New Supplement Eliminates Joint Pain
On its introduction, the active ingredient in Celadrin was hailed by Time magazine as one of the most promising new developments in research aimed at joint health. Subsequent study has confirmed this promise with several clinical trials supporting both oral and topical use. Although Celadrin initially was available only as an oral product, Celadrin Liposome Lotion is a novel blend of acetylated fatty acids, MSM, arnica, menthol, and other synergistic agents formulated for external application. Applied topically, Celadrin penetrates to enhance joint function and mobility while relieving pain. The addition of arnica and menthol (a topical analgesic) brings to the formulation proven aids in the areas of muscle soreness, bruising, sprains, stiffness and simple backache. Clinical trials support the topical use of Celadrin® Liposome Lotion for – Relief of both joint and muscle pain – Enhancement of flexibility and range of motion – Support of increased local muscular endurance and exercise training in arthritis – Improvements within as little as 30 minutes – Increasing efficacy over a period of at least 30 days – Compared to the placebo, 100% of test subjects in a clinical trial experienced significant benefit The cetylated fatty acids (CFA) of Celadrin do not act primarily as a pain relieving analgesic nor as an anti-inflammatory in the usual sense. Unlike aspirin, Ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory preparations, cetylated fatty acids exhibit no side effects. Early clinical trials involving subjects characterized by both arthritis and auto-immune disorders, including reactive psoriatic arthritis, suggest that CFA may act in part via immune modulation.
Other theories to explain the efficacy of CFA include special surfactant qualities useful for lubrication of the joints and muscles, and mediation of inflammatory processes, including inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase. Regardless of the mechanism of action, the consensus, as embodied in the findings of a trial lasting 68 days and conducted by yet a third group of researchers, is that “[c]ompared to placebo, CFA provides an improvement in knee range of motion and overall function in patients with OA of the knee. CFA may be an alternative to the use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs for the treatment of OA.” Celadrin in several studies has been tested specifically for efficacy as a topical lotion. In the first of these clinical trials, the effect of a cream consisting of cetylated fatty acids (no menthol) on functional performance in patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis of one or both knees was assessed.
Forty patients diagnosed with knee OA were randomly assigned to one of 2 topical treatment groups: cetylated fatty acid (CFA) (n = 20; age 62.7 +/- 11.7 yrs); or (2) placebo group (n = 20; age 64.6 +/- 10.5 yrs). Patients were tested on 3 occasions: (1) baseline (T1), (2) 30 min after initial treatment (T2), and (3) after 30-day treatment of cream application twice per day (T3). According to the published report, for stair climbing ability and the up-and-go test, significant decreases in time were observed at T2 and T3 compared to T1 in the CFA group only. Supine range of motion of the knees increased at T2 and T3 in CFA group, whereas no difference was observed in the placebo group. For the medial step-down test, significant improvement was observed at T2 and T3 compared to T1 in CFA group. For the unilateral anterior reach, significant improvement was observed for both legs in CFA group and in only the left leg in the placebo group. Moreover, the improvements observed in CFA group were significantly greater than placebo for both legs.
A continuation of the above trial examined the effect of the addition of menthol to the Celadrin® lotion. This study used a single treatment group with a pre-post experimental design to examine the percent change brought about by treatment. According to the write-up, “In individuals with knee OA, significant improvements in stair-climbing ability (about 12%), “up-and-go” performance (about 12%), balance and strength (about 16.5%), and range of motion (about 3.5%) were observed, as were reductions in pain. In individuals with severe pain of the elbow and wrist, significant improvements in dynamic (about 22 and 24.5%, respectively) and isometric (about 33 and 42%, respectively) local muscular endurance were observed, as was a reduction in pain.” All these changes were consistent with prior published results and the authors concluded that their work was consistent with enhancing exercise training in this study population.
A third clinical trial using the topical cream (no menthol) and examining effects on static postural stability and plantar pressures in patients with osteoarthritis of one or both knees reached conclusions similar to those found previously: “30 days of treatment with a topical cream consisting of cetylated fatty acids improves static postural stability in patients with knee OA presumably due to pain relief during quiet standing. Such over-the-counter treatment may help improve the exercise trainability of people with OA.”(7) Supporting ingredients in the lotion bring their own benefits. Menthol has been used since ancient times as part of topical antipruritic, antiseptic, analgesic, and cooling formulations.(8) It also can aid in the penetration of the skin by the other ingredients.(9) Arnica, when tested clinically, lives up to its traditional reputation: “arnica is not inferior to ibuprofen when treating osteoarthritis of hands.” (10) Finally, MSM, sometimes proposed to aid dermal penetration and a source of organic sulfur, also supports skin health and the improvement of some skin conditions.
