MSM Cartilage
Cartilage acts as a shock absorber between joints in the body, which makes it possible for fluid and smooth bodily movement at major joint intersections of the body. Naturally as we age or due to injury, this cartilage can be damaged which leads to many joint problems. Collagen is a main component of cartilage, but cannot be produced in the body unless sulfur is present, so it is extremely important that your body has a plentiful supply of sulfur. Sulfur is mainly found in fruits, nuts, vegetables and meat. Unfortunately due to over processing and over cooking of these foods, much of the natural sources of this important element are destroyed, leaving people susceptible to many unnecessary and unwanted sensations in the body. Long-term deficiencies of sulfur can lead to issues such back and muscle pain, inflammation, acne, allergies and even arthritis just to name a few. Odds are, a lack of MSM could be affecting your health negatively, even if it’s just a minor condition. In fact, MSM’s depletion from the modern diet could be the reason why the above ailments have become so commonplace at earlier ages, especially over the last few decades.
This video discusses how important it is to have a plentiful supply of sulfur in your diet, long-term deficiencies of sulfur can lead to issues such back and muscle pain, inflammation, acne, allergies and even arthritis which is just naming a few.
Msm Cartilage – Relieves Back Pain
As a dietary supplement MSM has many known positive side effects. A lack of MSM can be associated with gastrointestinal problems, a poor immune system, arthritis, rheumatism, memory loss, acne and increased sensitivity to pain.
Taking MSM as a supplement can help relieve all of these heath issues. Adding additional MSM to your diet can also aid in the reprieve and ease discomfort associated with back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, tendonitis, muscular soreness, physical trauma, inflammation, heartburn, hyperactivity and other health complications.
Msm Cartilage – Side Effects
When we are talking about MSM and its possible side effects, it is important to establish exactly what kind of a substance we are talking about. MSM is short for “methylsulfonylmethane”, and it is an organosulfur compound: an organic compound that contains sulfur. Other names it may be known under are DMS02, methyl sulfone, and dimethyl sulfone. Because it is a relatively inert chemical, it has little smell or color. Similarly, MSM side effects are also rare to nonexistent.
This organic sulfur is similar in structure to dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). However, the two should not be confused. Although dimethyl sulfoxide is also an organosulfur compound, its properties and uses are somewhat different from methylsulfonylmethane. Dimethyl sulfoxide is able to manifest the interesting effect of being able to penetrate the skin very easily, and for this reason, it has been pressed into service as a medicine for topical applications in order to deliver medicine through the skin. The application of this substance dates back to 1963.
Questions of the safety of dimethyl sulfoxide should not be confused and applied equally to methylsulfonylmethane. In tests of exposure to developing mouse brains, DMSO showed indications of possible neurotoxicity. Other substances mixed with DMSO must be carefully monitored as well, as the speed in which they can be absorbed by the skin into the bloodstream may render them harmful when they would not be under normal circumstances. DMSO improperly disposed of could also cause disagreeable odors. These concerns are not related in any way to any known MSM side effects. Even though dimethyl sulfoxide is broken down by the body into methylsulfonylmethane, there is as of yet no reason to suspect that these concerns apply to MSM itself.
Toxicologically, methylsulfonylmethane has been tested for it’s LD50 value. Also known as the “median lethal dose”, this represents the concentration at which any substance becomes potent enough to kill half of the subjects who take it. For MSM, the LD50 value is 17.5 grams per kilogram of body weight. This is not something to be overly concerned about however. Any chemical substance, including good old water itself, has an LD50 value. Too much of a good thing can be an incredibly bad thing. In some studies, mice were provided with a more reasonable intake of MSM such as 2 grams per kilogram of body weight.
Studies of nuclear magnetic resonance scanning have shown that MSM taken orally does cross the blood-brain barrier. Some people consider substances that cross this barrier to be a concern because it is a very sensitive area and much harm can be done. However, in this case there appears to be very little reason for concern. Detectable levels of the substance were also found in the cerebrospinal fluid and the blood, which suggests that these levels are naturally occurring from simply eating the food that is naturally available.
No published clinical trial has yet reported any serious side effect from any form of treatment with methylsulfonylmethane. However, there are as of yet no peer reviewed studies available that have taken up the task of exploring whether there are any long term health effects of taking MSM over a period of years. These kinds of studies would be very useful for helping to put any fears to rest about possible negative reactions that we have not thought of or noticed yet.
With regards to minor side effects, there are several that have been reported, though none yet have been confirmed in double blind clinical trials. A mild overdose of methylsulfonylmethane has been reported to cause headaches, nausea, and/or diarrhea. Some people have reported a negative change in body odor. However, this should not be the case with MSM alone. This reported reaction may be due to other sulfur based compounds that may be included with the supplement.
One possible MSM side effect that may come to mind is an allergic reaction. Sulfur itself is an element, and not a protein, therefore the body cannot become allergic to it. However, people may become allergic to a sulfur compound if proteins are included. It is best to talk with your family doctor or allergist before you take MSM if you are under any doubt. There is little reason to be concerned that the substance occurs naturally in foods like nuts, because these supplements are never derived from food sources. They are always synthetically produced. The biggest concern of an allergic reaction would be from other ingredients of the supplement pills. If you are concerned, be sure to read all the ingredients carefully and consult your doctor or allergist.
Poor processing methods can also introduce contaminants like heavy metals, such as lead or mercury into the pills. These are usually found in trace amounts. However, there is concern that such contaminants could build up in the body and produce negative health effects in the long term. Distillation is considered to be the most effective method of avoiding these concerns, and so it is recommended that you look for a manufacturer who purifies the product through the use of a distillery facility.
There are some concerns of MSM side effects if you have an existing heart condition, are suffering from liver disease, or are on blood thinning drugs. If any of these conditions apply to you, you may want to consult with your doctor before starting an MSM regimen. There is also some speculation that using the substance over the long term could result in skin rashes.
In spite of all this, methylsulfonylmethane is considered to be a perfectly safe product, and MSM side effects are considered to be exceedingly rare and generally mild if they do occur. There should be very few concerns for the vast majority of people about their ability to ingest this product without feeling any concerning negative side effects. As with most products, there may be exceptions to this rule. However, there is no indication that people need to be excessively concerned about taking this sulfur compound on a regular basis.
