MSM for Arthritis Pain and Inflammation

Consider taking MSM for arthritis pain and inflammation. MSM is a nutritional supplement that many people have found to be effective in lessening pain caused by arthritis.

Methylsulfonylmethane or MSM is a naturally occurring substance that is in all living organisms. It is a source of dietary sulpher that is a derivative of DMSO.

DMSO was discovered in the 1960's at the Oregon Health Sciences University. It is an industrial solvent that is a by-product of paper making. I remember hearing about it when I lived in a small Oregon town that had a paper mill. Men who worked in the paper mills in Oregon had long known that applying DMSO to the throat would almost instantly cure a sore throat and other ills. It did not become well known until Dr. Stanley Jacob at OHSU discovered that it would preserve organs while they were being stored for transplant.

The safety of DMSO has been questioned and there has been quite a bit of controversey about it. To date the only FDA approved use for DMSO in humans is for the treatment of interstitial cystitis. However, it is commonly used by vetrinarians for the treatment of inflammation in horses. Medicinal grade DMSO can be obtained only with a prescription. What you can buy on the internet and through other sources is industrial grade and not medicinal grade.

MSM is made from DMSO and is available in drug stores, health food stores, and even in the vitamin section of the grocery store. Basically, it is dietary sulpher. Sulpher is required for the proper function of the proteins in the body and can be obtained from foods such as meat, eggs, broccoli, cauliflower, radish, onion, and garlic. It is believed that as we age we may need more sulpher than we can obtain through food alone.

MSM has been taken by sufferers of arthritis for many years with no ill effects. Many have found that it greatly reduces pain especially if combined with glucosamine. I have taken MSM for ten years together with glucosamine. Twice I have stopped taking it, and within two weeks I could hardly wait to get to the store to get a new supply, because the pain in my hip was becoming unbearable.

How Much MSM for Arthritis Should You Take?

Because MSM can cause loose stools in the beginning, I think it is wise to begin with a low dose of 500 mg twice a day and gradually increase to 1000 mg taken twice a day. It does take some time before you will notice a difference. If after six months, you do not experience a lessening of arthritic pain, stop taking it. If it is not doing you any good, why spend the money?

There are other benefits of MSM. You may notice that your finger nails and hair grow faster. If you suffer from allergies, you may experience a lessening of symptoms.

More information on home remedies for arthritis:

Food to Avoid With Arthritis
Fish Oil for Arthritis
Diet for Arthritis