per period before a muscle-damaging bench-stepping test
- Source
- Reference 9 · PubMed 37242198 (opens PubMed)
Asthma (lipid extract)
2 notesTwo small human trials outside this page's goal areas, not graded here.
- Atopic asthma (2002)
- In 46 adults with steroid-naive atopic asthma, two capsules of lipid extract twice daily (50 mg omega-3 fatty acids each) for 8 weeks reduced daytime wheeze and exhaled hydrogen peroxide and raised morning peak flow versus an olive-oil placebo, with no significant side effects.5
- Exercise-type bronchoconstriction (2013)
- In a crossover trial of 20 people with asthma, 3 weeks of PCSO-524 limited the fall in FEV1 after a breathing challenge to 8.4%, versus 22.5% on placebo, and reduced symptom scores and rescue-medication use.11
What the numbers add up to
Each point is worked out from the data and the sources numbered on this page, with the arithmetic shown under it. It adds no new data and is not medical advice.
Studied doses
Doses used in research, shown against the official limits. They describe the studies, not a recommendation for you.
Studied doses in research, not advice. These are amounts used in research, not personal advice. Your clinician or pharmacist can say what fits you.
Doses studied in human trials
When trials measured an effect
3 outcomes| Outcome | Measured at | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Knee pain (VAS) | Week 12 (end of trial) | 1,000 mg/day of mussel powder; pain measured at 12 weeks2 |
| Muscle function after eccentric exercise | 48–72 hours after the exercise test, following 4 weeks of use | 3 g/day of mussel powder in a 20-man crossover trial9 |
| Recognition memory in children | Week 8; not sustained at week 14 | PCSO-524 lipid extract versus placebo; the primary behaviour outcome did not improve10 |
Interactions and safety
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
Interactions
0 agentsNone found in our sources.
Check with what you take
Kept on this device onlyAdd what you take. We list every interaction our evidence profiles cite between Green-lipped mussel and your picks, and between your picks.
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Add a supplement or medicine you take to check it against Green-lipped mussel.
Starting from one medicine? The interaction checker rates how serious each pair is, on a curated list of 19 entries for 11 medicines. This cabinet has no severity rating: it lists every interaction row our supplement pages cite.
Who should be careful
4 groups- Shellfish allergy
- Health Canada lists molluscs, including mussels, among priority food allergens and advises people with a mollusc allergy to avoid products that contain them. People allergic only to crustaceans such as shrimp or crab should ask their allergist before trying molluscs.7
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- A Health Canada-licensed green-lipped mussel lipid extract is labelled: do not use if pregnant or breastfeeding.6
- Liver
- In a phase I study of a lipid extract in 17 people with advanced prostate or breast cancer, two developed grade 3–4 liver toxicity, which the authors flagged as a concern. Liver effects have not been reported in the joint trials, but those lasted 6 months or less.1282
- Use beyond 6 months
- The same Health Canada licence asks users to consult a health care practitioner for use beyond 6 months or if symptoms persist or worsen.6
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to common questions; the numbers link to the sources below.
Common questions
6 answersDoes green-lipped mussel help osteoarthritis?
Possibly, a little. A 2021 systematic review pooled five studies and found a moderate effect on pain but called the evidence limited. Newer trials split: a 2026 trial of 100 adults reported less knee pain, a 6-month trial of 120 improved only a symptom score, and a 2017 trial of 80 found no pain benefit.1283
Does green-lipped mussel help asthma?
What are the side effects of green-lipped mussel?
Is it safe with a shellfish allergy?
Not with a mollusc allergy. Health Canada lists mussels among priority food allergens and advises avoiding products that contain the allergen; people allergic only to crustaceans should ask their allergist before trying molluscs.7
Is green-lipped mussel safe to take long term?
How does green-lipped mussel compare with other osteoarthritis supplements?
A 2018 meta-analysis of 69 trials covering 20 supplements found green-lipped mussel extract and undenatured type II collagen were the only ones with clinically important pain effects at medium term. No supplement had clinically important long-term effects, and evidence quality ranged from very low to high.13
Sources
13 sources: trial abstracts, NIH fact sheets and reference databases. Numbers in the text link here.
Sources cited on this page
13 sources- 1Green-lipped (greenshell™) mussel (Perna canaliculus) extract supplementation in treatment of osteoarthritis: a systematic review.Systematic review Inflammopharmacology, 2021 · PMID 33738701
- 2Efficacy and safety of green-lipped mussel powder supplementation in adults with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.RCT BMC Complement Med Ther, 2026 · PMID 42464085
- 3A 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.RCT BMC Complement Altern Med, 2017 · PMID 28830491
- 4Effects of Greenshell™ mussel intervention on biomarkers of cartilage metabolism, inflammatory markers and joint symptoms in overweight/obese postmenopausal women: A randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial.RCT Front Med (Lausanne), 2022 · PMID 36544504
- 5Treatment of asthma with lipid extract of New Zealand green-lipped mussel: a randomised clinical trial.RCT Eur Respir J, 2002 · PMID 12358334
- 6Licensed Natural Health Products Database: green lipped mussel fatty acids softgel (NPN 80012063), risk informationLabel Health Canada, 2009 · health-products.canada.ca
- 7Crustaceans and Molluscs - Priority food allergensFact sheet Health Canada, 2017 · canada.ca
- 8The Effects of GreenShell Mussel Powder (Brand-Named PERNAULTRA) on Physical Performance and Subjective Pain, Symptoms, and Function Measures in Knee Osteoarthritis: A 6-Mo Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.RCT Curr Dev Nutr, 2024 · PMID 38645882
- 9The Efficacy of New Zealand Greenshell™ Mussel Powder Supplementation in Supporting Muscle Recovery Following Eccentric Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Healthy, Untrained Adult Males.Crossover RCT Nutrients, 2023 · PMID 37242198
- 10Reduced 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.RCT Psychopharmacology (Berl), 2017 · PMID 27921139
- 11Marine lipid fraction PCSO-524 (lyprinol/omega XL) of the New Zealand green lipped mussel attenuates hyperpnea-induced bronchoconstriction in asthma.Crossover RCT Respir Med, 2013 · PMID 23660397
- 12A 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.Open-label trial Ann Oncol, 2010 · PMID 19846468
- 13Dietary supplements for treating osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Meta-analysis Br J Sports Med, 2018 · PMID 29018060
What changed
Every dated change to this page: what changed, who made it and why.
Change log
3 entries| Date | Change | Who and why |
|---|---|---|
| summary, key facts, evidence, studied doses, who should avoid, time to effect, research notes, FAQ, questions, related | Added a 6-month knee osteoarthritis trial of whole mussel powder (120 adults, grade C, mixed), a muscle-recovery crossover trial (20 men, grade D) and a 14-week trial of the PCSO-524 lipid extract in 144 children with ADHD symptoms (primary outcome null, grade C). Added a 2018 meta-analysis comparing osteoarthritis supplements as a key fact, the two asthma trials as research notes, a liver note from a phase I lipid-extract study (grade 3–4 liver toxicity in 2 of 17 people with advanced cancer), time-to-effect rows, and widened studied doses to 4 weeks–6 months. Replaced FAQ items that duplicated the page's own form, pregnancy and timing questions with side effects, long-term safety, asthma and a supplement comparison. Checked LiverTox and LactMed: neither has a green-lipped mussel entry; no documented drug or supplement interactions were found in the sources checked (LiverTox, LactMed, PubMed, the Health Canada licence), so the interaction list stays empty. | Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: A–Z audit against docs/supplements/AUDIT-STANDARD.md |
| who should avoid | Shellfish allergy caution sourced to Health Canada priority-allergen guidance | Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: adversarial review |
| all | Initial editorial evidence review | Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: new page |
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