Cetylated Fatty Acids (Celadrin) and knee arthritis
What 6 graded rows on cetylated fatty acids (celadrin) agree on for knee arthritis, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the Cetylated Fatty Acids (Celadrin) page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the Cetylated Fatty Acids (Celadrin) page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
Cetylated Fatty Acids (Celadrin) and knee arthritis
6 rows · 682 peopleMostly an improvement: 5 of 6 rows, and most of the people. 1 had mixed results.
- CGrade C× 4
- DGrade D× 2
- Rows
- 6
- Trials
- 12
- People
- 682
- Pooled reviews may count some twice
What the rows share
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade C, is a meta-analysis of 357 people (2026) and found an improvement.
The rows run from 40 to 357 people, published from 2002 to 2026: 1 pooled review and 5 single studies.
The rows
5 improved · 1 mixed- CGrade CKnee osteoarthritis pain, motion and function · Improved
Meta-analysis, 7 studies · n 357 · 2026 · Adults with knee osteoarthritis in 5 RCTs and 2 pre-post studies
Varied by study · Varied by study
Pain (SMD -0.37), knee range of motion and physical function improved; stiffness did not. In subgroups, benefits were seen with oral capsules but not with creams.
Row on the Cetylated Fatty Acids (Celadrin) page · PubMed 40737055 (opens PubMed)
- CGrade CKnee range of motion and function in osteoarthritis · Improved
RCT · n 64 · 2002 · Adults with chronic knee osteoarthritis (33 CFA, 31 placebo)
Dose not stated in the abstract · 68 days
Knee flexion rose 10.1 degrees vs 1.1 on placebo (p < 0.001) and the Lequesne index improved 5.4 vs 2.1 points; knee extension did not change in either group.
Row on the Cetylated Fatty Acids (Celadrin) page · PubMed 12180734 (opens PubMed)
- CGrade CKnee osteoarthritis pain and range of motion · Improved
RCT · n 60 · 2025 · Adults with grade 3-4 knee osteoarthritis and moderate pain (mean age 66, 85% female) in Georgia
1.5 g a day · 60 days
Pain fell 1.7 cm vs 0.6 cm on placebo (VAS, p < 0.005) and flexion improved 3.8 degrees more; the WOMAC difference (-3.7) was not significant (p = 0.108). 4 of 30 people reported mild adverse events.
Row on the Cetylated Fatty Acids (Celadrin) page · PubMed 40855215 (opens PubMed)
- CGrade CKnee mobility and function with a topical cream · Improved
RCT · n 40 · 2004 · Adults with knee osteoarthritis (20 per group)
Applied twice a day · 30 days
Stair climbing, up-and-go time, knee range of motion and the medial step-down test improved with CFA cream and not with placebo; reach improved more than placebo.
Row on the Cetylated Fatty Acids (Celadrin) page · PubMed 15088305 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DKnee osteoarthritis symptoms with a short cream course · Improved
Open-label trial · n 113 · 2018 · Adults with knee osteoarthritis at Italian rheumatology centres (median age 70)
Two applications a day · 1 week
Overall WOMAC scores and subscales fell after one week (p < 0.005), including in more advanced disease.
Row on the Cetylated Fatty Acids (Celadrin) page · PubMed 30874246 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DKnee osteoarthritis symptoms vs an anti-inflammatory drug · Mixed
RCT · n 48 · 2023 · Adults with knee osteoarthritis in Shiraz, Iran
350 mg three times a day · 30 days
Total WOMAC and Oxford Knee Scores did not differ from meloxicam at 2, 4 or 8 weeks after treatment; both groups improved from baseline. No adverse events with CFA.
Row on the Cetylated Fatty Acids (Celadrin) page · PubMed 38282946 (opens PubMed)