User's Guide To Natural & Safe Pain Relief by Kenneth J. Frank M.D

Author:Kenneth J. Frank, M.D.
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781591206934
Publisher: Basic Health Publications

Methysulfonylmethane (MSM)

MSM, also known as organic sulfur, is a source of the mineral sulfur that is found abundantly in the tissues, hormones, enzymes, proteins, and body fluids of humans and animals. Studies of animal models of human diseases indicate that MSM is a powerful natural pain reliever.

Soaking in sulfur hot springs is a traditional therapy for rheumatic and skin diseases in Europe and other parts of the world. Those who promote the use of MSM claim that it is useful for treatment of back pain, bursitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, headache, inflammatory bowel disorders, muscle soreness, sprains, shingles (painful blistering caused by a form of the herpes virus), strains, tendonitis, and TMJ. They say that it promotes better blood flow and has anti-inflammatory effects.

The most compelling study on this mineral thus far involved its use alongside glucosamine, an antiarthritis nutrient I will address later on (see Chapter 4). Researchers in India used a combination of 500 mg of MSM and 500 mg of glucosamine three times a day for twelve weeks in a group of osteoarthritis patients. Some subjects got only one or the other nutrient, and some got a placebo (inactive sugar pill). Scores on a standard pain index—the Lequesne index—fell from 1.7 to 0.36 (on a scale of zero as no pain and four as significant osteoarthritic pain). Glucosamine alone reduced scores from 1.74 to 0.65, and MSM alone brought scores down from 1.53 to 0.74. It’s clear that the two worked better together.

Another small study, this one from UCLA, found that during six weeks’ supplementation, 2.25 grams of MSM brought about improvement in 82 percent of subjects with arthritis. Only 18 percent of subjects in the placebo group had similar improvements.

The research on MSM is scant, but my patients and other doctors have reported glowing reports of its effectiveness as a pain reliever. It’s inexpensive at the recommended therapeutic dose (2.25–3 grams per day), and totally non-toxic. Some people use up to 20 grams for various ailments, but this can produce bowel discomfort.

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