What is MSM?

MSM, or methylsufonylmethane, is a nontoxic, organic sulfur-containing nutrient that supports healthy active lifestyles by providing the body with a form of sulfur, a nutritionally essential nutrient. MSM and its related sulfur compounds are the source of 85 percent of the sulfur found in all living organisms. As an important part of the natural sulfur cycle, MSM plays a crucial role in many important functions of the human body. In fact, sulfur is the third most abundant mineral based on percentage of total body weight. A necessary element for babies, sulfur is the sixth most abundant macromineral found in breast milk. MSM is also found in green leafy vegetables, milk, eggs, coffee, and tea.

In clinical studies, MSM has shown promise as a treatment for allergies, pain syndromes, athletic injuries, and bladder disorders. MSM appears to have significant anti-inflammatory effects and may be a possible treatment for arthritis pain. In a study conducted by the University of California School of Medicine in Los Angeles, patients who took 2,250 milligrams of MSM daily for six weeks reported an 80 percent reduction in arthritis symptoms. Doctors at the Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland investigating MSM as an arthritis treatment found that patients taking MSM reported less pain, less stiffness, and greater mobility. No side effects were reported among the patients who took MSM in the Oregon study. Thousands of people have discovered the pain-relieving qualities of MSM for themselves. Oscar-winning actor James Coburn was also famous for overcoming the crippling effects of arthritis with the use of sulphur pills. Coburn suffered for more than 20 years with debilitating rheumatoid arthritis, yet felt relief within only a few days of starting MSM in early 1998.

MSM is also known as dimethyl sulfone, one of several forms of sulfur exist in nature, including methionine, cysteine, cystine, homocysteine, homocystine, and taurine. MSM is the biologically active form of sulfur that is found in all living organisms, including humans.

MSM is derived from DMSO, the well-known analgesic that is used worldwide as a treatment for painful inflammatory conditions. Unlike DMSO, which is associated with what some consider an unpleasant odor, MSM is odor-free. MSM is chemically similar to DSMO, and is sometimes referred to as "DSMO²."

Sulfur is a common element in the human body. Healthy adults excrete between 4 to 11 mgs of sulfur each day in urine.