MSM

Synonym(s): dimethyl sulfone, methylsulfonylmethane, sulphonyl bismethane

Nutrient group: Active agents for joints & tissues

Sources and physiological effects

Dietary sources
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a biological compound which, as a component of the diet, is a source of sulfur for the human body. Sources of the sulfur-containing substance are products such as milk, meat and fish. However, heating, drying and other processing methods destroy MSM.
Physiological effects
Sulfur metabolism	Central role in sulfur metabolism and base component for S-adenosylmethionine, N-acetylcysteine, glutathione and taurine
Antioxidant	Sulfur compounds support antioxidative reactions

Recommended intake

Nutrient safety

OptiMSM^® has GRAS-Status in the USA (generally recognized as safe).

Detailed information

MSM – a natural part of the diet

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a biological compound which, as a component of the diet is a source of sulfur for the human body. It can be formed as a product of physiological oxidation from dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and is a key building block for orthomolecular substances such as S-adenosylmethionine, N-acetylcysteine, glutathione or taurine. This makes it an important part of the body's sulfur metabolism (1). The therapeutic effects of sulfur compounds are partly based on antioxidative properties of sulfur. In addition, sulfur compounds are required to stabilize tertiary structures in proteins, which is responsible for the chondroprotective properties of MSM (2).

The properties of MSM

Sulfur-containing substances have long been used in pain therapy. MSM is particularly suitable for therapeutic use in pain associated with osteoarthritis, arthritis or sports injuries. An aspirin-like mechanism of action is hypothesized, which involves the inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) (3). In addition, MSM may shorten the regeneration time of over-trained muscles and allow injuries to heal more quickly. An improvement of the results with a simultaneous vitamin C supplementation is also reported.

Pain-relieving effects in osteoarthritis

Chondroprotective substances are used in orthopedic practice today because of their good acceptance and high success rates (4). In studies of arthrosis patients, daily use of 1.15 g and 3 g MSM over 12 weeks resulted in significantly lower pain and improved joint function (5)(6). A further study in osteoarthritis patients underlines the efficacy of 5 g MSM in combination with 7.2 mg frankincense (Boswelia serata) daily (11). Anecdotal reports also suggest that MSM achieves good therapeutic outcomes, especially for arthrosis and rheumatoid arthritis. This is probably due to the interaction of MSM and DMSO. Studies have shown a positive correlation between DMSO and a reduction of arthritic tissue damage (7). A placebo-controlled double-blind study of patients with osteoarthritis demonstrated a pronounced anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effect both for MSM and for the combination of MSM with glucosamines (8). A systematic evaluation of MSM application studies points to significant improvements in the pain index in osteoarthritis and degenerative joint diseases (9).

The topical application of MSM as a supporting treatment

In addition to internal application use of MSM in the form of capsules, topical application in the form of a gel can also be used to combat inflammation and pain.

Safety and tolerability of MSM

As an body-endogenous substance, MSM seems to be safe and free of side effects even in higher doses. No negative effects were observed in animal experiments with high doses of MSM. There was also no evidence of toxic interactions in pregnant animals. The NOAEL was set at 1000 mg/kg/day in animal testing (10).

Reference values

Parameter

Substrate

Reference value

Description

COMP

Blood (serum)

< 12,0 U/l

<12,0 U/l:

Low risk of aggressive joint destruction

12 - 15 U/l:

Increased risk of aggressive joint destruction

> 15,0 U/l:

High risk of aggressive joint destruction

Indications

Effect	Indication	Dosage
Physiological effects at a low intake	Complementary therapy for us in arthrosis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis	2000 – 3000 mg/d
	For symptomatic treatment of pain in rheumatic disorders	2000 – 3000 mg/d
	For improved regeneration of cartilage damage, especially due to sport injuries	2000 – 3000 mg/d

Administration

General mode of administration
When	MSM should be taken with meals.
Side effects
No side effects are known to date.
Contraindications
No contraindications are known to date.

Interactions

Drug interactions
None	Currently no relevant interactions are known.
Nutrient interactions
Glucosamine and chondroitin	Combination of methyl sulphone methane with glucosamine and chondroitin may improve the anti-inflammatory effect.

Description and related substances

Description

Natural organic sulfur compound

References

1) Richmond, V. L. 1986. Incorporation of methylsulfonylmethane sulfur into guinea pig serum proteins. Life Sci. 39(3):263-8
2) Gröber, U. Orthomolekulare Medizin. Ein Leitfaden für Apotheker und Ärzte. 2002
3) Ebisuzaki, K. 2003. Aspirin and methylsulfonylmethan (MSM). A search for common mechanisms, with implications for cancer prevention. Anticancer Res. 23:453-8
4) Riedl, T. Arthrosetherapie und Knorpelprophylaxe. Österreichische Apothekerzeitung 2002. Nr.23
5) Kim et al. 2006. Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in osteoarthritis pain of the knee: a pilot clinical trial. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 14(3):286-294.
6) Debbi et al. 2011. Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane supplementation on osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized controlled study. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 11:50.
7) Murav’ev IuV. et al. 1991. Effect of dimethyl sulfoxid and dimethyl sulfone on a destructive process in the joints of mice with spontaneous arthritis. Patol Fiziol Eksp Ter. (2):37-9.
8) Usha, P. R., Naidu, M. U. 2004. Randomised, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled study of oral glucosamine, methylsulfonylmethane and their combination in osteoarthritis. Clin Drug Investig. 24(6):353-63
9) Brien, S. et al. 2008. Systematic review of the nutritional supplements dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage.
10) Magnuson, B. A. et al. 2007. Oral developmental toxicity study of methylsulfonylmethane in rats. Food Chem Toxicol. 45(6):977-84.
11) Notarnicola, A. et al. 2015. Methylsulfonylmethane and boswellic acids versus glucosamine sulfate in the treatment of knee arthritis: Randomized trial. International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology. 29(1):140-146.

References Interactions

Stargrove, M. B. et al. Herb, Nutrient and Drug Interactions: Clinical Implications and Therapeutic Strategies, 1. Auflage. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier Health Sciences, 2008.
Gröber, U. Mikronährstoffe: Metabolic Tuning –Prävention –Therapie, 3. Auflage. Stuttgart: WVG Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft Stuttgart, 2011.
Gröber, U. Arzneimittel und Mikronährstoffe: Medikationsorientierte Suppementierung. 3. aktualisierte und erweiterte Auflage. Stuttgradt: WVG Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft Stuttgart, 2014.