Green lipped mussel gel glucosamine is a topical product created especially for people experiencing joint pain and stiffness resulting from arthritis or other rheumatoid disease.
Obtained from New Zealand shellfish through a special technology which preserves its high content of antioxidants, chondroitin sulphates and glycosaminoglycans, this ointment has its drawbacks as well so it's important to be aware of them when choosing a product to treat your arthritis symptoms.
The alternative is represented by dietary supplements made from mussels - powders and oils, both of them obtained from fresh or freeze-dried shellfish.
When opting for a green lipped mussel gel glucosamine, you do get relief from arthritis symptoms such as swelling and soreness, aches and reduced mobility in joints, but this reduction is only temporary and this is the biggest problem with topical ointments made of shellfish.
Applied directly on the skin, these creams are quickly absorbed into its layers and pass into the bloodstream but only in a reduced concentration, so the efficiency of their components is diminished.
Not to mention these products also contain lots of extra ingredients meant to preserve their composition, structure, smell and consistency. Obviously, the more additional components these gels have, the lower is their concentration in green lipped mussel extracts and the less noticeable are the health benefits they provide.
Powders and oils on the other hand act inside the body, not only on its external surface, so they treat not only the manifestations of arthritis but also the mechanisms that trigger these symptoms. This means that by replacing green lipped mussel gel glucosamine with dietary supplements (powders or capsules) you can have your overall health state improved.
So we already clarified one aspect: dietary supplements made from these New Zealand shellfish are richer in active principles therefore more health efficient compared to gels and creams requiring topical application. But what about the side effects associated with each of them?
You may be tempted to think green lipped mussel gel glucosamine is safer as it is not taken orally and you may be right if you compare it with poorly qualitative dietary supplements containing lots of chemicals. But in highly qualitative powders and oils, the only real risks are related to shellfish allergies, which can also manifest when using creams or ointments.
The other potential side effects associated with dietary supplements, such as stomach upset, nausea or a temporary worsening of arthritis symptoms are generally caused by higher than recommended daily doses and disappear once the dosage is correctly adjusted.
As for green lipped mussel gel glucosamine, it can also trigger unpleasant effects such as skin rash, irritations, swelling, dizziness, blurred vision, nausea and many others, due to the extra ingredients it contains.
This is why we recommend you to take a look at the dietary supplements and opt for a healthy powder instead of a less natural shellfish gel.