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Cetyl Myristoleate (CM and CMO)
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| Introduction |
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Editor's Note:
While the science behind this dietary supplement is lacking, many individuals are using it. For this reason, NHIondemand has provided this monograph using the information that is currently available. As more science and research is provided, this monograph will be updated to include that material. |
Cetyl myristoleate is an anti-inflammatory agent that was accidentally discovered in 1962 by a researcher at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) while conducting an arthritis study using mice. To researcher's surprise, a specific strain of mice did not get arthiritis when they were injected with a substance that normally produces an arthritic response. Eventually, cetyl myristoleate was isolated and identified as the substance that occurred naturally in these mice, which protected them from developing arthritis. Cetyl myristoleate occurs naturally in cows, beavers, whales, as well as mice. Currently, most cetyl myristoleate is extracted from the bone marrow of cows and some from palm kernel oil or kombo nuts. Cetyl myristoleate is believed to have immune system activity, the ability to reduce inflammation and lubricating joints and possibly to even help repair damaged joints.
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| Reported Uses |
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Cetyl myristoleate has demonstrated some improvement in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. A small study involving fifteen patients was completed. Some applied cetyl myristoleate to the skin, others applied it to the skin and took an oral product that contained cetyl myristoleate, glucosamine HCl, sea cucumber, and hydrolyzed cartilage. The remaining people took placebo. The two groups that took cetyl myristoleate had much greater improvement rates than the placebo group.(1)
Cetyl myristoleate has been reported to be beneficial in other diseases as well, but very few scientific studies have been completed at this time. These include Crohn's disease, lupus, osteoarthritis,(2, 3) prostate inflammation, and psoriasis.
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| Dosage Info |
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| Dosage Range |
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Most Common Dosage |
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Dosage Forms |
| 10 to 15 grams per month for one to three months. |
12 grams per month for one to three months. Various products contain percentages of cetyl myristoleate ranging from approximately 12% to 40%. A higher percentage is not necessarily a better product, because other fatty acid ingredients may also be providing some of the therapeutic activity. In many cases, products consist of 500 mg capsules with 12% CM, which equates to 60 mg of CM per capsule. Thus, patients need to take 6 to 7 capsules daily for a month to get the monthly dosage of 12 grams.
For best results, it has been widely reported that patients should avoid consuming alcohol, or coffee while taking CM. Also, those who smoke usually do not obtain satisfactory results. |
Capsules and topical cream. The topical cream preparations usually use DMSO as a carrier agent. |
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| Toxicities & Precautions |
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| Be sure to tell your pharmacist, doctor, or other health care providers about any dietary supplements you are taking. There may be a potential for interactions or side effects. |
General
This dietary supplement has not been associated with any toxicities when used in accordance with proper dosing guidelines, though certain side effects or allergic reactions have occurred. |
Allergy
Though rare, some individuals experience an allergic reaction when taking this dietary supplement. Call your doctor or seek medical attention if you have fast or irregular breathing, skin rash, hives or itching. |
Side Effects
Side effects are possible with any dietary supplement. Individuals who have a difficult time digesting fats, especially the elderly, may experience nausea or gas with this dietary supplement.Also, some individuals will experience a flare up of the pain in their affected joints shortly after they start taking this dietary supplement. This is usually not a sign of failure, but may be a sign of the anti-inflammatory action taking place. The pain usually passes within a few days, followed by improvement. Tell your doctor if any of these side effects become severe or do not go away. |
Pregnancy/Breast-Feeding
To date, the medical literature has not reported any adverse effects related to fetal development during pregnancy or to infants who are breast-fed. Yet little is known about the use of this dietary supplement while pregnant or breast-feeding. Therefore, it is recommended that you inform your healthcare practitioner of any dietary supplements you are using while pregnant or breast-feeding. |
Age Limitations
To date, the medical literature has not reported any adverse effects specifically related to the use of this dietary supplement in children. Since young children may have undiagnosed allergies or medical conditions, this dietary supplement should not be used in children under 10 years of age unless recommended by a physician. |
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| Footnotes |
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1 Siemandi H, et al. The effect of cis-9-cetyl myristoleate (CMO) and adjunctive therapy on the course of arthritic episodes in patents with various auto-immune diseases characterized by the common terminolgy, “Arthritis.” The Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients. Aug1997;169/170: 58-63.
2 Kraemer WJ, Ratamess NA, Anderson JM, et al. Effect of a cetylated fatty acid topical cream on functional mobility and quality of life of patients with osteoarthritis. J Rheumatol. Apr2004;31(4):767-74.
View Abstract
3 Hesslink R Jr, Armstrong D 3rd, Nagendran MV, Sreevatsan S, Barathur R. Cetylated fatty acids improve knee function in patients with osteoarthritis. J Rheumatol. Aug2002;29(8):1708-12.
View Abstract
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