MSM
MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is a small sulfur compound sold mostly for joint pain. Milk, coffee and some fruits and vegetables hold only traces of it, so the grams taken in studies come from supplements.
34 %of MSM's weight is sulfur
CH₃SO₂CH₃ two methyl groups on a sulfur atom with two oxygens
Daily reference · none, for MSM or for sulfur
- In food Traces parts per million
- Main sulfur source Protein methionine and cysteine
- Related to DMSO MSM has one more oxygen
- Evidence Thin a few small joint trials
Sulfur share from the chemical formula. No food figures: amounts in food are too small to list and the food library does not measure them.
MSM in Food
Diet supplies very little MSM. It reaches plants from the air and rain, and many foods hold a trace of it.
- Cow's milktraces
- Coffee and teatraces
- Tomatoes, other fresh vegetables and fruittraces
- Supplementspowders, capsules and tablets, often mixed with glucosamine; this is where gram amounts come from
What Is MSM?
MSM is one of the simplest sulfur molecules in nature: a sulfur atom with two oxygens and two methyl groups. Ocean plankton release a sulfur gas that the air turns into MSM and related compounds, and rain carries them to soil and plants. Sold as a white, odorless powder, it is made in factories by oxidizing DMSO.
MSM and Sulfur: Where the Body Gets Sulfur
MSM is often sold as a source of sulfur, an element found in joint cartilage, in the keratin of hair and nails, and in the antioxidant glutathione. But the body gets nearly all its sulfur from two amino acids in protein, methionine and cysteine. Because a diet with enough protein covers the need, the US dietary reference intakes set no separate amount for sulfur.
| MSM | Sulfur in it |
|---|---|
| 500mg | ~170mg |
| 1,000mg | ~340mg |
| 3,000mg | ~1,020mg |
What Trials Found About MSM
Most studies are small and short. In one often-cited trial, 50 adults with knee osteoarthritis took 3 g of MSM twice a day or a placebo for 12 weeks; pain and stiffness fell a little more with MSM. Other small trials, some combining MSM with glucosamine, found similar modest changes or none. A 2008 systematic review concluded there was no definite evidence that MSM works better than a placebo.
Claims for hair, skin, allergies and exercise recovery rest on even fewer studies. If joint pain is the reason you are looking, the much larger trials on glucosamine are worth reading first.
MSM vs. DMSO
DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) is an industrial solvent, also used in medicine. The body turns part of it into MSM. DMSO leaves a garlic or oyster smell on the breath; MSM does not, and it is sold as a separate product. The two should not be confused when reading about studies.
MSM Safety
In trials lasting up to a few months, side effects were mostly mild: stomach upset, bloating, diarrhea and headache. How it acts over years, in pregnancy or with medicines has not been studied, so ask a doctor or pharmacist first if you take any.
Sources are listed at the end of this page. Not medical advice.
Tracking MSM in Caltide
- Not totaled yetCaltide does not add up MSM yet. The protein in the foods you log, where most of your sulfur comes from, is counted, and each food's full breakdown is in the food library.
MSM Sources and References
The figures and claims on this page are checked against these sources.
Questions About MSM
MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is a small, odorless sulfur compound. It forms naturally from sulfur gases that ocean plankton release, is found in small amounts in plants and animals, and is sold as a supplement, mostly for joint pain.
Milk, coffee, tea, tomatoes and some fruits and vegetables contain traces, measured in parts per million. Food gives far less than the grams used in studies, so supplements are the main source.
The evidence is thin. A few small trials in knee osteoarthritis found modest drops in pain over about 12 weeks, and a 2008 systematic review judged that there was no definite evidence MSM works better than a placebo.
No. Most of the body's sulfur comes from the amino acids methionine and cysteine in protein, and the US dietary reference intakes set no separate requirement for sulfur because a diet with enough protein covers it.
About 34% by weight. A 1,000 mg capsule holds about 340 mg of sulfur; the rest is carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
No, but they are related. DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) is a solvent, and the body turns part of it into MSM, which has one more oxygen atom. DMSO gives breath a garlic-like smell; MSM does not.
Trials lasting up to a few months report mostly mild side effects such as stomach upset, bloating and headache. Safety over years, in pregnancy and with medicines has not been studied.
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