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Esm4.3

Eggshell Membrane Research

Mostly mechanism / observational

9 peer-reviewed studies

What the evidence says

Mostly mechanism / observational

Most Eggshell Membrane studies are mechanism or observational rather than RCTs that measure a clinical effect — keep findings provisional.

Most evidence is from high-quality meta-analyses and randomised trials published 2009–2024.

Based on 9 studies · 1 meta-analysis · 6 RCTs

Confidence

Moderate confidence

By outcome

Joint pain & arthritisReduces knee osteoarthritis pain and stiffness, often within weeks · 1-4 weeks
Mostly mechanism / observational7 studies

Active research area

4 studies in the last 5 years · Latest meta-analysis: 2024

200920162024

1Meta-Analysis2024

García-Muñoz AM, Abellán-Ruiz MS, García-Guillén AI, Victoria-Montesinos D · Nutrients (2024)

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2RCT2009

Ruff KJ, Winkler A, Jackson RW, DeVore DP, Ritz BW · Clin Rheumatol (2009)

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3RCT2018

Ruff KJ, Morrison D, Duncan SA, Back M, Aydogan C, Theodosakis J · Clin Interv Aging (2018)

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4RCT2020

Kalman DS, Hewlings S · J Cosmet Dermatol (2020)

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5RCT2022

Cánovas F, Abellán-Ruíz MS, García-Muñoz AM, Luque-Rubia AJ, Victoria-Montesinos D, Pérez-Piñero S · Nutrients (2022)

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6RCT2021

Kiers JL, Bult JHF · J Med Food (2021)

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7RCT2019

Hewlings S, Kalman D, Schneider LV · J Med Food (2019)

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8Systematic Review2024

In plain English: In this systematic review we combined chemical structure analysis with clinical studies to give a more comprehensive picture with novel explanations.

Fladerer JP, Grollitsch S. · Bone reports (2024)

In many studies ESM intake reduced pain in patients with joint disorders and reduced inflammatory processes.
Additionally, ESM improved calcium uptake in human cells.
These findings in comparison with a clinical pilot study reporting pain reduction in osteoporotic patients and increased osteoblast activity in in vitro assays support ESM to be a beneficial supplement for bone health.

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9Animal2016

In plain English: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in dogs found eggshell membrane reduced osteoarthritis-related pain.

Ruff KJ et al. · Vet Med (Auckl) (2016)

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in DOGS (canine OA)
Veterinary evidence — reduced lameness/pain vs placebo
Supports mechanism, not human efficacy

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View in Research Library

Eggshell Membrane Research

Mostly mechanism / observational

Efficacy of Eggshell Membrane in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Eggshell membrane in the treatment of pain and stiffness from osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study.

Beneficial effects of natural eggshell membrane versus placebo in exercise-induced joint pain, stiffness, and cartilage turnover in healthy, postmenopausal women.

The effect of oral hydrolyzed eggshell membrane on the appearance of hair, skin, and nails in healthy middle-aged adults: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Randomised Clinical Trial to Analyse the Efficacy of Eggshell Membrane to Improve Joint Functionality in Knee Osteoarthritis.

Mildly Processed Natural Eggshell Membrane Alleviates Joint Pain Associated with Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study.

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Prospective Clinical Trial Evaluating Water-Soluble Chicken Eggshell Membrane for Improvement in Joint Health in Adults with Knee Osteoarthritis.

Eggshell membrane as promising supplement to maintain bone health: A systematic review

Effectiveness of NEM((R)) brand eggshell membrane in the treatment of suboptimal joint function in dogs: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.