The Lipid Max Green Mussel Oil 27000 90 Vege Capsules

An ingredient made by powdering, or extracting the lipids from, the green-lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus), farmed only in New Zealand coastal waters. The lipid extract (oil) contains not only EPA and DHA but also lipids characteristic of this mussel, such as eicosatetraenoic acid (ETA), furan fatty acids and sterols.

Green-lipped mussel lipids supply omega-3 fatty acids to cell membranes, while characteristic components such as ETA have been studied for modulating both the cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX) pathways, contributing to the balance of inflammatory mediator production. The whole powder also contains chondroitin-type glycosaminoglycans, proteins and minerals. Human studies indicate that the form taken (oil, powder, whole mussel) affects how quickly and how much EPA and DHA reach the blood. This lipid mediator modulation forms the background for research on joint comfort and post-exercise recovery markers.

1. A systematic review that examined 9 clinical trials in adults with joint discomfort and pooled 5 of them found that green-lipped mussel extract (lipid extract or whole powder) showed a moderate effect size on the visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain (−0.46) and was generally well tolerated.
2. In a randomised, placebo-controlled study of 32 men with little exercise experience, those who took 1,200 mg/day of a green-lipped mussel lipid blend (PCSO-524) for 26 days before downhill running showed smaller rises in muscle damage markers (CK, myoglobin, troponin I) and TNF-α, and less delayed-onset muscle soreness, than the placebo group.
3. A randomised crossover study of 8 healthy men comparing oil, powder, food ingredient and whole mussel forms found that the oil reached peak blood omega-3 levels fastest (about 5 hours), while DHA exposure was similar across all four forms.
4. In a 12-week double-blind study of 80 adults with moderate or greater hip or knee joint discomfort, there was no difference in pain scores versus placebo, but an improvement was observed in joint stiffness scores.

1. meta-analysisAbshirini M et al. Green-lipped (greenshell™) mussel (Perna canaliculus) extract supplementation in treatment of osteoarthritis: a systematic review. Inflammopharmacology. 2021. PMID 33738701
2. RCTMickleborough TD et al. The effects PCSO-524®, a patented marine oil lipid and omega-3 PUFA blend derived from the New Zealand green lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus), on indirect markers of muscle damage and inflammation after muscle damaging exercise in untrained men: a randomized, placebo controlled trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015. PMID 25722660
3. RCTMiller MR et al. Bioavailability of Orally Administered Active Lipid Compounds from four Different Greenshell™ Mussel Formats. Mar Drugs. 2020. PMID 33114125
4. RCTStebbings S et al. A 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. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2017. PMID 28830491

An oil obtained from Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), in which a large share of the EPA and DHA is bound to phospholipids (mainly phosphatidylcholine). It naturally contains astaxanthin, the carotenoid responsible for its red colour.

Phospholipid-bound omega-3 has an affinity for both water and fat, favouring micelle formation in the gut, and after absorption supplies EPA and DHA to cell membrane phospholipids, raising the red blood cell omega-3 index. The choline supplied alongside is a nutrient used in cell membrane structure and fat metabolism. Astaxanthin is a fat-soluble antioxidant positioned across the cell membrane that inhibits oxidation of membrane lipids, and has been studied in relation to post-exercise muscle damage markers. Changes in skin barrier markers (transepidermal water loss) have also been reported as omega-3 is incorporated into cell membranes.

1. In a 12-week randomised parallel study of healthy adults, taking similar doses of EPA+DHA (about 240–290 mg/day) as krill oil, fish oil or Calanus oil produced similar increases in the omega-3 index across all three groups (krill oil group +1.15 percentage points).
2. In two 12-week double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of about 100 healthy adults, groups taking 1 g or 2 g/day of krill oil showed reduced transepidermal water loss and increased skin hydration and elasticity versus placebo, with the changes linked to changes in the omega-3 index.
3. A meta-analysis of 5 randomised controlled studies (700 participants) in adults with knee discomfort found no significant difference from placebo for krill oil in pain scores or blood lipid markers, but a small improvement in knee physical function (SMD −0.24).
4. A meta-analysis pooling 24 randomised controlled studies found that astaxanthin tended to lower creatine kinase (CK), a post-exercise muscle damage marker, but showed no significant difference in exercise performance markers such as maximal oxygen uptake.

1. RCTVosskötter F et al. Equal bioavailability of omega-3 PUFA from Calanus oil, fish oil and krill oil: A 12-week randomized parallel study. Lipids. 2023. PMID 36960737
2. RCTHandeland K et al. Krill oil supplementation improves transepidermal water loss, hydration and elasticity of the skin in healthy adults: Results from two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-finding pilot studies. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2024. PMID 39169540
3. meta-analysisPimentel T et al. Krill oil supplementation for knee pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis of randomized controlled trials. Inflammopharmacology. 2024. PMID 39126570
4. meta-analysisLiu S et al. The Effects of Astaxanthin Supplementation on Exercise Recovery Biomarkers and Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2026. PMID 42197030