MSM

MSM stands for methyl sulphonyl methane which occurs naturally in the environment, and is part of the natural sulphur cycle. Minute algae in sea water release volatile sulphur compounds when the die, which are released into the air, and are oxidised to MSM at higher levels in the atmosphere, which is absorbed in water droplets, eventually being washed back into the sea with the rain. However, some of this also falls on the land, and the MSM has been found in many foods, which is thought to be the source of MSM in the human body.

MSM is easily lost from food as it is both volatile and very soluble in water, and so is easily lost in cooking or food processing.

MSM is related to DMSO or dimethyl sulphoxide which has been widely researched for its pain relief and anti inflammatory properties. Unfortunately DMSO has an awful smell and taste, and this has severely reduced its progress. However, MSM is one of the breakdown products of DMSO in the body, and some researchers think that it may have many of it's advantages, while also being odourless and tasteless. 

Sulphur is the fourth most common mineral in the body, but one which is largely ignored by modern medicine, which does not define any recommended intake, unlike many other elements, but regards the intake as adequate if enough balanced protein is eaten, as it is found in the amino acids methionine and cysteine, which are the most recognised sources.

Sulphur is also found in many of the health giving vegetables which smell, such as garlic, onions, cabbage and broccoli, because sulphur compounds very often have a smell, however much of this sulphur is lost in cooking. MSM is fortunate in that it has absolutely no smell or taste at all.

Sulphur is an important constituent of the cartilage which coats the end of the bones, and stops them rubbing together. However, in osteoarthritis there is less sulphur in the joint tissues, the cartilage thins and the bones come into closer contact causing pain and stiffness. MSM helps to rebuild cartilage, and this helps to reduce the pain and stiffness. 

MSM is a popular supplement for joint pain and stiffness in osteoarthritis, but the published evidence for it is scant. It has been championed by Dr Stanley Jacobs in his popular book 'The Miracle of MSM' in which he describes his experience with first DMSO and then MSM. The book goes on to describe how some people seem to have benefited from taking MSM for immune system problems such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and fibromyalgia; and allergy problems such as hay fever. It also describes using it for headaches and migraines. He also recounts how people's skin, nails and hair have improved by taking MSM, as sulphur is an essential component of keratin which is an essential component of these.

For more information about MSM we would recommend reading Dr Stanley Jacob's books The Miracle of MSM: The Natural Solution for Pain (Published 1999 and available from Amazon), or MSM, The Definitive Guide: The Nutritional Breakthrough for Arthritis, Allergies and More (Published 2002 and available from Amazon).

MSM has been widely used as an animal medicine for many years for joint pain and inflammation. 

For information about taking MSM we would recommend reading Dr Stanley Jacob's book The Miracle of MSM: The Natural Solution for Pain (Published 1999 and available from Amazon). The following guidelines are taken from this book.

MSM is very safe to take, and it has been compared to water in how safe it is to use. However, some people find that starting on a higher dose can cause diarrhoea, and so building up the dose over several days is recommended to minimise this.

Treatment doses vary widely between different people, but are usually in the range of 2-10g a day, and results are not normally quick. The treatment dose should be taken over several weeks for full benefit, though improvement in hay fever can occur after a couple of weeks, while osteoarthritis can kate one to three months to improve. Once improvement has occurred the dose may be reduced, though some conditions may need a smaller maintenance dose to be taken regularly to maintain the improvement.

Doses should be divided during the day to minimise any chance of diarrhoea, but are best not taken during the evening as some people feel they have more energy after taking a dose, and this can interfere with sleep.

Side effects can happen in some cases, in addition to the diarrhoea mentioned above, and skin rash, headache, and fatigue have been reported.

No drug interactions have been reported, though it may have some blood thinning properties, and this should be discussed with your doctor before taking it if you are on blood thinning medication. It can interfere with some liver tests, though it is not thought to have any action on the liver.

A recent published report showed that taking MSM with glucosamine gave better pain relief in osteoarthritis than either supplement alone, so this may be worth trying. Adding chondroitin to this combination has also been suggested by some nutritionists.