There, that’s right. I said it. Now can we all agree on MSM as an appropriate acronym so I never have to type it again? Good.

 

We’ve all heard about it, but what is it, exactly? Well for those of you keeping score at home, the chemical formula is (CH₃)₂SO₂, but that may be as meaningful to you as it is to me. To put it nicely, what I remember of the Periodic Table is equally proportional to what I’ve forgotten about the Periodic Table. You take my meaning.

 

In plain terms MSM is a naturally occurring organic sulfur compound found in plant and animal tissue. Sulfur is an essential building block for joints, cartilage, skin, hair, nails and energy production.

 

Problem is MSM is found in only small amounts, making it impractical to extract it from nature, and where it is found it can be nearly eliminated by only moderate food processing. Since many Americans’ diets are loaded with processed food with limited or no trace of MSM at all, supplementation is the answer.

 

MSM has been shown to be safe and effective in increasing joint comfort and maintaining normal ranges of motion, which is a good thing since approximately 80 percent of American adults over the age of 50 suffer from some form of osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease.

 

Those suffering from sports injuries, such as tendonitis and inflammation, can also benefit from MSM supplementation.

 

MSM contains about 34 percent sulfur by weight and is thought to deliver sulfur to the body in a way it can use.

 

Because it occurs naturally in only small amounts, MSM for supplementation is manufactured, and the preferred method of manufacturing involves distillation where heat is used to separate the compounds.

 

Ultra Laboratories in Carson, CA, makes two excellent MSM products, both of which contain distillation purified forms of MSM – Glucosamine Chondroitin with MSM and Vanilla Orange MSM Powder that can simply be added to your juice.

 

Commonly recommended dosage levels range from 1,500 to 6,000 mgs daily, and there is little to suggest the existence of serious side effects; however, there has been anecdotal evidence of minor conditions such as upset stomach, loose stools or skin rashes.

 

Don’t expect to begin feeling better over night. Studies suggest that it usually takes about a week for the results of MSM to be felt, and some people may need more time.