You are here: Q&A->
Page 15->CMO for arthritis, asthma and psoriasis
CMO for arthritis, asthma and psoriasis
I suffer from arthritis, asthma and psoriasis. I have read that a new supplement called CMO would help. Can you tell me more about this?
Almost half the population over the age of 65 will suffer some form of arthritis, which is an umbrella term for some 200 different debilitating joint and muscular problems. There is no one cure that will work for everyone and so you may find yourself trying several different natural remedies before finding the one that works for you.
Lots of people take fish oils, which provide omega-3 fatty acids, to help relieve stiffness. CMO stands for Cetyl Myristoleate which is, in effect, another fatty acid found in small quantities in foods such as nuts, vegetables and butter. There are no double-blind clinical trials investigating its usefulness in alleviating arthritis, but the reason for all the excitement (and not a little hype) is that what has been shown is that Swiss albino mice, which are born with unusually high levels of CMO, never get arthritis and seem to be protected from it when exposed to factors that would cause the condition in other breeds.
I am always wary of supplements which claim to be a miracle cure-all for almost every condition you can think of. I understand why researchers think CMO could help relieve arthritis - they have animal studies to suggest it might work - but why should the makers go on to argue it will cure your psoriasis and asthma too? The suggestion is that CMO’s anti-inflammatory action in the body will help relieve other chronic conditions, including psoriasis and asthma, but it is worth remembering there are much less expensive anti-inflammatories such as the much underrated bromelain, which does not claim to be a miracle cure-all, now widely available in supplement form too.
*CMO, for instance, can cost up to £60 for a month’s supply. Country Life’s Bromelain is just £8.45 for 30 x 500mg capsules. One multi-supplement that does include CMO is called Joint & Muscle Relief Factors. It contains green-lipped mussel, boron, CMO, n-acetyl glucosamine (NSG), chondroitin, glucosamine sulphate and essential fatty acids in the form of gamma linoleic acid (GLA). It costs £18.45 for 60 capsules. To mail order any of these, call 0800-252875.