Two capsules contain: Perna canaliculus (green-lipped mussel) 1000 mg • Alfalfa leaf 200 mg • Cinnamon Oil (cinnamomum burmannii) 2 mg. Other Ingredients: Gelatin, Vegetable Stearate.
Brand name products often contain multiple ingredients. To read detailed information about each ingredient, click on the link for the individual ingredient shown above.
Below is general information about the effectiveness of the known ingredients contained in the product Sea Mussel. Some ingredients may not be listed. This information does NOT represent a recommendation for or a test of this specific product as a whole.
INSUFFICIENT RELIABLE EVIDENCE to RATE
INSUFFICIENT RELIABLE EVIDENCE to RATE
Below is general information about the safety of the known ingredients contained in the product Sea Mussel. Some ingredients may not be listed. This information does NOT represent a recommendation for or a test of this specific product as a whole.
POSSIBLY SAFE ...when the leaves are used orally and appropriately, short-term (4,6,12).
LIKELY UNSAFE ...when large amounts are used long-term. Chronic ingestion of alfalfa has been associated with drug-induced lupus effects (381,14828,30602).
PREGNANCY AND LACTATION: POSSIBLY UNSAFE
when used orally in medicinal amounts.
Alfalfa contains constituents with possible estrogenic activity (4,11,30592).
POSSIBLY SAFE ...when used orally. New Zealand green-lipped mussel extract has been safely used at doses of up to approximately 3000 mg daily for up to approximately 10 months or 4160 mg daily for approximately 3 months (935,15048,94492,94494).
CHILDREN: POSSIBLY SAFE
when used orally in children 6-14 years of age.
New Zealand green-lipped mussel extract has been used with apparent safety at doses of up to approximately 780 mg daily for 14 weeks in children weighing up to 45 kg and 1040 mg daily for 14 weeks in children weighing over 45 kg (102378).
PREGNANCY: POSSIBLY UNSAFE
when used orally; avoid using.
It may cause retarded fetal development and delay in parturition (936).
LACTATION:
Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.
Below is general information about the interactions of the known ingredients contained in the product Sea Mussel. Some ingredients may not be listed. This information does NOT represent a recommendation for or a test of this specific product as a whole.
Theoretically, alfalfa might increase the risk of hypoglycemia when taken with antidiabetes drugs.
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Theoretically, alfalfa might interfere with the activity of contraceptive drugs.
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Theoretically, alfalfa might interfere with hormone therapy.
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Theoretically, alfalfa might decrease the efficacy of immunosuppressive therapy.
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Theoretically, concomitant use of alfalfa with photosensitizing drugs might have additive effects.
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Animal research suggests that excessive doses of alfalfa may increase photosensitivity, possibly due to its chlorophyll content (106043). It is unclear if this effect would be clinically relevant in humans.
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Theoretically, alfalfa might reduce the anticoagulant activity of warfarin.
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Below is general information about the adverse effects of the known ingredients contained in the product Sea Mussel. Some ingredients may not be listed. This information does NOT represent a recommendation for or a test of this specific product as a whole.
General
...Orally, alfalfa leaf seems to be well tolerated.
However, a thorough evaluation of safety outcomes has not been conducted.
Most Common Adverse Effects:
Orally: Abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and flatulence.
Serious Adverse Effects (Rare):
Orally: Lupus-like syndrome after chronic ingestion of alfalfa.
Dermatologic ...Dermatitis associated with alfalfa use has been reported. In a 1954 publication, dermatitis was noted in a 61-year-old female consuming 4-6 cups of tea made with two tablespoonfuls of alfalfa seeds for approximately two months prior to onset. Examination revealed diffuse, confluent edema and erythema on the face, eyelids, ears, hands, forearms, and distal humeral regions. The dermatitis improved with treatment; re-exposure to alfalfa resulted in a similar reaction (30609).
Endocrine
...Alfalfa contains constituents, including coumestrol, with reported estrogenic activity (30586,30592,4753).
Effects in humans are not known.
One case report documents hypokalemia in a female who had been drinking a "cleansing tea" containing alfalfa, licorice, and stinging nettle. The potassium level returned to normal after discontinuing the tea and initiating potassium supplementation. The specific cause of the hypokalemia is not clear. Notably, both stinging nettle and licorice have been associated with hypokalemia and may have been responsible for this effect (30562).
Gastrointestinal ...Orally, flatulence and bulkier feces were reported during the first week of a case series of three subjects ingesting alfalfa (30598). In a case series of 15 patients ingesting alfalfa, increased fecal volume and increased stool frequency was reported. Additional adverse effects included abdominal discomfort in two patients, diarrhea in two patients, loose stools in six patients, and intestinal gas in 13 patients (5816).
Hematologic ...Pancytopenia and splenomegaly were reported in a 59-year-old male who had been taking 80-160 grams of ground alfalfa seeds for up to six weeks at a time, for a five month period. Hematologic values and spleen size returned to normal when alfalfa was discontinued (381).
Other
...Alfalfa products, including sprouts, seeds, and tablets, have been found to be contaminated with Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes, which have caused documented infections (5600,30566,30568,30572,30569,30564,30604,30610,30563,30607) (30566,30564,30604,30610,30563,30607,30576).
Orally, alfalfa has been associated with the development of a lupus-like syndrome in animals and humans (30594,14828,14830,30602), as well as with possible exacerbations of lupus in patients with known systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). These reactions may be associated with the amino acid L-canavanine (30594), which appears to be present in alfalfa seeds and sprouts, but not leaves, and therefore should not be present in alfalfa tablets manufactured from the leaves (30601). However, case reports have included individuals ingesting tablets. A lupus-like syndrome was described in four patients taking 12-24 alfalfa tablets per day. Symptoms included arthralgias, myalgias, and rash; positive antinuclear antibodies (ANA) arose anywhere from three weeks to seven months after initiating alfalfa therapy. Upon discontinuation of alfalfa tablets, all four patients became asymptomatic. In two patients, ANA levels normalized (14828). Two additional reports have documented possible exacerbation or induction of SLE associated with alfalfa use. One case involved a female with a 26-year history of SLE, who had been taking 15 tablets of alfalfa daily for nine months prior to an exacerbation. Because of the delay in onset of the exacerbation from the initiation of alfalfa therapy, causation cannot be clearly established (30575). In a different report, SLE and arthritis were found in multiple family members who had been taking a combination of vitamin E and alfalfa tablets for seven years (30602). It is not known what other environmental or genetic factors may have affected these individuals, and the association with alfalfa is unclear.
General
...Orally, New Zealand green-lipped mussel seems to be well tolerated.
Most Common Adverse Effects:
Orally: Abdominal pain, acid reflux, diarrhea, flatulence, and nausea.
Serious Adverse Effects (Rare):
Orally: Hepatitis.
Dermatologic ...Generalized itching has occurred in one child using a lipid extract of New Zealand green-lipped mussel extract (94495).
Gastrointestinal ...Orally, New Zealand green-lipped mussel or lipid extract can cause reflux, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, or flatulence (15055,15056,54177,54190,54191,94492,94494).
Hepatic ...Several cases of possible toxic hepatitis and granulomatous hepatitis have been reported for patients taking a specific New Zealand green-lipped mussel extract (Seatone) (54173,54182,54183). Liver function abnormalities have also been reported (94494).
Musculoskeletal ...Orally, two reports of gout have been associated with the use of freeze-dried New Zealand green-lipped mussel ) 3000 mg daily in clinical research (94492).
Renal ...Orally, fluid retention has been reported as an adverse effect of New Zealand green-lipped mussel (15055,54189).
