Therapy with Mud Compresses for Knee Osteoarthritis: Comparison of Natural Mud Preparations with Mineral-Depleted Mud
rct Grade A 2002 n=58
Authors: Flusser, D., Abu-Shakra, M., Friger, M., Codish, S., Sukenik, S.
Journal: Journal of Clinical Rheumatology 8 (4) : 197-203
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Key Findings
- Prospective, double-blind, controlled trial: 58 knee osteoarthritis patients, natural mineral-rich mud compresses (n=40) vs. mineral-depleted mud compresses (n=18), applied at home 5x/week for 3 weeks
- The natural mineral-rich mud group showed a significant reduction in knee pain at every assessment point
- Mineral-depleted mud did not reproduce the same benefit — the authors concluded mineral/salt content is necessary for the therapeutic effect
A double-blind trial that isolates the mineral contribution of mud therapy by comparing natural mineral-rich mud against the same mud with minerals removed. Only the mineral-rich version produced significant pain reduction, directly supporting the idea that dissolved minerals — not just the mud’s physical matrix or heat — drive the therapeutic effect. The mud tested is characteristically Dead Sea black mud rather than peat, so this is read as general mineral-isolation evidence for the mechanism, not peat-specific proof. Abstract-only sourcing; no full text was located.
rctdouble-blindmud-compressknee-osteoarthritisjoint-inflammationmineral-delivery