Talk:Methylsulfonylmethane/Archive 1

Archive 1

Article cleaned up and validated -- please review

Extensive references with external links have been added to the end, disputed statements have been either verified or deleted. Unless there are significant objections, the warning tag at the head of the article concerning the dispute over the factual accuracy of this article can probably be removed. --Naturodoc 21:48, 29 July 2005 (UTC)

Most of the references that were added in a block in 2005 have never been cited, and apparently were not actually used in writing the article. Since most have been taken care of, it's time to finish the cleanup of the mess that Naturdoc made by taking out the rest. Then we can retire the tag about that. Dicklyon (talk) 07:22, 1 November 2009 (UTC)

Suggestions for Improvement

The chemical formula is missing in the article.

I would like to request that someone review the article on the dietary supplement Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). The current page content reads almost like stock sales material for a supplement vendor. Here is a key segment from the conclusion:

"This remarkable nutrient has many valuable applications to human health. The basic science to back up these applications is well established and the clinical science is emerging."

REPLY from Naturodoc 23:37, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC):

I wrote the article. And, you are correct, I do work for a supplement vendor. So, 'well done' on that particular stylistic insight. That said, the clinical science on MSM is emerging, and everything written here can be corroborated. The term 'basic science' was being used literally, to distinguish it from randomized, controlled clinical trials. In this context, it is intended to refer to in vivo, in vitro and animal studies (i.e., preliminary research). The basic science on this ingredient that is part of the public record is far more extensive than most people realize, even the so-called "experts" or "quackbusters". Some of it is buried in articles about its metabolic relative, DMSO; some of it is published under the synonym dimethyl sulfone; some of it is published only in abstract form and full-text is more difficult to obtain; some of it is unpublished. Nevertheless, a great deal of scientific research on MSM, most of it published and peer-reviewed, has been done, and more is on the way. Most people can't be bothered to look deeply into the topic, or to go after hard-to-find research studies. I can because I am paid to do so. Imply what you like about industry shills, but the research upon which this article was based is solid. Examples follow (later on this talk page, I will link specific studies to the statements they support):
Human Studies

• Usha PR, Naidu MUR. Randomised, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled study of oral glucosamine, methylsulfonylmethane and their combination in osteoarthritis. Clin Drug Invest 2004;24(6):353–63.
• Barrager E, Veltmann JR, Schauss AG, Schiller RN. A multi-centered, open label trial on the safety and efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane in the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis. J Altern Complement Med 2002;8:167–74.
• Barrager E, Schauss AG. Methylsulfonylmethane as a treatment for seasonal allergic rhinitis: additional data on pollen counts and symptom questionnaire. J Altern Complement Med 2003;9(1):15–16.
• Childs SJ. Dimethyl sulfone (DMSO2) in the treatment of interstitial cystitis. Urol Clin North Am 1994;21:85–8.
• Gerhards E, Gibian H. The metabolism of dimethyl sulfoxide and its metabolic effects in man and animals. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1967;141:65-76.
• Hucker HB, Miller JK, Hochberg A, et al. Studies on the absorption, excretion and metabolism of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) in man. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1967;155:309-317.
• Lawrence RM. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM): A double-blind study of its use in degenerative arthritis. Int J Anti-Aging Med 1998;1:50 [abstract].
• Williams KIH, Burstein SH, Layne DS. Dimethyl Sulfone: Isolation from human urine. Arch Biochem Biophys 1966;113:251–2.

Selected Animal Studies

• Hasegawa T. Suppressive effect of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) on type II collagen-induced arthritis in DBA/1J mice. Jpn Pharmacol Ther 2004;32(7):421–7.
• Wang M-Y, Anderson G, Nowicki D. Preventive effect of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) at the induction stage of mammary carcinogenesis induced by DMBA in female SD rats. Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res 2003;44(8):787 [Abstract #3445].
• Carlson, RP [study director]. Cardinal Nutrition rat carrageenan air pouch model No. 1. White Eagle Toxicology Laboratories [Unpublished: data on file]. (Sponsored by Cardinal Nutrition).
• McCabe DP, O'Dwyer PJ, Sickle-Santanello BJ, et al. Polar solvents in the chemoprevention of dimethylbenzanthracene-induced rat mammary cancer. Arch Surg 1986;121:1455-1459.
• Moore RD, Morton JI. Diminished inflammatory joint disease in MRL/1pr mice ingesting dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) or methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). Fed Am Soc Exp Biol 69th Annual Meeting, Anaheim, California, April 21–26, 1985: Abstract 692.
• Morton JI, Moore RD. Lupus nephritis and deaths are diminished in B/W mice drinking 3% water solutions of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or dimethyl sulfone (DMSO2). J Leukocyte Biol 1986;40:322.
• Morton JI, Siegel BV. Effects of oral dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl sulfone on murine autoimmune lymphoproliferative disease. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1986;183:227–30.
• Mosesian J, Jensen P, Morton JI. Humoral immunity in mice treated with dimethylsulfone (MSM) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). [Unpublished]
• Murav'ev IuV, Venikova MS, Pleskovskaia GN, et al. [Effect of dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl sulfone on a destructive process in the joints of mice with spontaneous arthritis]. Patol Fiziol Eksp Ter 1991;(2):37–9 [in Russian].
• O'Dwyer PJ, McCabe DP, Sickle-Santanello BJ, et al. Use of polar solvents in chemoprevention of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colon cancer. Cancer 1988;62:944–8.
• Otsuki S, Qian W, Ishihara A, Kabe T. Elucidation of dimethylsulfone metabolism in rat using a 35S radioisotope tracer method. Nutr Res 2002;22:313–22.
• Pfiffner JJ, North HB. Dimethyl sulfone: A constituent of the adrenal gland. J Biol Chem 1940;134:781–2.
• Pratt SE, Clarke AF, Riddolls L, McKee S. A study of the absorption of methylsulfonylmethane in horses. Proc 17th Equine Nutr Physiol Soc:141–2.
• Richmond VL. Incorporation of methylsulfonylmethane sulfur into guinea pig serum proteins. Life Sci 1986;39:263–8.
• Ruzicka L, Goldberg MW, Meister H. [Isolation of dimethylsulfone from bovine blood]. Acta Chimica Helvetica 1940;23:559–61 [in German].
• Wang M-Y, Anderson GL, Nowicki D. Synergistic effect of Tahitian Noni Juice (TNJ) and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) on mammary breast cancer prevention at the initiation stage of chemical carcinogenesis induced by DMBA in female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2003;12:1354S.
• Williams KIH, Burstein SH, Layne. Metabolism of dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl sulfoxide, and dimethyl sulfone in the rabbit. Arch Biochem Biophys 1966;117:84–7.
• [No authors listed]. Acute intragastric toxicity (LD-50). Dimethyl sulfone (methylsulfonylmethane, MSM). Laboratory of Vitamin Technology, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, August 21, 1958. (Unpublished)
  

Toxicity Studies

• Cecil KM, Lin A, Ross BD, Egelhoff JC. Methylsulfonylmethane observed by in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in a 5-year-old child with developmental disorder: effects of dietary supplementation. J Comput Assist Tomogr 2002;26(5):818–20.
• Horváth K, Noker PE, Somfai-Relle S, et al. Toxicity of methylsulfonylmethane in rats. Food Chem Toxicol 2002;40:1459–62.
• Lin A, Nguy CH, Shic F, Ross BD. Accumulation of methylsulfonylmethane in the human brain: identification by multinuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Toxicol Lett 2001;123:169–77.
• Rose SE, Chalk JB, Galloway GJ, Doddrell DM. Detection of dimethyl sulfone in the human brain by in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Magn Reson Imaging 2000;18:95–8.
• Schoenig G. Acute oral toxicity of sample No. 751, dimethyl sulfone 1 BT No. A6409. Industrial BIO-TEST Laboratories, Inc., Northbrook, Illinois, September 19, 1968. (Unpublished)
  

Other Selected Research

• Alam SS, Layman DL. Dimethyl sulfoxide inhibition of prostacyclin production in cultured aortic endothelial cells. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1983;411:318–20.
• Beilke MA, Collins-Lech C, Sohnle PG. Effects of dimethylsulfoxide on the oxidative function of human neutrophils. J Lab Clin Med 1987;110:91–6.
• Ebisuzaki K. Aspirin and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM): a search for common mechanisms, with implications for cancer prevention. Anticancer Res 2003;23:453-8.
• Goldstein P, Magnano L, Rojo J. Effects of dimethyl sulfone (DMSO2) on early gametogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans: ultrastructural aberrations and loss of synaptonemal complexes from pachytene nuclei. Reprod Toxicol 1992;6:149–59.
• Layman DL. Growth inhibitory effects of dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl sulfone on vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells in vitro. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology 1987;23:422–8.
• Kocsis JJ, Harkaway S, Snyder R. Biological effects of the metabolites of dimethyl sulfoxide. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1975;243:104–9.
• McGann LE, Walterson ML. Cryoprotection by dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl sulfone. Cryobiology 1987;24:11–16.
• Pearson TW, Dawson HJ, Lackey HB. Natural occurring levels of dimethyl sulfoxide in selected fruits, vegetables, grains and beverages. J Agric Food Chem 1981;29:1019–21.
• Sowada R. [Preparation, properties and uses of dimethylsulfone]. Zeitschrift fur Chemie 1968;8(10):361–76 [in German].
• Williams KIH, Burstein SH, Layne DS. Dimethyl sulfone: isolation from cows’ milk. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1966;122:865–6.
  
  

In fact, the current Wikipedia page on MSM has no independent reference links at the bottom of the page. I did basic Google and Medline searches on Methylsulfonylmethane and found the following info:

(1) The #1 Google result is from quackwatch.com. Their lengthy discussion of MSM casts great suspicion on any health claims, and thus by comparison one has to wonder why the Wikipedia page contains mainly pro-MSM statements and few if any real caveats. For example, why doesn't the Wiki page mention the 10/2000 FDA action against Karl Loren to stop his extravagant therapeutic claims for MSM.

REPLY from Naturodoc 23:37, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC): With all due respect, entering MSM into Google and then swallowing hook-line-and-sinker what floats to the top (i.e., Quackwatch) is not going to give you a fair idea of whether what is written here is legitimate. The Quackwatch article about MSM has some truth to it (many irresponsible claims about the ingredient are made on the internet, for example), but it is also rife with bias and indefensible statements. Far worse than this MSM article, if I do say so myself. The main author of Quackwatch (Stephen Barrett, MD) is an anti-alternative medicine ideologue who does not fairly consider peer-reviewed evidence, not just as it regards MSM, but with regard to many nutrients. Like Fox News or Bill O'Reilly, he claims to be fair and balanced, but he is anything but. The Quackwatch MSM article is also 4 years old and does not consider recent published research — e.g., on arthritis (Usha & Naidu, 2004), allergies (Barrager et al, 2003), or toxicity (Horvath et al, 2002) — published during that interval.

RE: Karl Loren: The article did not deliberately omit discussion of Loren, in the same way it did not deliberately omit discussion of the MSM patents, MSM Investments' lawsuit against Carolwood Corporation, Carolwood's bogus GRAS affiramtion for the Lignisul brand of MSM, James Coburn's appearance on Larry King, the death of MSM pioneer George E. Bergstrom, or the bad blood between Drs. Jacob and Lawrence. One cannot discuss everything. Anyway, Loren is a liar and a crackpot, worse than Stephen Barrett. The less said about him the better.

RE: the lack of independent reference links...I just didn't know how that was done. If you like, I will provide them.

(2) Medline has few articles on Methylsulfonylmethane. However, one particularly disturbing 2002 study that came up was this one: "Accumulation of methylsulfonylmethane in the human brain: identification by multinuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy." The abstract ends on this sombre note: "Appearance of MSM in significant concentrations in the human brain indicates ready transfer across the intact blood-brain barrier, of a compound with no known medical benefits."

REPLY from Naturodoc 23:37, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC): What is disturbing about the fact that MSM crosses the blood-brain barrier? Many compounds do that. Given its non-toxicity (LD50 of > 17g/kg BW; lack of adverse effect in Horvath et al), and the therapeutic potential, ability to cross the BBB is probably a benefit and not a detriment. For example, if MSM turns out to be a mild cholinesterase inhibitor, as its relative DMSO has been shown to be, then a potential Alzheimer's treatment may have been discovered. There is not one, but three, studies demonstrating MSM crosses the BBB (Rose et al, 2000; Lin et al, 2001; Cecil et al,2002). None of these authors found any adverse effect whatsoever from that. Add to this the histopathology of neurological tissues that was done as an addendum to the Horvath study, and the upcoming publication of a randomized, double-blind trial of MSM for osteoarthritis (in which a neurlogical symptoms questionnaire showed no adverse effect of MSM after 12 weeks at 6g/d), and I would say you have evidence that MSM is neurologically nontoxic. The fact that it crosses the BBB and causes no symptoms is an argument in favor of its non-toxicity, not vice versa.

As to the "no known medical benefits" comment, I have two things to say about that:
1) The author has not read the research

2) Lack of evidence of efficacy is not the same thing as evidence of lack of efficacy. Many medical pundits assume that something doesn't work, simply because there are no randomized, controlled clinical trials published in peer-reviewed journals. This is a kind of Type II error. To those experienced with this ingredient, including those afflicted by scleroderma, lupus, and other horrible diseases, who have been cured or siginificantly palliated by MSM, a cavalier throw-away statement like, "a compound with no known medical benefits" is ignorant and insulting. Scientists should stick to opining about topics they know something about (in this case, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging as opposed to clinical nutrition).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11641045

In short, I strongly believe that Wikipedia users are being presented unreviewed, highly biased information about MSM.

REPLY from Naturodoc 23:37, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC): I respectfully disagree. Most of the data presented in this piece have been peer-reviewed, and those that haven't are derived from the clinical experience of doctors, like myself and Dr. Jacob, who have treated patients with MSM.

Thanks,

Brad

Retrieved from Wikipedia:Peer_review by Mike C 21:00, 15 Dec 2004 (UTC)

Removed section

I removed this entire section because of its blatant POV. Per the reasons above it doesn't appear likely these claims can be substantiated, but if some good references are found to back them up, then all the better.

Conclusion

The public discussion of MSM has been fraught with a curious mix of hyperbole, misinformation, and unfair criticism. This remarkable nutrient has many valuable applications to human health. The basic science to back up these applications is well established and the clinical science is emerging. However, retailers and consumers must be wary of extravagant claims, and should also be on the alert for substandard or contaminated product. MSM should be produced in a dedicated facility that complies with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs). All MSM should be subject to the most up-to-date analysis for microbiological and heavy metal contamination to assure purity.

Removed "unpublished studies" (no original research)

Several sections refer to unpublished studies. I have removed these as contrary to wikipedia policy against original research.

Removed sections

Dr. Jacob also conducted a partial crossover trial with a single-blind design on the effects of intranasal MSM for the control of snoring. In this unpublished study, 80% of the subject’s mates reported the lessening or absence of snoring in their partners, while 20% reported no result from the intranasal administration of the MSM. Results were typically noticed after one or two nights.

REPLY from Naturodoc 23:38, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC): This study was reported in his book, MSM-The Definitive Guide (Topanga, Freedom Press 2003)

An unpublished trial of MSM (2,250 mg/d) for arthritis pain also reported some improvement.

REPLY from Naturodoc 23:38, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC): An abstract of this study was published:

• Lawrence RM. Methylsulfonylmethane (M.S.M.) A double-blind study of its use in degenerative arthritis. Int J Anti-Aging Med 1998;1(1):50 [abstract].
  

It is also reported in Dr. Lawrence's book, Preventing Arthritis (New York, Berkeley Books, 2001). (ISBN 0-425-18468-4)

In an unpublished trial, 22 patients with documented interstitial cystitis were treated with urinary instillations of 50cc of MSM at weekly intervals. At the end of six months, 72% of the participants continued to improve and required no further therapy. After one year, however, only 18% of the original patients were completely free of symptoms without continuing therapy. None of the patients experienced any side effects.

REPLY from Naturodoc 23:38, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC): The report of these cases was cited in:
Childs SJ. Dimethyl sulfone (DMSO2) in the treatment of interstitial cystitis. Urol Clin North Am 1994;21:85–8.[1]

The toxicology of MSM has been explored in several unpublished toxicology studies conducted by MSM manufacturers.

--Chris vLS 07:38, 23 Dec 2004 (UTC)

Reviewing the current articles, hope to update with links to studies soon

I just joined Wikipedia, and am thinking about making the MSM entry the first one I work on. I'm a PharmD student at the University of Kansas. -ABCrafter 23 Dec 2004

I'm currently reviewing the following article. Sulfur in Human Nutrition and Applications in Medicine Journal: Altern Med Rev 2002 Feb;7(1):22-44 Author: Parcell S.

Affiliation: ND candidate, 2002, Bastyr University, Seattle, WA; Research Associate, American Institute for Biosocial and Medical Research (AIBMR) in Tacoma, WA; Correspondence address: 6210 35th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115; e-mail: mailto:steveparcell@attbi.com NLM Citation: PMID: 11896744

from the abstract of the above article: Because the role of elemental sulfur in human nutrition has not been studied extensively, it is the purpose of this article to emphasize the importance of this element in humans and discuss the therapeutic applications of sulfur compounds in medicine.

Sulfur is the sixth most abundant macromineral in breast milk and the third most abundant mineral based on percentage of total body weight. The sulfur-containing amino acids (SAAs) are methionine, cysteine, cystine, homocysteine, homocystine, and taurine.

Dietary SAA analysis and protein supplementation may be indicated for vegan athletes, children, or patients with HIV, because of an increased risk for SAA deficiency in these groups. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), a volatile component in the sulfur cycle, is another source of sulfur found in the human diet. Increases in serum sulfate may explain some of the therapeutic effects of MSM, DMSO, and glucosamine sulfate.

Organic sulfur, as SAAs, can be used to increase synthesis of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), glutathione (GSH), taurine, and N-acetylcysteine (NAC). MSM may be effective for the treatment of allergy, pain syndromes, athletic injuries, and bladder disorders. Other sulfur compounds such as SAMe, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), taurine, glucosamine or chondroitin sulfate, and reduced glutathione may also have clinical applications in the treatment of a number of conditions such as depression, fibromyalgia, arthritis, interstitial cystitis, athletic injuries, congestive heart failure, diabetes, cancer, and AIDS.

Dosages, mechanisms of action, and rationales for use are discussed. The low toxicological profiles of these sulfur compounds, combined with promising therapeutic effects, warrant continued human clinical trails.

• Welcome! This article certainly needs the help. As far as I can tell, there are very few studies (like one or two maybe) of any weight (double-blind, human trials, for example). Very hard, imho, to say that use of a fairly unstudied compound is ever "indicated" as the author below states. A thing to remember is that wikipedia presents well-established, consensus knowledge for the general audience. Review the no original research policy and a discussion of the perfect article. (By the way, you can sign your name by typing four tildes (~) in a row at the end. Chris vLS 06:28, 24 Dec 2004 (UTC)

Disputed

I am leaving this in the article for a fortnight. If noone has responded or attempted to fix these sections, I am removing them. We do not do original research on Wikipedia. - Ta bu shi da yu 05:08, 2 Jan 2005 (UTC)

REPLY from Naturodoc 23:42, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC): I apologize that I had not read the citation sections on Wikipedia before submitting the article. I did it in a hurry, and that also may explain why it is not comprehensive. I hope my responses to the concerns presented on this page prove sufficient. I do not have a lot of opportunity to check back here, but I will when I can.

I have gone back through the article and cited specific references, added a references section at the bottom, with external links to the articles. I have also made an attempt to answer all disputed items. Please review. --Naturodoc 21:42, 29 July 2005 (UTC)

Claims of beneficial effects

MSM has been purported to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties and to inhibit prostacyclin (PGI2) synthesis in cultured cells of the endothelium, an action that is believed to combat atherosclerosis. The therapeutic action of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) may be mediated, at least in part, by MSM. MSM may also be a methyl group donor and thereby lower homocysteine.

• Who purported this?
• What is the source for this?

REPLY from Naturodoc 23:42, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC): Here are the requested citations in reference to the claims above:

Anti-inflammatory

• Jacob SW, Appleton J. MSM-The Definitive Guide (Topanga, Freedom Press, 2003) (ISBN 1-893910-21-0)
  
• Metcalf JW. MSM Status Report. Equine Veterinary Data 1986;7(21):332
  
• Moore RD, Morton JI. Diminished inflammatory joint disease in MRL/1pr mice ingesting dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) or methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). Fed Am Soc Exp Biol 69th Annual Meeting, Anaheim, California, April 21–26, 1985: Abstract 692.
  
• Morton JI, Moore RD. Lupus nephritis and deaths are diminished in B/W mice drinking 3% water solutions of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or dimethyl sulfone (DMSO2). J Leukocyte Biol 1986;40:322.
  
• Morton JI, Siegel BV. Effects of oral dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl sulfone on murine autoimmune lymphoproliferative disease. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1986;183:227–30.
  
• Hasegawa T. Suppressive effect of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) on type II collagen-induced arthritis in DBA/1J Mice. Jpn Pharmacol Ther 2004;32(7):421-7.
  
• Murav'ev IuV, Venikova MS, Pleskovskaia GN, et al. [Effect of dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl sulfone on a destructive process in the joints of mice with spontaneous arthritis]. Patol Fiziol Eksp Ter 1991;(2):37–9 [in Russian].
  
  

Anti-cancer

• Wang M-Y, Anderson G, Nowicki D. Preventive effect of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) at the induction stage of mammary carcinogenesis induced by DMBA in female SD rats. Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res 2003;44(8):787 [Abstract #3445].
  
• Wang M-Y, Anderson GL, Nowicki D. Synergistic effect of Tahitian Noni Juice (TNJ) and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) on mammary breast cancer prevention at the initiation stage of chemical carcinogenesis induced by DMBA in female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2003;12:1354S.
  
• McCabe DP, O'Dwyer PJ, Sickle-Santanello BJ, et al. Polar solvents in the chemoprevention of dimethylbenzanthracene-induced rat mammary cancer. Arch Surg 1986;121:1455-1459.
  
• O'Dwyer PJ, McCabe DP, Sickle-Santanello BJ, et al. Use of polar solvents in chemoprevention of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colon cancer. Cancer 1988;62:944–8.
  
• Ebisuzaki K. Aspirin and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM): a search for common mechanisms, with implications for cancer prevention. Anticancer Res 2003;23:453-8.
  
  

Prostacyclin:

• Alam SS, Layman DL. Dimethyl sulfoxide inhibition of prostacyclin production in cultured aortic endothelial cells. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1983;411:318–20. (also deals with dimethyl sulfone (MSM)
  
• Layman DL. Growth inhibitory effects of dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl sulfone on vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells in vitro. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology 1987;23:422–8.
  
  

Metabolic relation to DMSO:

• Gerhards E, Gibian H. The metabolism of dimethyl sulfoxide and its metabolic effects in man and animals. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1967;141:65-76.
  
• Williams KIH, Burstein SH, Layne. Metabolism of dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl sulfoxide, and dimethyl sulfone in the rabbit. Arch Biochem Biophys 1966;117:84–7.
  
• Kocsis JJ, Harkaway S, Snyder R. Biological effects of the metabolites of dimethyl sulfoxide. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1975;243:104–9.
  
  

Methyl donor:

• Wood DC, Jacob SW. Some metabolic considerations of DMSO and derivatives. Quarterly Reports on Sulfur Chemistry 1968;3(2):159-62.
  
• Martin W. [Natural occurrence of DMSO and DMSO2 in the human organism.] In: Jacob SW, Kappel JE, eds. DMSO International DMSO Workshop, Hannover, Germany, September 19, 1987. San Francisco: W. Zuckschwerdt Verlag, 1987, 71–7.
  

Also mentioned in:

• Jacob SW, Appleton J. MSM-The Definitive Guide (Topanga, Freedom Press, 2003):p. 33 (ISBN 1-893910-21-0)
  
• Ewing RA. Beyond the Hay Days (Johnson Books, 2003):pp. 126-8. (ISBN 0-965-80984-6)
  

Animal studies

In an experimental model of spontaneous arthritis in mice, oral MSM decreased joint degeneration. In a mouse rheumatoid arthritis model, oral MSM decreased proliferation of the synovium, inflammation and auto[antibody] titers. A similar regimen in experimental lupus erythematosus in mice showed a reduced antinuclear antibodies and reduced incidence of anemia, while protecting against kidney damage. Oral MSM also modified immune responses, reducing arthritis deformities and swelling induced by collagen injections in mice, indicating a potential role for MSM in treating rheumatoid arthritis. Several animal studies suggest a role for MSM in the prevention of breast cancer and colon cancer.

• Which experiment, and who did this?
  
• Where is the source to the experiment data, aims, methodology and conclusion?
  
• Which animal studies suggest a role for MSM in the prevention of breast and colon cancer?
  
  

REPLY from Naturodoc 23:42, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC)(references inserted as footnotes to paragraph):

In an experimental model of spontaneous arthritis in mice, oral MSM decreased joint degeneration.(1) In a mouse rheumatoid arthritis model, oral MSM decreased proliferation of the synovium, inflammation and auto[antibody] titers.(2) A similar regimen in experimental lupus erythematosus in mice showed a reduced antinuclear antibodies and reduced incidence of anemia, while protecting against kidney damage.(3) Oral MSM also modified immune responses, reducing arthritis deformities and swelling induced by collagen injections in mice, indicating a potential role for MSM in treating rheumatoid arthritis.(4) Several animal studies suggest a role for MSM in the prevention of breast cancer(5-7) and colon cancer.(8)

REFERENCES
1. Murav'ev IuV, Venikova MS, Pleskovskaia GN, et al. [Effect of dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl sulfone on a destructive process in the joints of mice with spontaneous arthritis]. Patol Fiziol Eksp Ter 1991;(2):37–9 [in Russian].
2. Moore RD, Morton JI. Diminished inflammatory joint disease in MRL/1pr mice ingesting dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) or methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology 69th Annual Meeting, Anaheim, California, April 21–26, 1985: Abstract 692.
3. Morton JI, Moore RD. Lupus nephritis and deaths are diminished in B/W mice drinking 3% water solutions of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or dimethyl sulfone (DMSO2). J Leukocyte Biol 1986;40:322. 4. Hasegawa T. Suppressive effect of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) on type II collagen-induced arthritis in DBA/1J mice. Jpn Pharmacol Ther 2004;32(7):421–7.
5. McCabe DP, O'Dwyer PJ, Sickle-Santanello BJ, et al. Polar solvents in the chemoprevention of dimethylbenzanthracene-induced rat mammary cancer. Arch Surg 1986;121:1455-1459.
6. Wang M-Y, Anderson GL, Nowicki D. Synergistic effect of Tahitian Noni Juice (TNJ) and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) on mammary breast cancer prevention at the initiation stage of chemical carcinogenesis induced by DMBA in female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2003;12:1354S.
7. Wang M-Y, Anderson G, Nowicki D. Preventive effect of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) at the induction stage of mammary carcinogenesis induced by DMBA in female SD rats. Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res 2003;44(8):787 [Abstract #3445].

8. O'Dwyer PJ, McCabe DP, Sickle-Santanello BJ, et al. Use of polar solvents in chemoprevention of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colon cancer. Cancer 1988;62:944–8.

Human studies

Stanley W. Jacob, M.D., F.A.C.S. of the Oregon Health & Science University claims to have treated over 18,000 patients with MSM. Dr. Jacob claims to have successfully treated with MSM include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic pain syndromes, repetitive stress injuries (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, bursitis), scleroderma, lupus erythematosus, interstitial cystitis, fibromyalgia, myasthenia gravis, asthma, hayfever, snoring and many lesser-known clinical entities.

• No mention of Dr. Jacob's patent on MSM for snoring is mentioned.
  

REPLY from Naturodoc 23:42, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC): It may not be necessary to mention it. An independent study was just published in a peer-reviewed journal:

• Blum JM, Blum RI. The effect of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in the control of snoring. Integrative Medicine 2004;3(6)24-30.
  The results of this study demonstrated marked improvements in snoring subjects' signs and symptoms with the topical application of an MSM-containing oral spray to the throat.
  
  
  
• What are the sources for the information on these claims? In what journal/website/paper/report did he claim these things?
  

REPLY from Naturodoc 23:42, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC): The claims appear primarily in two of his books:

• Jacob SW, Lawrence RM, Zucker M. The Miracle of MSM (New York, Putnam, 1999) (ISBN 0-399-14474-9)
  
• Jacob SW, Appleton J. MSM-The Definitive Guide (Topanga, Freedom Press, 2003) (ISBN 1-893910-21-0)
  
  
  

Arthritis: A randomized controlled trial found that 6 grams per day of MSM reduced pain of osteoarthritis of the knee, and also improved ability to perform activities of daily living. That same study found that MSM reduced elevated serum homocysteine, a risk factor for ischaemic heart disease and stroke. In another double-blind study of MSM for osteoarthritis, patients with knee osteoarthritis received either 1,500 mg MSM, 1,500 mg glucosamine sulfate, 1,500 mg each of MSM and glucosamine sulfate, or placebo; significant decreases in the Lequesne Index were reported with MSM, glucosamine sulfate and their combination.

• Verification please. What first randomized controlled trial is being referred to here?
• What does the research mean in laymans terms? Is this good, bad? None of this means anything to me.
• What journal was this peer reviewed in?

REPLY from Naturodoc 23:42, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC)

The first study is unpublished. It has just been submitted for publication to the Journal of Rheumatology. The citation is: Kim LS, Axelrod L, Finch W, et al. Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in osteoarthritis pain. A randomized controlled clinical trial. Publication is anticipated for later this year. It is understandable if you want to delete this until publication occurs. But the research was done, and it was peer-reviewed.

The second study is: Usha PR, Naidu MUR. Randomised, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled study of oral glucosamine, methylsulfonylmethane and their combination in osteoarthritis. Clin Drug Invest 2004;24(6):353–63. Clinical Drug Investigations is a peer-reviewed journal.

In layman's terms, it means that people taking MSM for arthritis pain in the knees experience pain relief and improved function when taking between 1,500 mg and 6,000 mg per day of MSM. The lowering of homocysteine by MSM suggests that the ingredient may have some possible utility in preventing heart disease, which is important given that conventional therapies for arthritis (e.g., Vioxx) have been shown to cause cardiovascular problems (i.e., heart attack and stroke).

Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis: Most people think of MSM as supplement strictly for joint health. However, the first clinical study of oral MSM to be published in a peer-reviewed medical journal evaluated the efficacy of MSM, not for arthritis, but for hayfever. Fifty subjects completed the open-label study. Participants consumed 2,600 mg of MSM (OptiMSM, Cardinal Nutrition, Vancouver, WA) orally per day for 30 days. A Seasonal Allergy Symptom Questionnaire (SASQ) was used to evaluate clinical respiratory symptoms and energy levels at baseline and on days 7, 14, 21 and 30. Immune and inflammatory reactions were measured by plasma IgE and C-reactive protein at baseline and on day 30. Day 7 upper and total respiratory symptoms were reduced significantly from baseline. Lower respiratory symptoms were significantly improved from baseline by week 3. All respiratory improvements were maintained through the 30-day visit. Energy levels increased significantly by day 14; this increase continued through day-30.

• I dispute the statement "Most people think of MSM as supplement strictly for joint health." Most people don't think anything about MSM at all I'm afraid.
• Seems OK other than that.
  

REPLY from Naturodoc 23:42, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC): Perhaps you'd prefer to change it to something like, "Most people familiar with MSM think of it as..."

Interstitial cystitis: In 1978, the FDA approved a 50-percent dilution of MSM for instillation into the bladder as a treatment for interstitial cystitis. ([2], citing [3].) Stacy J. Childs, M.D., then of the University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa and now practicing in Cheyenne, Wyoming, published a case series describing the successful intravesicular use of MSM use among interstitial cystitis patients who had not been helped by standard medical treatments. The report was published in 1994 in the Urologic Clinics of North America.

• What is interstitial cystitis?
• What does any of this mean in layman's terms? None of it means anything to me.
  
  

REPLY from Naturodoc 23:42, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC):

Interstitial cystitis is an autoimmune disease in which the urinary bladder becomes inflamed. It is like a chronic version of a urinary tract infection, only there's no infection, and no cure. It is extremely debilitating. Under Dr. Jacob's supervision, patients with this disease learned to squirt an MSM solution directly up their urethras into their bladders, which caused dramatic relief in many patients. Dr. Jacob reports on this in his book:

• Jacob SW, Appleton J. MSM-The Definitive Guide (Topanga, Freedom Press, 2003) (ISBN 1-893910-21-0)
  
  

Another MD, Dr. Stacy Childs, published a paper on some of his cases, too:

• Childs SJ. Dimethyl sulfone (DMSO2) in the treatment of interstitial cystitis. Urol Clin North Am 1994;21:85–8.

Toxicity

Clinical experience indicates that MSM may be used for prolonged periods without serious toxicity. According to Dr. Jacob, for more than two decades, thousands of people came to the DMSO Clinic at the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and received upwards of 100 grams per day of MSM without serious side effects. In total, Dr. Jacob claims to have treated some 18,000 patients with MSM.

• What is the source of this claim?
• Has this been tested by independent observers, or has it been backed up by anyone but Dr. Jacob?
  
  

REPLY from Naturodoc 23:42, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC):

Source:

• Jacob SW, Appleton J. MSM-The Definitive Guide (Topanga, Freedom Press, 2003)
  (ISBN 1-893910-21-0)

Corroboration:

• Lawrence RM, Zucker M. Preventing Arthritis. (New York, Berkeley Books, 2001).(ISBN 0-425-18468-4)
• Barrager E, Veltmann JR, Schauss AG, Schiller RN. A multi-centered, open label trial on the safety and efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane in the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis. J Altern Complement Med 2002;8:167–74.
• Usha PR, Naidu MUR. Randomised, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled study of oral glucosamine, methylsulfonylmethane and their combination in osteoarthritis. Clin Drug Invest 2004;24(6):353–63.
  
• Cronin JR. Methylsulfonylmethane: Nutraceutical of the Next Century? Alt Complement Ther 1999;December:386-9.
  
• Sellnow L. MSM - An aid from Nature. The Blood Horse June 6, 1987: pp. 3459-62
  
• Parcell S. Sulfur in Human Nutrition and Applications in Medicine. Altern Med Rev 2002;7(1):22-44.
  
• Metcalf J. MSM - A Dietary Derivative of DMSO. Equine Veterinary Science 1985;5:148, 174-5.
  
  

MSM appears to have no significant acute toxicity in laboratory tests. The LD50 (dose at which 50% of test subject are killed) of MSM is so large that the concept loses significant meaning. The LD50 of MSM is considered to be > 17.5 grams per kilogram of body weight. In the first and only toxicity study of MSM to be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, both the acute and subchronic oral toxicity of MSM in rats were studied; no adverse effects, clinical signs of toxicity, or mortalities were observed at doses of 2 grams/kilogram body weight per day. In a 90-day follow-up study rats received daily oral doses of 1.5 g/kg of MSM. The animals were assessed by hematology, clinical chemistry, clinical symptom observation and gross pathology. No deaths occurred, and no changes related to the administration of MSM were noted in any of the parameters examined.

• What study?!
  

REPLY from Naturodoc 23:42, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC) (References inserted into paragraph as footnotes):

MSM appears to have no significant acute toxicity in laboratory tests. The LD50 (dose at which 50% of test subject are killed) of MSM is so large that the concept loses significant meaning. The LD50 of MSM is considered to be > 17.5 grams per kilogram of body weight.(1,2) In the first and only toxicity study of MSM to be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, both the acute and subchronic oral toxicity of MSM in rats were studied; no adverse effects, clinical signs of toxicity, or mortalities were observed at doses of 2 grams/kilogram body weight per day. In a 90-day follow-up study rats received daily oral doses of 1.5 g/kg of MSM. The animals were assessed by hematology, clinical chemistry, clinical symptom observation and gross pathology. No deaths occurred, and no changes related to the administration of MSM were noted in any of the parameters examined.(3)

REFERENCES
1. [No authors listed]. Acute intragastric toxicity (LD-50). Dimethyl sulfone (methylsulfonylmethane, MSM). Laboratory of Vitamin Technology, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, August 21, 1958.
Cited in Jacob SW, Appleton J. MSM_The Definitive Guide (Topanga, Freedom Press, 2003).(ISBN 1-893910-21-0) 2. Sowada R. [Preparation, properties and uses of dimethylsulfone]. Zeitschrift fur Chemie 1968;8(10):361–76 [in German].

3. Horváth K, Noker PE, Somfai-Relle S, et al. Toxicity of methylsulfonylmethane in rats. Food Chem Toxicol 2002;40:1459–62.

Dose

MSM supplement manufacturers typically suggest doses for use as a dietary supplement ranging from 2 to 10 grams per day. Higher amounts appear to be safe, although some people do experience loose stool or abdominal discomfort when too much is taken at once.

• Source for these statements? Which companies are saying this?
  
  

REPLY from Naturodoc 23:42, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC):

Change to 2-8 grams per day. Recommendation is made by MSM manufacturer Cardinal Nutrition on its website: [4]
The same recommendation is also made in:

• Jacob SW, Appleton J. MSM-The Definitive Guide (Topanga, Freedom Press, 2003): p. 181. (ISBN 1-893910-21-0)
• Jacob SW, Lawrence RM, Zucker M. The Miracle of MSM. (New York, Putnam, 1999): p. 41 (ISBN 0-399-14474-9)

Section "MSM myths" removed

We are not advertising literature, and frankly that's what this whole section was. We do not make value judgements on what is myth and what is fact, we refer to third parties who state what is "myth" and what is "fact". We do NOT do original research. - Ta bu shi da yu 05:07, 2 Jan 2005 (UTC)

References section

Where is this? - Ta bu shi da yu 05:21, 2 Jan 2005 (UTC)

• Alam SS, Layman DL. Dimethyl sulfoxide inhibition of prostacyclin production in cultured aortic endothelial cells. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1983;411:318–20. PMID 6410965
• Barrager E, Schauss AG. Methylsulfonylmethane as a treatment for seasonal allergic rhinitis: additional data on pollen counts and symptom questionnaire. J Altern Complement Med 2003;9(1):15–16. PMID 12676029
• Barrager E, Veltmann JR, Schauss AG, Schiller RN. A multi-centered, open label trial on the safety and efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane in the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis. J Altern Complement Med 2002;8:167–74. PMID 12006124
• Beilke MA, Collins-Lech C, Sohnle PG. Effects of dimethylsulfoxide on the oxidative function of human neutrophils. J Lab Clin Med 1987;110:91–6. PMID 3598341
• Blum JM, Blum RI. The effect of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in the control of snoring. Integrative Medicine 2004;3(6)24-30.
• Cecil KM, Lin A, Ross BD, Egelhoff JC. Methylsulfonylmethane observed by in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in a 5-year-old child with developmental disorder: effects of dietary supplementation. J Comput Assist Tomogr 2002;26(5):818–20. PMID 12439321
• Childs SJ. Dimethyl sulfone (DMSO2) in the treatment of interstitial cystitis. Urol Clin North Am 1994;21:85–8. PMID 8284850
• Ebisuzaki K. Aspirin and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM): a search for common mechanisms, with implications for cancer prevention. Anticancer Res 2003;23:453-8. PMID 12680248
• Gerhards E, Gibian H. The metabolism of dimethyl sulfoxide and its metabolic effects in man and animals. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1967;141:65-76. PMID 5232274
• Goldstein P, Magnano L, Rojo J. Effects of dimethyl sulfone (DMSO2) on early gametogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans: ultrastructural aberrations and loss of synaptonemal complexes from pachytene nuclei. Reprod Toxicol 1992;6:149–59. PMID 1591472
• Hasegawa T. Suppressive effect of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) on type II collagen-induced arthritis in DBA/1J mice. Jpn Pharmacol Ther 2004;32(7):421–7.
• Horváth K, Noker PE, Somfai-Relle S, et al. Toxicity of methylsulfonylmethane in rats. Food Chem Toxicol 2002;40:1459–62. PMID 12387309
• Hucker HB, Miller JK, Hochberg A, et al. Studies on the absorption, excretion and metabolism of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) in man. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1967;155:309-317. PMID 6025521
• Jacob SW, Appleton J. MSM-The Definitive Guide (Topanga, Freedom Press, 2003) ISBN 1-893910-21-0
• Jacob SW, Lawrence RM, Zucker M. The Miracle of MSM. New York, Putnam, 1999. ISBN 0-399-14474-9
• Kocsis JJ, Harkaway S, Snyder R. Biological effects of the metabolites of dimethyl sulfoxide. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1975;243:104–9. PMID 1055534
• Lawrence RM. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM): A double-blind study of its use in degenerative arthritis. Int J Anti-Aging Med 1998;1:50 [abstract].
• Lawrence RM, Zucker M. Preventing Arthritis. (New York, Berkeley Books, 2001).ISBN 0-425-18468-4
• Layman DL. Growth inhibitory effects of dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl sulfone on vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells in vitro. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology 1987;23:422–8. PMID 3597282
• Lin A, Nguy CH, Shic F, Ross BD. Accumulation of methylsulfonylmethane in the human brain: identification by multinuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Toxicol Lett 2001;123:169–77. PMID 11641045
• McCabe DP, O'Dwyer PJ, Sickle-Santanello BJ, et al. Polar solvents in the chemoprevention of dimethylbenzanthracene-induced rat mammary cancer. Arch Surg 1986;121:1455-1459. PMID 3098207
• McGann LE, Walterson ML. Cryoprotection by dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl sulfone. Cryobiology 1987;24:11–16. PMID 3816285
• Moore RD, Morton JI. Diminished inflammatory joint disease in MRL/1pr mice ingesting dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) or *Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). Fed Am Soc Exp Biol 69th Annual Meeting, Anaheim, California, April 21–26, 1985: Abstract 692.
• Morton JI, Moore RD. Lupus nephritis and deaths are diminished in B/W mice drinking 3% water solutions of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or dimethyl sulfone (DMSO2). J Leukocyte Biol 1986;40:322. PMID 3462282
• Morton JI, Siegel BV. Effects of oral dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl sulfone on murine autoimmune lymphoproliferative disease. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1986;183:227–30. PMID 3489943
• Murav'ev IuV, Venikova MS, Pleskovskaia GN, et al. [Effect of dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl sulfone on a destructive process in the joints of mice with spontaneous arthritis]. Patol Fiziol Eksp Ter 1991;(2):37–9 [in Russian]. PMID 1881708
• O'Dwyer PJ, McCabe DP, Sickle-Santanello BJ, et al. Use of polar solvents in chemoprevention of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colon cancer. Cancer 1988;62:944–8. PMID 3789910
• Otsuki S, Qian W, Ishihara A, Kabe T. Elucidation of dimethylsulfone metabolism in rat using a 35S radioisotope tracer method. Nutr Res 2002;22:313–22. [5]
• Parcell S. Sulfur in Human Nutrition and Applications in Medicine. Altern Med Rev 2002;7(1):22-44. PMID 11896744
• Pearson TW, Dawson HJ, Lackey HB. Natural occurring levels of dimethyl sulfoxide in selected fruits, vegetables, grains and beverages. J Agric Food Chem 1981;29:1019–21. PMID 7309994
• Pfiffner JJ, North HB. Dimethyl sulfone: A constituent of the adrenal gland. J Biol Che 1940;134:781–2.
• Pratt SE, Clarke AF, Riddolls L, McKee S. A study of the absorption of methylsulfonylmethane in horses. Proc 17th Equine Nutr Physiol Soc:141–2.
• Richmond VL. Incorporation of methylsulfonylmethane sulfur into guinea pig serum proteins. Life Sci 1986;39:263–8. PMID 3736326
• Rose SE, Chalk JB, Galloway GJ, Doddrell DM. Detection of dimethyl sulfone in the human brain by in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Magn Reson Imaging 2000;18:95–8. PMID 10642107
• Ruzicka L, Goldberg MW, Meister H. [Isolation of dimethylsulfone from bovine blood]. Acta Chimica Helvetica 1940;23:559–61 [in German].
• Sowada R. [Preparation, properties and uses of dimethylsulfone]. Zeitschrift fur Chemie 1968;8(10):361–76 [in German].
• Usha PR, Naidu MUR. Randomised, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled study of oral glucosamine, methylsulfonylmethane and their combination in osteoarthritis. Clin Drug Invest 2004;24(6):353–63. studyLink
• Wang M-Y, Anderson G, Nowicki D. Preventive effect of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) at the induction stage of mammary carcinogenesis induced by DMBA in female SD rats. Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res 2003;44(8):787 [Abstract #3445].
• Wang M-Y, Anderson GL, Nowicki D. Synergistic effect of Tahitian Noni Juice (TNJ) and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) on mammary breast cancer prevention at the initiation stage of chemical carcinogenesis induced by DMBA in female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2003;12:1354S.
• Williams KIH, Burstein SH, Layne DS. Dimethyl Sulfone: Isolation from human urine. Arch Biochem Biophys 1966;113:251–2. PMID 5941993
• Williams KIH, Burstein SH, Layne DS. Dimethyl sulfone: isolation from cows’ milk. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1966;122:865–6. PMID 5918965
• Williams KIH, Burstein SH, Layne. Metabolism of dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl sulfoxide, and dimethyl sulfone in the rabbit. Arch Biochem Biophys 1966;117:84–7. PMID 5971744

Da Yu

To understand "Ta bu shi da yu", you need the chinese characters. The phrase can mean (it/he/she) is not (big fish/rain/mythical ancient first king of China.) Depends on the characters.

regfordca@yahoo.com

He/She is not a first king of Chinabig fish. - Ta bu shi da yu 21:48, 8 Feb 2005 (UTC)

MSM Chondritin et al.

Added Comment. It seems that wherever there is a compound or chemical that has no ill effects, nor for that matter any positive, measurable benefit, it will be used by the Patent Medicine industry and papers will be produced 'proving' efficacy. However, it's good to look at who's writing the paper, who's on the board of directors and who holds the patents. Having an MD or PhD ought to mean that the holder make some positive contribution to the human condition. It shouldn't be a license to print money to the detriment of people who have a genuine need to derive some relief from their symptoms but who don't necessarily understand the way in which data in the various 'claims of efficacy' has been selectively published. Remember; First, do no Harm! Perhaps that should extend to the patient's wallet.

Tom Campbell.

This is ideological editorializing and has no place on this page. Please remove.--Naturodoc 19:59, 29 July 2005 (UTC)

Fascinating

this is the most information i have seen on msm in one spot on the net. this discussion has also been very interesting. the list of claims for msm does seem too good to be true. its good to know though that more research is being done, not to mention its fairly cheap if you want to try some out yourself :P I LUV WIKIPEDIA

External Links

I have re-posted the comment below from Christian B here to allow for more discussion:

I would like an explanation about why you removed the link I provided for the site MSM Guide on the Methylsulfonylmethane entry. You're correct in saying that it has commercial funding, but there are no references or any slant whatsoever to that particular company. The website is purely for raising awareness for MSM. There is a wealth of information on the site including facts, whitepapers, links to other resources (including a link to Wikipedia), FAQs, and more. I could see how you might object if it was an e-commerce site or if there were links to that company's website other than the "funded by..." on the bottom of the homepage. But erasing a fantastic resource site due to one tiny "funded by" link is a bit hasty. I'm sure if you took a look around the site you would find it to be a comprehensive resource about MSM. --Christian B 18:23, 19 September 2006 (UTC)

Hi Christian B, the site in question is not a neutral source of information since it is funded by a manufacturer of dietary supplements, and the site makes multiple statements of fact that are unverifiable (see WP:EL and WP:RS). But if you did find useful and verifiable information at the site that is missing from the article, please do try to add it to the article! Prithason 04:03, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

If I may comment to that. Addition of external links is guided by WP:EL, indeed. On chemical pages I would discourage the addition of commercial links (and I can even argue against the addition of a great number of non-commercial links). For now, external links (either commercial or non-commercial) should point directly to compound property pages (with minimal commercial info, or, preferably, without). Otherwise the link should be moved to Wikipedia:Chemical sources (the temporary template {{ChemicalSources}} will guide people there), we are in the process of turning that page into a special-page (like the special:booksources-page, and when that is up and running (still need help with that ..), it should be accessable via CAS, EINECS, &c. numbers available on the page (if possible). I hope this helps, Dirk Beetstra ^{T C} 07:35, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

I agree with your insight - thanks for the advice! Perhaps I can pull some referenced info from the site and help flesh out the content of the Methylsufonylmethane entry. I think I'm starting to get the hang of this...  :) Cheers!Christian B 16:29, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Chemical Properties

There was a bit of grossly erroneous info (Solubility in water : miscible), which I deleted. MSM is very soluble in water, but to say that it's miscible is quite an exagerration. I've obtained pharmaceutically pure MSM powder and created saturated aqueous solutions in my own kitchen. However, I leave the exact solubility for some else to enter; hopefully someone who has a CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. And BTW, it's my understanding that MSM dissolves in water nonionicly, which could be an interesting detail about it, worth expounding. There's so little in this article about MSM's chemical properties. Perhaps an investigation of its nonionic dissolution in water could reveal something more important about it.--Zymatik (talk) 06:26, 4 May 2009 (UTC)

MSM is not "ionic" as it does not dissociate in water. The pKa of the Hydrogen of MSM is above 14. It, like DMSO, is quite polar and would be expected to dissolve in polar solvents. It would also interact with water and alcohols in hydrogen bonding. It interacts with Lewis Acids as well as Protonic acids. As the melting point is 109 degrees and addition of water is expected to lower the melting point, it may indeed be miscible with water near water's boiling point.

Shjacks45 (talk) 23:36, 5 August 2011 (UTC)

A better life.

I have always been very demanding on my body. I've lost an inch of height before; regaining 3/4ths of it with glucosamine. MSM has added more support to my back, as has Chrondoitine. If not for these supplements I would not be able to perform optimally.

I mentioned Glucosamine to a G.P. once and he said that it didn't do anything, that it was akin to believing in magic tonics. For a person who knows firsthand the benifit of it, whose body underwent significant changes during the first stages of consumption.

I think that for this Dr. after leaving school edjucation may have ended. Mr 63547828 (talk) 06:23, 13 March 2011 (UTC)

NPOV?

This edit by User:Objectivesea was summarized as "NPOV". I guess that's code for "negative point of view", as it included a bunch of statements of negativity that were not remotely supported by the cited sources. I made a few edits to try to neutralize some of it, but I think there's a lot more to be done, if anyone wants to help review it and actually aim for neutral. Dicklyon (talk) 05:36, 16 March 2011 (UTC)

POV? A very negative attitude towards MSM et al by the American Federal Government

There is of course very little paid research into FDA attempts to disapprove or ban medicines that do not turn a profit for drug manufacturing companies. FDA attempted to disapprove Aspirin/Salicylates for the same side effects as NSAIDs championed by manufacturers. The FDA banned Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, as a food supplement. This pertains to MSM because FDA currently prohibits sale of MSM as a over the counter veterinary medicine or food supplement "because MSM is used to cut methamphetamine". (However, mannitol and lactose, used to cut cocaine and heroin, are not forbidden substances.) Shjacks45 (talk) 20:38, 17 March 2011 (UTC)

• Not just the FDA, elsewhere too. I don't usually follow up polemical comments here in Wiki-world, but for once I have to agree. A combination of big industry lobbying, governments effectively outsourcing regulatory research to the very companies being regulated, and over-reaction through fear of legal repercussions based on a very few bad incidents has badly skewed our whole medical system in an expensive and not necessarily beneficial direction. D A Patriarche (talk) 22:38, 25 February 2014 (UTC)

Can we stay on topic? MSM is an allowed dietary supplement in the United States. Dozens of dietary supplement companies sell it as a single ingredient product (or in combination with glucosamine and or chondroitin, for osteoarthritis). Because it is non-prescription and not patent-protected, pharmaceutical companies do not bother to sell it. Given current law, the FDA allows supplements to be sold and long as certain criteria are met: safety, good manufacturing practices, no claim allowed for treatment or prevention of disease, and display of the disclaimer statement. Note that efficacy or lack of efficacy does not really factor in (although a seller has to at least have some reason to believe a claim is true). Whatever lobbying there was on the part of the pharmaceutical industry lost the battle in 1994 with the passage of DSHEA (Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act). While the FDA may want to put that genie back into the bottle, it has continued to lose fights to tightly control the supplement industry. What the FDA can and does do is control how things can be said on the label. Allowed wording is "Structure:Function" style. For MSM, this means statements such as "Supports joint health" or "Helps maintain healthy joint cartilage." Nothing can be said about reducing osteoarthritis joint pain even if there is human trial evidence for exactly that result.David notMD (talk) 16:58, 15 March 2016 (UTC)

Nutritional loss of sulfur compounds

The bleaching of flour has been associated with oxidation and loss of Methionine. The discontinuation of flour bleaching by NCl₃ was resisted by the food industry even though proven toxic compounds were produced. Shjacks45 (talk) 23:49, 5 August 2011 (UTC)

Why did you revert my edit without verification?

I was about to add to my edit when I noticed you removed it. As one who has spent considerable time reading trials rather than taking them at face value, I would guess you are an MD or paid drug researcher rather than an open source advocate showing a non-prejudiced (non-American Government) point of view. http://www.law.com/jsp/decision.jsp?id=1202444055542 http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=69.43.135 Shjacks45 (talk) 23:58, 5 August 2011 (UTC)

The reason was in the edit summary. Why not just put it back, converted to a complete sentence, citing a source that supports it? I am not an MD or otherwise knowledgable about this topic, just another editor who speaks English. Dicklyon (talk) 02:21, 6 August 2011 (UTC)

Snoring

What is the point of mentioning the study on snoring, without saying anything about the results? --Ericjs (talk) 20:31, 23 July 2012 (UTC)

Snoring related research and a host of other studies are summarized here: http://www.msmguide.com/msm-practitioner/researchpapers/

From this link it appears that this Wiki article is not up to date and much need to be added to the research section. Kind of undermines your faith in the wonders of Wikipedia! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.176.134.178 (talk) 18:11, 15 October 2013 (UTC)

Talk request

'Although no medical uses for MSM have been approved by any government, a variety of health benefits have been claimed and studied. Stanley W. Jacob reported having administered MSM to over 18,000 patients with a variety of ailments;[3] he co-authored a book promoting MSM with a variety of claims, including a utility as a natural source of "biologically active sulfur,"[4] suggesting that people are deficient in such forms of sulfur in their dietary intake. '

This statement seems rather subjective, especially in the context of "suggesting that people are deficient" - Are inferences encyclopaedic ? badboyjamie talk 04:18, 3 October 2013 (UTC)

Research is like a shark

To paraphrase Woody Allen's Annie Hall movie, research is like a shark - it has to constantly moving forward or it dies. The five clinical trials cited for MSM date from 1994-2006 (not counting the unpublished Lawrence). That's two for osteoarthritis and one each for three other indications. The clinical trials listing site www.clinicaltrials.gov does not list any current or planned clinical trials with MSM. Until more human evidence shows up for this product it should be considered dead in the water.David notMD (talk) 14:14, 11 June 2009 (UTC)

• I totally agree with your first statement (& like the paraphrase). I was also surprised at how little research has been done and how out-of-date the references are. However, as a ex-medical researcher myself, I don't believe that means MSM is "dead in the water" -- it means more work is needed, especially considering the small sample sizes. Anecdotally, my personal GP is very pragmatic and result-oriented, and he has been recommending MSM for decades; I don't think he'd do that if he weren't getting results with at least some patients. Which brings up a serious methodological issue dear to my heart in all medical studies on human beings: Just because in a large sample only say 5% received any benefit, it may be that those specific 5% received very significant benefits. "Your mileage may vary". D A Patriarche (talk) 22:23, 25 February 2014 (UTC)

DAP - Big problem is that the placebo effect for pain relief from osteoarthritis is in range of 30-60% and can last for years, so in the absence of good randomized enrollment, placebo controlled, double-blinded clinical trials, the attitude of "It works for me." is not sufficient. As of March 2016 the OA literature consists of Lawrence 2001 (unpublished report), Usha 2004, Kim 2006, Debbi 2011, Notarnicola 2011, Patagonis 2014 and Notarnicola 2016. Doses were 2.2, 1.5, 6.0, 3.4, 5.0, 6.0 and 5.0 grams per day, respectively. See section below for the references In my opinion, each of these had flaws in design, execution or reporting on results. Personally, I consider the topic as neither proven nor disproven. David notMD (talk) 11:06, 14 March 2016 (UTC)

The Osteoarthritis Literature as of March 2017

Here is the MSM and osteoarthritis lit from science journals. Notarnicola combined MSM with a small amount of boswellia extract. The others used just MSM. At present, all of these (except the two by Notarnicola) are referenced in the Article, although these are all primary sources, i.e., individual clinical trials. In addition, there are two reviews by Brien (2011 and 2008). In both, only Kim was included. Usha and Lawrence were identified and excluded as flawed. Debbi and Pagonis were published after the reviews. Clinicaltrials,gov identifies one trial in progress on MSM for low back pain.David notMD (talk) 23:36, 15 March 2017 (UTC)

Lawrence RM. Lignisul MSM (methylsulfonylmethane): a double-blind study of its use in degenerative arthritis (a preliminary correspondence) 2001.

Usha PR, Naidu MUR. Randomized, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled study of oral glucosamine, methylsulfonylmethane and their combination in osteoarthritis. Clin Drug Invest 2004;24:353-363. PMID: 17516722.

Kim LS, Axelrod LJ, et al. Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in osteoarthritis pain of the knee: a pilot clinical trial. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2006;14:286-294. PMID: 16309928.

Debbi EM, Agar G, et al. Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane supplementation on osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized controlled study. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2011 Jun 27;11:50. PMID: 21708034.

Notarnicola A, Tafuri S, Fusaro L, Moretti L, Pesce V, Moretti B. The "MESACA" study: methylsulfonylmethane and boswellic acids in the treatment of gonarthrosis. Adv Ther. 2011 Oct;28(10):894-906. PMID: 21986780.

Pagonis TA, Givissis PA, et al. The effect of methylsulfonylmethane on osteoarthritic large joints and mobility. Int J Orthopaedics 2014;1(1):19-24.

Notarnicola A, Maccagnano G, et al. Methylsulfonylmethane and boswellic acids versus glucosamine sulfate in the treatment of knee arthritis: Randomized trial. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2016 Mar;29(1):140-146. PMID: 26684635.

Brien S, Prescott P, Lewith G. Meta-analysis of the related nutritional supplements dimethyl sulfoxide and methylsulfonylmethane in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2011;2011:528403. PMID: 19474240.

Brien S, Prescott P, Bashir N, Lewith H, Lewith G. Systematic review of the nutritional supplements dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2008;16(11):1277-88. PMID: 18417375

What levels in normal food/diet, and what typical daily intake

Can we list typical levels (mg/kg) in food sources eg eggs, onion ... and give any published estimates of daily intake from typical unsupplemented food/diet ? The FDA GRAS response says "Bergstrom Nutrition notes that MSM is currently used as a dietary supplement (approximately 17 milligrams per kilogram body weight per day (mg/kg bw/d; based on a 60 kilogram person) and includes this intake in its estimate of the daily intake for MSM. The notifier estimates the daily intake for all uses (conventional food + dietary supplement) to be approximately 49 mg/kg bw/d and approximately 81 mg/kg bw/d at the mean and 90th percentile level of intake, respectively." which seems to imply conventional food supplies a mean level of 32 mg/kg bw/d (1.92 g/d for 60 kg person). - Rod57 (talk) 11:04, 17 July 2017 (UTC)

Undefined abbreviation "OA" (osteoarthritis) and faulty direct quotation

The abbreviation OA for osteoarthritis is used in the article for only two times, in the section Methylsulfonylmethane#Osteoarthritis, but it's not defined. I would like to replace the abbreviation with the full word but I'm a bit clueless since one of the instances is in a quotation. What's the correct approach then? To leave the quotation as is but add the meaning of OA in square brackets? Something like this: "'[...] when compared to serious risks associated with current OA [ostheoarthritis] drugs [...]'" And while I further look into this I also notice that the alleged word-by-word quotation "'the relative safety of MSM, especially when compared to serious risks associated with current OA drugs, makes it a compelling supplement for further research to determine long-term effects, safety, and dosage.'" isn't even in the cited paper . Maybe an expert of the field could rewrite this as a paraphrase. That would also be the easiest solution for the abbreviation problem. –Tom Pankow (talk) 14:24, 16 August 2017 (UTC)

Established OA as an abbreviation and deleted the 'quote' that is not actually a quote from the Debbi reference. David notMD (talk) 12:04, 27 October 2017 (UTC)

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"Evidence from Clinical Trials" section

Most of the sources cited here are not MEDRS, and make the use of MSM seem more well-supported than it really is. May eliminate primary lit sourced statements in here. — Preceding unsigned comment added by WhichDoctor (talk • contribs) 20:22, 29 March 2021 (UTC)