Myths About MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane)
Quite a few beliefs have grown up around MSM — from «natural sulfur» to «an agent that repairs cartilage». The editorial team checked the most common claims and explains which of them have a scientific basis and which are marketing exaggerations.
Myth 1: «MSM is natural sulfur from vegetables»
Marketing texts often present MSM as «natural organic sulfur» that we supposedly lose through food processing. There is a grain of truth here: methylsulfonylmethane is indeed present in small amounts in some products, milk, coffee, and tea, as well as in the human body.
However, practically all the MSM in supplements is obtained by industrial synthesis: by oxidizing dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) with subsequent purification. Chemically, such a molecule is identical to the natural one, so «syntheticity» is not a drawback, but calling the product a «natural extract» is also incorrect.
The amount of MSM in ordinary food is measured in micro- and milligrams, whereas studies used grams per day. That is, the supplement is not a «restoration of a natural level» but a pharmacological dose of the substance.
The main source of sulfur in the human diet is proteins containing the amino acids methionine and cysteine. A person who consumes enough protein is unlikely to have a «sulfur deficiency» that needs to be covered with a supplement.
Myth 2: «MSM repairs cartilage»
This is one of the most common and least substantiated claims. The logic is simple: sulfur is part of chondroitin sulfate and other components of cartilage, therefore MSM «builds cartilage». However, biochemical logic does not equal clinical evidence.
Clinical studies of MSM in osteoarthritis of the knee joint (Kim et al., 2006; Debbi et al., 2011) assessed pain and function, not cartilage structure. They showed a moderate reduction in pain but did not demonstrate the restoration of cartilage tissue on imaging.
Claims about «cartilage repair» require multi-year studies with MRI or measurement of the joint space width. There are no such data for MSM.
An honest formulation sounds like this: MSM may somewhat reduce joint pain in some people, but there is no evidence that it changes the course of degenerative processes in the joint.
Myth 3: «MSM increases strength and accelerates muscle growth»
In the sports environment MSM is sometimes advertised as a supplement for «faster progress». There are no studies that would show a direct effect of MSM on strength, muscle mass, or endurance.
Studies with exercise loads (Kalman et al., 2012; Withee et al., 2017; Barmaki et al., 2012) examined muscle soreness, markers of muscle damage, and oxidative stress. The results indicate a possible reduction in subjective pain, but not an improvement in athletic performance.
Theoretically, if an athlete suffers less from pain, they can train with higher quality. But this is an indirect hypothesis, not confirmed by data, and its effect, if any, would be much smaller than that of a properly planned training process.
Supplements with a proven effect on strength and performance are creatine monohydrate, caffeine, and beta-alanine for certain loads. MSM does not belong to this group.
Myth 4: «The more, the better» and myth 5: «MSM is the same as DMSO»
Since MSM has low toxicity, some people decide that the dose can be increased without limit. However, the maximum dose in human clinical studies was 6 g per day, and above this limit there are no data on effectiveness and tolerability. As the dose increases, so does the likelihood of digestive complaints.
There is also no evidence of a linear «dose-effect» relationship: in the study by Kalman and colleagues (2012) there was no clear advantage of 3 g over 1.5 g per day. Therefore, increasing the dose «for reliability» makes no sense.
The second myth is related to a confusion of two substances. DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) is a solvent used topically and in some medical procedures; it has a characteristic garlic smell and its own side-effect profile. MSM is a product of the oxidation of DMSO, and in the body part of the DMSO is indeed converted into MSM.
However, the reverse is not true: MSM does not turn into DMSO and does not have its properties as a solvent or a skin-penetration enhancer. These are two different substances that cannot be used interchangeably.
| Feature | MSM | DMSO |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical name | Dimethyl sulfone | Dimethyl sulfoxide |
| Physical state | Crystalline powder | Liquid |
| Smell | Practically absent | Garlic (including on the breath) |
| Main use | Food supplement | Solvent, topical products, medical procedures |
Myth 6: «MSM removes toxins, improves hair and nails»
The notion of MSM as a «detoxification» agent has no scientific basis. The concept of «removing toxins» with supplements generally has no clear medical definition, and detoxification in the body is carried out by the liver and kidneys.
Some studies point to an effect of MSM on markers of oxidative stress and on glutathione, but this is not the equivalent of «cleansing the body» and does not provide grounds for advertising promises.
Regarding hair and nails, there are isolated studies, often sponsored by manufacturers and using combinations with other substances. These data are insufficient for confident conclusions.
Problems with hair and nails can be a sign of iron, protein, or hormonal deficiency, or of other conditions. In such a situation, the correct first step is tests and a doctor's consultation, not a new supplement.
- «Detox» is a marketing term, not a proven action.
- Hair and nails — weak data, often in combinations.
- The real area of interest is joint and muscle pain.
Editorial conclusions
MSM is a synthetic but chemically identical to natural sulfur-containing compound. It does not «repair cartilage», does not increase strength, and does not «remove toxins».
The best-confirmed effect is a moderate reduction of pain in osteoarthritis of the knee joint and, possibly, after intense exertion. Doses above the studied 6 g per day have no justification.
MSM and DMSO are different substances, and they should not be confused.
Read more in our articles «MSM: what it is and how it works», «MSM benefits for athletes: the evidence base», and «Myths about hyaluronic acid».
References
- Butawan M, Benjamin RL, Bloomer RJ. Methylsulfonylmethane: applications and safety of a novel dietary supplement. Nutrients. 2017;9(3):290.
- Kim LS, Axelrod LJ, Howard P, et al. Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in osteoarthritis pain of the knee: a pilot clinical trial. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2006;14(3):286–294.
- Debbi EM, Agar G, Fichman G, et al. Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane supplementation on osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized controlled study. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2011;11:50.
- Kalman DS, Feldman S, Scheinberg AR, et al. Influence of methylsulfonylmethane on markers of exercise recovery and performance in healthy men: a pilot study. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012;9(1):46.
- Withee ED, Tippens KM, Dehen R, et al. Effects of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) on exercise-induced oxidative stress, muscle damage, and pain following a half-marathon: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:24.
- Barmaki S, Bohlooli S, Khoshkhahesh F, Nakhostin-Roohi B. Effect of methylsulfonylmethane supplementation on exercise-induced muscle damage and total antioxidant capacity. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2012;52(2):170–174.
Andriy Melnyk
A strength-sports coach and author of programs for beginner and intermediate levels. Writes about training planning.
