Does Ecklonia Cava Extract help reduce the symptoms of fibromyalgia? According to some, it can – in fact, the manufacturers of proprietary ECE formulas such as Fibronol™ and FibroBoost™ have marketed their Ecklonia Cava Extract formulas with fibromyalgia in mind. Let’s examine the evidence for and against the effectiveness of Ecklonia Cava Extract in fibromyalgia sufferers.

Ecklonia Cava Extract: Preliminary Phase I Clinical Trial Results

Ecklonia Cava Extract was used in an eight-week, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study of established fibromyalgia patients, as an adjunct therapy to their current standard of physician care. First, the results established the general safety of the extract. The study also reported several benefits.

According to the study results, ECE demonstrated the following benefits:

• It cut the time it took the participants to fall asleep by 47 minutes
• It increased total nighttime sleep by 1.6 hours
• It improved soundness of sleep by 80%
• It boosted their energy levels by 71%
• It gave them 2 1/4 more good days per week
• It helped reduce their pain by 31%
• It improved their general condition by 39%.

Interestingly, these improvements were achieved at all doses, while patients given the placebo showed no improvement.

Criticisms of the Trial Results

However, not everyone has been convinced by the clinical trial results. According to a consumer alert by the Fibromyalgia Network, the study was severely flawed. The following criticisms were levied against the results:

• Only 36 fibromyalgia patients were involved in the clinical trial
• Only six of the 36 patients took a placebo
• Placebo patients only took the placebo for two weeks; the group taking Fibronol took the supplement for 60 days
• There is no formal publication of the results in a medical journal.

Antecdotal Support for ECE

We feel that although the study cannot strongly support ECE as a fibromyalgia treatment, the criticisms of the study do not necessarily prove that it does not work. In fact, products containing Fibronol and Fibroboost have received many positive reviews on online retailer websites such as iHerb.com and various Internet forums. Many of these testimonials came from fibromyalgia patients. Such strong antecdotal support suggests that if you suffer from fibromyalgia, Ecklonia Cava Extract may be at least worth trying for a period of time to see if your symptoms are reduced.