1. How was CMO discovered?
Harry W. Diehl, who retired after 40 years of service at the National Institutes of Health, discovered CMO. After his retirement, Mr. Diehl was able to work on his discovery full-time, which resulted in two U.S. patents being issued to him for CMO.

2. Where is CMO found In nature?
CMO is found in sperm whales, mice, and beavers. Myristin, EHP’s registered brand name of CMO, is produced through bioengineering in an organics plant in the U.S. Natural fatty acids and cetyl alcohol derived from coconuts comprise the mixture of cetylated fatty acids that yields the CMO molecule.

3. How is CMO supplied?
CMO is encapsulated in softgel capsules. Each softgel contains 650 mg of cetylated fatty acids, also sometimes referred to as CMO Complex.  The cetylated fatty acids contain 260 mg. of molecular CMO, 210 mg. cetyl oleate, and 180 mg of other cetyl esters.  There are 51 softgels per bottle, supplying 13.25 grams of molecular CMO contained in 33 grams of cetylated fatty acids.

4. How is CMO taken?
CMO is best taken on an empty stomach about 30-45 minutes before meals 3 times daily for up to two months. However, it is fine to take Myristin® after meals if you wish. Most people and animals take Myristin® for two months, after which no more may be needed for a year or two, but some individuals may need to take another two month course sooner, and some may need a regular maintenance course. A full body-loading course of Myristin is four bottles taken over approximately two months (68 days).

5. Do I need to keep taking CMO month after month?
For many people and animals, up to 2 months usage is all that will be needed for up to one or two years.  However, some individuals may need another two month course sooner, and some may need to take a maintenance course of three to seven softgels weekly.

6. What else Is taken with CMO?
EHP Products developed an exclusive synergistic formula called Myrist-Aid to accompany Myristin® brand of CMO. Myrist-Aid contains glucosamine sulfate, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), bromelain, curcumin, manganese, vitamin C, and, to help with absorption of CMO, lecithin and lipase. Eight Myrist-Aid are taken daily, divided into three doses to accompany the three Myristin® softgels. We also recommend concurrent use of Myristin Topical Cream with Myristin® and Myrist-Aid.

7. What can you tell me about Myristin Topical Cream?
Myristin Topical Cream is a companion product which is used in conjunction with Myristin and Myrist-Aid. It is sold in two ounce jars for topical application to affected joints. Under regulations of the Food and Drug Administration, we can claim that Myristin TC is beneficial for the temporary relief of minor aches and pains associated with arthritis.

8. Can I use Myristin® with the medications I use regularly?
Yes. While there are no known contraindications or interactions with Myristin®, it is always a good practice to consult with your healthcare professional before starting on something new.

9. Will my diet affect CMO?
Some items in diets may conflict with absorption of beneficial oils that cartilage in joints needs to remain healthy. Most notably, these are carbonated cola beverages, tea, and citrus juices, such as orange and grapefruit juices. On the days Myristin is taken, it is helpful to avoid consumption of such items for at least one hour before and one hour after CMO is taken. If you normally consume citrus products at breakfast, you can change the Myristin®/Myrist-Aid from before breakfast to bedtime.

10. Can I take CMO if I have allergies?
Myristin® contains no artificial preservatives. It does contain a small amount (2 IU) of natural vitamin E as a preservative.  Myristin® has not been known to cause allergic reaction in anyone. If you have a history of severe allergies, it is always a good idea to consult with your healthcare professional before starting to take anything new.

11. What if I am pregnant or have a medical condition?
As with any substance, pregnant women or nursing mothers should use CMO only after consulting their health care professional. It is a good idea to keep your healthcare professional aware of all supplements you are taking if you have a serious medical condition.

12. Can I give Myristin® to my child?
Myristin® dietary supplement should be given to children only on the advice of a qualified healthcare profession and in the amounts specified by the healthcare professional. 

13. What about medical advice?
Anyone with medical questions about Myristin® or questions about whether it should be used should consult with his or her healthcare professional. Nothing in this web site is intended as nor should be construed as medical advice. Only a licensed physician or other healthcare professional can give medical advice.

14. Can my dog or cat or horse use CMO?
Most certainly. EHP sells almost as much CMO for veterinary use as it does for human use. In conjunction with our veterinarian customers, EHP has developed a tasty, chewable tablet for dogs and cats.

15. Comparison Shopping for the best value?
Myristin® has been marketed by the family of Harry W. Diehl since 1996. EHP Products has by far the longest tenure of any company in providing CMO to the world market. The quality and quantity of CMO in our products has never been in doubt, since Harry W. Diehl always checked our products for us before his death. In checking the CMO content of other companies' products, there was sometimes far less than the labeled amount. You can count on Myristin® to be a product that contains what the label says at a low price.

Not all labels of CMO products comply with FDA label regulations, and in such cases it is impossible for the consumer to know the CMO content. For example, the CMO product of one of the nation's largest dietary supplement companies lists "Cetyl Myristoleate Proprietary Blend, 1100 mg" (this amount is in two capsules). This label makes it appear as if the amount of CMO is 1100 mg, while the actual amount of CMO per capsule is approximately 110 mg.

Also, do not be misled by exaggerated or confusing claims of the amount of CMO per capsule or softgel. It is difficult for encapsulators to get more than 550 mg of CMO powder in a 00 size capsule. With 20% CMO powder, this would yield 110 mg per capsule. Websites or product labels that claim larger quantities of cetyl myristoleate, such as actual websites claiming 380 mg or 500 mg of CMO, are misleading, since the cited quantity is the amount of the mixed cetyl esters, not actual cetyl myristoleate.

Being cautious: If the label does not state the exact amount of cetyl myristoleate and the other significant cetyl esters, such as cetyl myristate, cetyl oleate, and so forth; or, if you call the distributors and they cannot or will not tell you the per cent of cetyl myristoleate in the mixture of cetyl esters; or, if there is not even a phone number where you can ask someone, BEWARE, for you may not be getting the CMO bargain that you think you are getting. You can count on EHP for quality and integrity when it comes to buying CMO.

Watch out for Cetyl Myristate products: Some products contain cetyl myristate as the main ingredient, not cetyl myristoleate, so be sure you are buying genuine cetyl myristoleate. Cetyl myristate is an ester of myristic acid, which is plentiful in vegetable sources. Cetyl myristate can be made cheaply due to the large quantities of myristic acid in nature. Cetyl myristate is not the same as cetyl myristoleate. Unfortunately, some companies have marketed cetyl myristate with claims or labels that lead the consumer to confuse it with cetyl myristoleate.

16. Are claims of vegetable source CMO legitimate?
Not all of them.  In April, 2011, EHP Products introduced its Myristin® VegSource capsules made from 100% vegetable fatty acids.  The fatty acids come from the kombo nut, which is harvested in the West African countries of Sierra Leone and Gabon.  The cetylated fatty acids containing cetyl myristoleate are mixed with olive oil to create an oil with a low enough melting point to get the product into a cellulose capsule.  The product is therefore a true CMO from 100% vegetable sources in a vegetable capsule.

Some distributors claim that their CMO product is from 100% vegetable sources from such sources as nutmeg oil and palm oil.  Such products contain high percentages of myristic acid, but none of myristoleic acid, which is the essential ingredient in the bioengineering of cetyl myristoleate.  The only known commercially available vegetable source of myristoleic acid is the kombo nut.   From the kombo nut, a material known as kombo butter is produced, and this contains myristoleic acid.

Real cetyl myristoleate products can be made from the kombo butter, but, unfortunately, the concentration of cetyl myristoleate will be lower than CMO products from bovine fatty acids. The batch of kombo butter used for the first batch of Myristin Veg Source capsules was 17.8% CMO, which is considerably less than the 40% CMO from bovine source fatty acids used in Myristin softgels. Nonetheless, the Myristin Veg Source capsules provide an opportunity to take CMO to millions of people who, for dietary and/or religious reasons, will not take a bovine product. 

The products claimed to be made from nutmeg oil or palm oil contain high amounts of cetyl myristate, which is the saturated fat containing fourteen carbon atoms.  Cetyl Myristoleate is an unsaturated fat containing fourteen carbon atoms.  A chemist would say that the two compounds are closely related.  There is no doubt that the two compounds are easily confused, but you can be sure that your body knows the difference between cetyl myristoleate and cetyl myristate.

17. Have any of the statements on this website been evaluated by the FDA?
None of the statements in these webpages have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.