Supplement Facts	GM	%DV
Serving Size: 2 capsules
Amount Per Serving: 2000 mg.
Servings per Container: 60
MSM (Methylsulphonylmethane)	2000 mg.	*

 

Usage and Toxicity

Due to its positive effects maintaining healthy cell formation, 2000 mg to 6000 mg of supplemental MSM daily is recommended. Of course, the optimum daily dosage of MSM depends largely on body size, age and the nature and severity of any deficiency symptoms you may be experiencing. Since vitamin C provides a positive synergistic it should be taken along with MSM.

MSM ranks in the "extremely low" toxicity category with a toxicity profile similar to that of water. When oral supplements are taken, the body will distribute MSM where it is needed. After about 12 hours, any excess amounts will be flushed out of the body. MSM is a member of the sulfur family, should never be confused with sulfa drugs to which some people are allergic.

MSM should be supplemented with vitamin C to aid the production of connective tissue (elastin and collagen).

 

10.01.04 -- MSM: Helping Alleviate Allergy Symptoms

By Greg Arnold, July 14, 2004, Abstracted from “A multicentered, open-label trial on the safety and efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane in the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis” in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 2002; 8(2): 167-73

Seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR), a common clinical expression of an atopic reaction (genetic predisposition) to inhaled allergens, affects more than 23 million Americans annually. These allergic reactions can range from mild daily symptoms to debilitating headaches, severe nasal congestion that may lead to sinus infection and difficulties breathing.

Current prescription and over-the-counter medications act mainly by inhibiting histamine, the primary inflammatory mediator in allergic reactions. Unfortunately, patients taking these medications experience symptoms that include sedation, dizziness, rings in the ears, fatigue, insomnia, tremors, nausea, constipation, and diarrhea.1 The cornucopia of side effects has spawned a search for alternative therapies that will give similar results without the side effects. One such supplement showing promise is methylsulfonylmethane (MSM).

Researchers had 50 subjects consume 2600 mg of MSM orally per day for 30 days. The subjects were evaluated using a Seasonal Allergy Symptom Questionnaire (SASQ) at 0, 7, 14, 21, and 30 days. Researchers also measured C-reactive protein and immunoglobulin at the beginning and end of the study.

Results were observed as early as day 7, where upper and total respiratory symptoms were reduced significantly when compared with the beginning of the study. By week 2, energy levels had “increased significantly.” By week 3, lower respiratory symptoms were significantly improved. Even more encouraging was that all improvements observed in the subjects were maintained.

Not only did the researchers recommend MSM for allergies (2600 mg/day for 30 days), they observed that “few side effects are associated with the use of this compound.”

Reference:

1 Hardman JG. Goodman & Gilman’s The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. 9th ed. New York, McGraw-Hill, 1996

02.02.06--MSM Alleviates Arthritis Pain

Healthnotes Newswire (February 2, 2006)—Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), a naturally occurring sulfur-containing compound, may help decrease joint pain and improve physical functioning in people with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee, reports Osteoarthritis and Cartilage (2005 Nov 22 [E-pub ahead of print]).
By Kimberly Beauchamp, ND

OA is a chronic, degenerative disease of the cartilage that lines and cushions the joints. It is more common in people over age 45. Although any joint may be affected, OA most frequently develops in the hips, knees, spine, and feet. When OA affects the knee joint, the progressive loss of cartilage can be seen on an x-ray as a narrowed space between the bones that surround the joint. Bits of damaged cartilage may also break off and enter the joint space, limiting motion and causing considerable pain. Risk factors for OA development include having a family history of the disease, being overweight, and overusing or having a previous injury of a joint.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil) may be used to decrease the pain associated with OA. Sometimes corticosteroid injections are given directly into the joint to decrease swelling. Unfortunately, these treatments do not slow the disease progression. In addition, corticosteroid injections may cause more thinning of the cartilage and damage the tendons surrounding the joint, and long-term use of NSAIDs increases the chance of developing gastric ulcers. For these reasons, safer alternatives to these medications are being sought.

MSM is a popular remedy for OA pain that is often found in supplements also containing glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate. A recent study found that glucosamine and chondroitin alleviate OA pain at least as well as the prescription medication Celebrex. Previous trials suggest that MSM may decrease inflammation and help repair connective tissue (such as cartilage), but there is little research on its usefulness for treating OA.

In the new study, 40 men and women between ages 40 and 76 with OA of the knee were given either 6 grams of MSM per day for 12 weeks or a placebo. The people rated their level of pain, stiffness, physical functioning (ability to get around and perform daily activities), and overall symptoms before the study and after 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. The people and their physicians also gave their overall impression of the state of their arthritis before and after the study and also rated their response to treatment. Blood and urine tests were performed to assess the safety of MSM and to investigate the possible ways it works in the body.

The level of pain decreased significantly and physical functioning improved after 12 weeks in the MSM group compared with the placebo group. Changes in stiffness and overall symptoms were similar in the two groups, and there were no differences between the groups in overall response to treatment.

MSM did not appear to raise blood pressure, nor did it adversely affect cholesterol levels, blood clotting, or measures of kidney, nervous-system, liver, or blood-cell health. Side effects were generally mild and were similar between the two groups.
The results of this investigation suggest that MSM may be a useful adjunct in the treatment of OA.

Kimberly Beauchamp, ND, earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Rhode Island and her Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from Bastyr University in Kenmore, WA. She cofounded South County Naturopaths in Wakefield, RI. Dr. Beauchamp practices as a birth doula and lectures on topics including whole-foods nutrition, detoxification, and women’s health.

02.24.06 -- MSM Found to Provide Short-Term Relief for Arthritic Knee Pain

By Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS, February 15, 2006, abstracted from “Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in osteoarthritis pain of the knee: a pilot clinical trial” published online in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage

As the leading cause of disability in the U.S., Osteoarthritis (OA) limits the everyday activities of more than 7 million Americans1 and can be associated with significant restrictions on quality of life.2 As a result, a number of options are available for patients to help control their arthritis pain, including conservative measures like over-the-counter medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen(3,4) and more drastic measures like surgery.5 Even the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has increased over the years to help treat OA.6

When it comes to nutritional supplementation in the treatment of OA, three such supplements receiving attention are glucosamine, chondroitin, and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate can help both prevent and treat OA7 by reducing inflammation, stimulating the synthesis of proteoglycans and hyaluronic acid and reducing the synthesis of nitric oxide and cell death of cartilage cells.(8,9,10)

MSM has undergone numerous trials in the treatment of OA(11,12,13) and as a result, has become an extremely popular supplement for arthritic and rheumatic pain. In 2003 alone, the retail sales of MSM as a single ingredient were $115 million.14 Now a new study15 has found that MSM can help provide short-term pain relief for OA in the knee.

In the study, 50 men and women aged 40–76 years with knee OA pain took either MSM 3 g or placebo twice a day for 12 weeks (6 g per day total). To measure outcomes, researchers used the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index visual analogue scale (WOMAC), patient and physician global assessments (disease status, response to therapy), and SF-36 (overall health-related quality of life).

They found that compared to placebo, MSM produced “significant decreases” in WOMAC pain and physical function impairment with no notable changes in WOMAC stiffness and total symptoms scores. MSM also produced “improvement” in performing activities of daily living when compared to placebo on the SF-36 evaluation.

While concluding that “MSM (3 g twice a day) improved symptoms of pain and physical function during the short intervention without major adverse events,” they admit that long-term effects on pain relief “could not be confirmed” but should be investigated.

MSM Provides Arthritis Relief
Source: Healthwatch

02-01-1999

Good news for people who suffer from muscle and joint pain, interstitial cystitis, scleroderma, or allergies: Methylsulfonyl-methane, or MSM, is a nutrient effective in alleviating the numerous debilitating symptoms caused by each of these ailments. MSM is an extraordinary new dietary supplement that is amazing users and researches alike because of its remarkable benefits. Completely natural, MSM has vitamin-like effects that promote normal growth and repair damaged mechanisms in the body.

MSM is extremely important to human beings because it provides a unique dietary source of sulfur that we must have in order to function. MSM is a special biological sulfur, 34% sulfur by weight, found in all plants, soils, fruits, vegetables, and meats. According to Dr. Stanley W. Jacobs, M.D., from the Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, "MSM provides a good portion of the body's need for sulfur. Sulfur is an important building block." In fact, Dr. Jacob's comment might be an understatement. Sulfur, one of the most abundant minerals in the body, is a component of amino acids, vitamins, hormones, coenzymes, and antioxidants. Because sulfur is necessary to build "disulfide bonds", it forms part of the body's physical structure, including protein, collagen, glucosamine, skin, and nails.

One of the strongest effects of MSM is its ability to relieve muscle pain through the reduction of inflammation. People who suffer from sore joints or arthritis benefit greatly from MSM because many of the components of joints are made from collagen and glucosamine, which are both sulfur-dependent. People with arthritis report substantial and long-lasting relief while supplementing MSM in their diet in daily amounts ranging from 100 to 5,000 mg The beneficial effect is due in part to the ability of MSM to sustain cell flow-through, allowing harmful substances to flow out while permitting nutrients to flow in, and thereby preventing pressure buildup in cells that causes inflammation in the joints and elsewhere, and translates to pain. MSM, by equalizing cell pressure, treats the cause of inflammation, unlike an aspirin that would treat the symptom by shutting off the nerve.

The sulfuric content of MSM is also effective in combating various other health problems. The anti-inflammation effect of the nutrient relieves the painful bladder irritation of interstitial cystitis. MSM often works in easing the symptoms of scleroderma and allergies as well. MSM is an effective tool for preventing the everyday aches and pains common in people who suffer from arthritis and from symptoms that can become debilitating if left untreated. Jacobs calls it "... an important nutritional supplement. MSM is safe and useful." More ailments eased by MSM include gastro-intestinal problems, acid stomach, and lung problems.

Because it is needed to form crucial blood proteins and amino acids, the sulfur in MSM is essential to everyday living. Without proper levels of MSM, our bodies are unable to build good, healthy cells, making them prone to illness. When there is sufficient MSM in your system, your cells become more permeable, enabling your body to quickly flush out any undesirable foreign particles. If your body is sulfur deficient, the cell walls become hard and stiff, hindering the flow of fluid through the cell walls.

Here are some of the symptoms of MSM deficiency

1. Arthritis Conditions
2. Damage of the skin
3. Wrinkles
4. Scar tissue
5. Diabetes
6. Ulcers
7. Sore muscles
8. Migraines
9. Candida Infections 9 (albacans)
10. Fatigue-“Chronic”
11. High Cholesterol
12. Allergies
13. Acidity
14. Joint, back, dental pain
15. Systemic inflammation
16. Dermatitis