MSM -Known as a 'miracle' painkiller

MSM -Known as a 'miracle' painkiller, this organic sulfur has a lot to offer

Known as a 'miracle' painkiller, this organic sulfur has a lot to offer.

Calling anything a "miracle" may be asking for trouble. After all, miracle is a very strong word, and it may create notions of grandeur in one's mind that are hard to fulfill. Yet the word appears in the title of more than one book discussing MSM (methylsul-fonylmethane). And while it must be understood that there are no "magic bullets" that will offer a cure-all for every person, research has demonstrated vast benefits of MSM. It is said to relieve arthritis and more—and it does so without the side effects often associated with prescription pain medications.

 

MSM and Pain

MSM often is so effective for pain relief that doctors are able to lower—in some cases even discontinue—their patients' dosage of prescription medications, according to Stanley W. Jacob, M.D., Ronald Lawrence M.D., Ph.D. and Martin Zucker, authors of The Miracle of MSM: The Natural Solution for Pain. They add that some cases of recoveries with MSM involve dramatic improvements, while others are slow but steady.

"Clinical experience involving thousands of cases has demonstrated that MSM provides relief in about 70% of patients with pain," the authors say. "Given the massive incidence of pain problems in our society, this suggests a huge role for MSM if it were to be recommended by physicians as an addition to their regular treatment of pain. MSM certainly fits the growing demand of patients seeking alternative remedies that do not cause adverse side effects."

Sulfur Compound

Beth M. Ley, author of MSM: On Our Way Back to Heath with Sulfur, explains that MSM is a nontoxic, nonmetallic sulfur compound that occurs widely in nature. Sulfur is found naturally in every cell of the human body, she says, with the highest concentrations found in the joints, hair, skin and nails. It occurs in the blood and other organs as well. Still, according to Jacob in a Total Health magazine article, almost everyone is deficient, and deficiency becomes more pronounced with progressing age.

Although sulfur is found in many foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, wheat germ, dried beans (including soybeans), seafood, meat, milk and more, the level of sulfur in soil varies and many areas are "grossly deficient" in sulfur, so its content in plant foods will vary, Ley says. Jacob adds that heat and processing also reduce the MSM content in foods. Because of the risk of deficiency, Ley contends that supplementing with MSM "assures that you have an adequate organic source for the body to use for whatever it needs to."

Create Health New Cells

"In conjunction with vitamins and amino acids, MSM provides the body with the necessary raw materials to create healthy new cells," says Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D., in The MSM Miracle: Enhance Your Health with Organic Sulfur. He adds, "Lacking sufficient MSM, the body is a compromised system, deficient in its ability to repair or replace damaged tissues and organs. The inability of the body to do its work causes it to produce dysfunctional cells which can lead to illness and disease."

Jacob, Lawrence and Zucker contend that MSM can help alleviate the pain associated with a variety of conditions. They include osteoarthritis, back pain, headaches, fibromyalgia, muscle pain and athletic injuries, tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ), dental pain, heartburn and hyperacidity. Also on this list are rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, interstitial cystitis and scleroderma. MSM also is said to help relieve allergies, including pollen allergies, asthma, sinusitis and food allergies.

The authors also list "extra benefits" that may be derived from MSM. "In addition to pain and allergy relief, people taking MSM supplements frequently experience these other benefits: relief of constipation; lessening of scar tissue; softer skin, thicker hair and less brittle nails; and more energy.

How MSM Affects Pain

MSM relieves pain in several ways, Jacob, Lawrence and Zucker state:
 

•  "It inhibits pain impulses along a major nervous system network called C fibers. These fibers carry messages of pain from a site of damaged tissue in the body to your brain.

•  MSM also reduces inflammation. Inflammation puts pressure on nerves and other tissues and causes pain.

•  MSM promotes blood flow, which enhances the healing process.

•  MSM reduces muscle spasm—a contraction of muscle tissue—often involved in painful conditions."

MSM stands out as an intriguing substance not only because it seems to work so well for so many people and conditions, but because it does so in such a safe way. According to Mindell, "Acute, intermediate and long-term studies indicate that MSM exhibits very low toxicity no matter how it is administered."

Jacob, Lawrence and Zucker point out, however, that while there are no known serious side effects and MSM is "extremely safe," it is a biologically active substance with pharmacological activity, so it may cause a reaction in some people, such as minor gastrointestinal upset when large doses are consumed. If this occurs, they advise reducing the level of supplemented MSM, which should relieve discomfort.

References:

MSM: On Our Way Back to Health with Sulfurhy Beth M. Ley.

The Miracle of MSM: The Natural Solution for Pain by Stanley W. Jacob, M.D., Ronald M, Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D., and Martin Zucker.

The MSM Miracle: Enhance Your Health with Organic Sulfur by Earl L. Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.

"MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane)," by Stanley W. Jacob, M.D., Total Health, Feb/Mar 1998

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