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Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) may help fight arthritis

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Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) may help fight arthritis By David Liu Ph.D. Aug 31, 2005, 13:56

Email this article Printer friendly page A recent clinical trial confirmed that Methylsulfonylmethane, or MSM, a naturally occurring sulfur compound, can relieve pain and improve physical function in patients with knee arthritis, Healthday reported on August 30.

MSM is a popular dietary supplement used to ease a range of illnesses or health conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, gout, constipation, allergies, and snoring.

For the randomized, double-blind clinical trial, twenty-five arthritic patients were assigned three grams of MSM twice a day for twelve weeks. The patients receiving MSM experienced significant relief in pain and improvements in their physical function compared to the patients receiving a placebo. However, MSM did not improve stiffness or aggravated total symptoms.

The trial was conducted at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Arizona, and the Arthritis Health Center in Scottsdale, Arizona. The results were presented at the annual meeting of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians held on August 24 – 27, 2005 in Phoenix, Arizona.