Top Health Benefits of MSM for Pain Relief, Skin and Lungs

| Modified on Nov 04, 2024
The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Broad Benefits
Posted by Deedee (Texas) on 06/01/2017
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I love MSM!! But the first few days that I tried it (1 gram) I had insomnia and a horrible headache. I kept researching and found that lots of people have to started really slow. I bought the capsules and split one capsule into 4 smaller ones. That was only 250 mg. a day. Did this for a week. Then up to 500 etc, and at this low dosage, I felt fine. I am 67 years old now, and I have been taking it for 4 years. I couldn't walk, severe back, hip pain. I had the injections but they did absolutely nothing for me. Decided I would have to help myself.

By the time I hit 8 grams a day, they were definitely working, but I continued up to 12 grams a day, and was totally pain free. I had to retire at 63 years old due to all the pain, but 2 years ago, I decided I felt well enough to get a part time job. I am on my feet at least 6 hours a day, and I run circles around the kids!! Also I think it is important to take Vit C in large doses with the MSM. In any case, good luck to you, and "low and slow" is my motto!!

Dosage and Tips
Posted by Brzegal (Raleigh, Nc Usa) on 07/13/2012
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I have had severe seasonal allergies for years. But they are completely gone after eating reishi and cordiceps mushrooms for a 30 day course last year. They worked, and I am convinced this had to do with a number of factors. The vitamins & minerals in them were in a form my body could use. Also, I would leave mushrooms in the sun for 5 to 10 minutes befor eating them. I read a study where this increases the D3 amount substantially.

They brought parts of my body functions back into balance. But I still have trouble absorbing enough of what my body needs. This is how I learned about MSM.

Reading the comments here, it appears many do not understand that MSM is not a drug or supplement. And bodies differ in the levels of depletion, or areas affected by a lack of MSM. While some experience little to no detox effect and swift pain relief, while others experience detox. The difference is instructive about what is going on in the unique environment of the body.

Those who experience heavy detox should reduce their dose, in my opinion. Just as it is not healthy to lose too much weight too fast, detoxing too fast when areas and functions of the body are already stressed is not good. Detox is necessary if you really want to restore your body to health. But MSM alone is not "the answer. " You must gently detox, support your gut with probiotics, support your blood with vit E, supply the building blocks of healthy cell growth with vit C, vit D and A, preferrably from food. MSM resolves the absorbancy issue that has prevented those from working. If you take too much vitamins by supplementing a good diet, you will have even more flushing to do.

This places a big strain on the kidney and liver. What happens is, as the MSM does its job to restore permeability and balance to the cells, toxins and junk enter the bloodstream to be processed out through the kidney and skin. But you only have so many red blood cells and they can't carry it all, so your body decreases progesterone. This signals insulin to be unleashed in the bloodstream. This process happens right before a woman's period. Her body is getting ready to detox dead cells. She experiences headaches, bloating, depression, flu-like symptoms, fatigue. It's called PMS.

This is what happens when MSM is introduced to a body where toxins and unused food that could not be absorbed has collected in storage places, in the blood stream (causing diabetes). The circulatory system is choked up, the kidney is over-worked, and all kinds of havoc is occurring.

If you take MSM without regard for these circumstances, then you will likely suffer.

Instead, choose a lower dose - one your body can tolerate. Don't overdo supplemental vitamins, except E and get enough C, unless you are definitely deficient (such as iron deficient). Even then, be careful not to overwhelm your system with too much to deal with. Give yourself the time to clean out. Take probiotics.

Try food instead of supplementals: mushrooms, kale, spinach, ginger, cabbage, beets, tomatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, sweet potatoes, beans, fish and chicken and eggs, and cut back on potatoes, grains and rice. Drink Aloe Vera juice once a day. Drink water. If you notice you are going to the bathroom a lot drink more water. And don't MSM after noon, so you can sleep.

MSM deficiency is proven by the symptoms of toxin presence when you react to taking it by detoxing. Rash is toxins coming thru the skin. And headache/body ache/nausea/pms-like symptoms means the dead cells are on their way out! Reduce your MSM dose or switch to every other day, drink some Aloe Vera juice, use the bathroom when you need to & drink water every time you go. Steam in a hot bath with epsom salts to help the toxins sweat out of your skin. Not every rash is an allergy. People, be good to yourselves.

For resolving histamine issues, I recommend reishi & cordiceps. MSM will help them benefit you even better.


Prevented Hip Replacement
Posted by Freda (Gauteng) on 02/12/2021
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I have been taking MSM intended for horses, for the past 12 years. Started after hip replacement. Second hip was also in a bad way. Recent X rays indicated cartilage growth sufficient to never have second hip done!! Needless to say I have no arthritis or any other pains. I am 79 years old and walk 3km 4 times/week.

Allergies
Posted by Fiona (Sydney) on 12/20/2018
★★★★★

For nearly forty years I have had a problem with reactions to animal dander (horses, cats and some dogs).

After taking 1 tablespoon of msm 3 times a day they ceased!

I went through some detox reactions - headaches and mild flu like symptoms - lots of emotions surface, predominantly tears, but each episode passed quickly. It seemed with each emotional release my reactions to animal dander decreased so I embraced that by watching plenty of sad movies to speed up the process!

Msm has been life changing for me.


Pain
Posted by Art (California) on 08/28/2020
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Many people swear by MSM as an effective pain reliever in oral and topical application, but like other supplements, alternatives and prescription medications, it works excellently in some and not at all in some and in some, there can be unpleasant side effects.

As an example of this I will describe what happened with my sister and my neighbor who were both using mag oil (MO) for diverse body pain issues. Both were getting approximately 80% pain relief using Magnesium Oil (MO). My neighbor noticed, after years of use, that MO pain relief was declining and she came over to ask what I thought about it.

Previously she was using borax for pain management and it worked extremely well for her, but her doctor asked her to stop taking it, but did not explain why to her. From that point forward, her pain level increased and her quality of life (QOL) decreased very noticeably. I noticed when I would see her outside that she was moving very poorly and was obviously in pain. She normally had very good posture, but when I saw her outside, she was bent over and could not stand straight up. From that point forward she was using MO to effectively relieve the majority of her pain for years, but more recently she told me that MO seemed to be losing effectiveness for her and was wondering what else she could use. I asked her about going back on borax and she said her doctor was insistent that she not go back on borax, but still gave her no reason. Oddly, her doctor was not offering her anything to help her pain even though he could clearly see that she had deteriorated.

From that point forward, she started using topical MSM and that alleviated about 90 % of her pain so she was thrilled! She wasn't good with taking it orally because she couldn't get past the bitterness of it at the dosage she wanted to take and that dose made the MSM capsules too impractical for her. I was watching her and how she was moving and clearly the topical MSM was doing wonders for her. She was standing straight again and moving like a healthy 65 year old(she is in her early 80's). Needless to say, she is now a very happy lady!

On the other hand, my sister who is currently using MO to relieve pain in her neck and upper back with very good effect, wanted to give topical MSM a try also. First she tried it orally and found it to be too bitter to tolerate so she applied it similarly to how she normally applies MO and she was horrified to find out that almost immediately after applying MSM topically, she got that unbearable bitter taste in her mouth again! To add insult to injury, she also lost her sense of smell and taste for 2 to 3 days! She is now back on MO.For me, MSM and DMSO offer me no pain relief at all or at least none that I am able to discern, but I recognize that its effects vary widely from person to person. Borax on the other hand works unbelievably well for me while I have seen many people who did not benefit from borax. It's a lot about trial and error to see what works best for you.So there you have it, sometimes supplements work incredibly well for one person while being a nightmare for someone else or just not effective for the purpose!

Art

Back Pain
Posted by Pickle (Boston, MA) on 11/05/2014
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I'm a 44 year old active mom that loves to do hard work in the garden, bike ride, hike, etc. I am generally healthy, but had a small accident when I was 27. Diagnosed with a ruptured L4. I managed it well though my 30's & pregnancies. When I hit 40, it started to give me trouble. Worse in the past 2 years, esp after a physical therapist did a move on me that sent it into a new stratosphere of pain. A year of painful hell followed. I rehabbed myself after bad advice/treatments from spine drs, orthopedist, physiatrists, chiropractors, acupuncture, and a poorly administered cortisone shot. Trigger point therapy helped a TON. However, I have residual chronic low back pain. I don't like RX opioids, Advil, etc. I am a clean eater - lots of organic fruits, veggies, local meat/eggs/chicken/dairy, filtered water. I've been the same weight for 20 years (5'6,125 lbs) I supplement with probiotics, calcium, zinc, selenium, magnesium, B complex, Vit C with rosehips, those kinds. Nothing too exotic. No juices or sodas for me, one 8 oz cup of coffee a day. No real alcohol consumption.

I read an article on MSM and how it can help manage inflammation. I had a tub of MSM sitting around for a year and would take 1000 mg a day with NO relief. I gave it up. Another useless supplement...UNTIL!

I read another article 2 weeks ago about how you need to really UP your dose to relieve chronic inflammation. So I did.

I could not BELIEVE how much relief I have gotten in the past 2 weeks from 6000-8000 mg of MSM a day (with Vit C for better absorption). No side effects, really.

I am angry that not one single doctor, specialist, PT, etc., ever suggested trying this. Pushing tramadol and valium, ugh! I would be an addict now if not for MSM! I sent my mom a tub, hope she gets some relief from her chronic back pain.

Give it a try, you have nothing to lose with this one. Great book by Dr. Jacob Stanley on it, google it.


Arthritis
Posted by Mama To Many (Tn) on 02/04/2017

Dear Robert Henry,

I happened to be near a tractor supply store today so I popped in. I wanted to get some MSM to try out. I know you say you get yours at the farm stores. As you said, this brand they sold has only MSM. I noticed online that powdered MSM costs twice as much and at least one of them had extra ingredients.

I asked an employee if they had MSM for horses. (I didn't mean to imply that I had a horse, but I know that would help them know what I was looking for.)

When I left, she said, "Good luck with your horse! " I decided not to try and explain why I wanted it and that I didn't even have a horse!

I have had to explain to several children why I have a horse supplement on the kitchen counter, though. It has a picture of a horse and everything! ("We are not getting a horse." "It's for me, actually.") I got some raised eyebrows but they didn't get too excited. They are used to me always trying something new around here. :)

I may give some to my dog, too, as a preventative. His breed is prone to hip problems.

Always something new to learn about, isn't there?

~Mama to Many~


Asthma, Weight Loss, Organ Repair
Posted by GG (Houston, TX) on 01/14/2007
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

My x pastor used msm when she was a severely asthmatic person. She had Asthma. For years from being allergic to all grasses, she ended up to 300 lbs in the hospital on predizone and dieting constantly on albuterol etc.

In the hospital, a nurse grabbed her and said you need MSM. She started taking like 6 pills a day, lost all the weight. It restored all her organs from the destruction of predizone and is now completely off albuterol. It saved her life!!

I just wanted to let ya;ll know, she has before and after photos and no one can tell her differently!


Allergies
Posted by Tim (Berkeley, CA) on 07/07/2008
★★★★★

I have had seasonal allergies for the past 6-7 years. Earlier this year I read about how MSM can alleviate the symptoms of seasonal allergies, so I decided to give it a try. The allergy season was just starting and I could feel my eyes getting a bit itchy.

I started taking 1000 mg of MSM and within 1 hour I was feeling better. It works as well as any OTC allergy medicine with out the negative health effects. As a matter of fact it is supposed to have beneficial health effects. I now take 1000 mg of MSM twice per day and have not had any more symptoms of allergies.

I love this stuff.


How to Avoid MSM Side Effects
Posted by Dave (Nampa, Idaho) on 09/02/2021
★★★★★

My positive effects from MSM top out at about 1500 mg.

Take it all before noon, or insomnia will be a feature. Taper downward, too. The biggest dose first thing. Lowest dose at noon.

Processing sulfur requires molybdenum. You will use up molybdenum consuming sulfur, whether from supp's, food, preservatives, or sulfur chemistry like antibacterials. If your sulfur intake overruns your molybdenum intake, bad things happen. With more sulfur than can be processed, you bacically become allergic to it, until you get more molybdenum and can process it. Insomnia and migraine-like headaches are the standout symptoms.

Sulfur processing happens in the liver in the middle of the night. This is the key time when molybdenum is used up converting consumed sulfurs into forms usable by the body. So, while MSM is best taken in the morning, molybdenum should be reversed. Start dosing mid-afternoon, with the big bang at about 9 pm. If headaches pop up in early morning, increase the last dose of Mo until they disappear. In me, it takes around 1500-2000 mcg to cover 1500 mg of MSM. I don't store much, either. If I reduce the dose, early morning headaches soon follow.

Vitamin C is said to improve absorption. I eat a lot of fruit in the morning. More than about 500 mg of C per day starts to engage loose stool and 2nd and 3rd bowel movements in late morning. So I don't really take C.

Bowel issues from MSM have to do with not absorbing it out of the gut so that the sulfur goes to feeding organisms that should be in small amounts but instead proliferate on the excess sulfur in the gut. The very foul smelling stool is the big clue. Start low dose and work up. Include molybdenum from the start. Without the molly, you don't process. If you don't process, the sulfur in the MSM is in excess. If the sulfur is in excess, you have to stop absorbing. If you stop absorbing, the organisms get overfed deep in the gut. You have gut problems.

MSM and molybdenum are a team. Taking one without the other is the problem.

Cold Sores
Posted by Maisie (Az) on 01/23/2017
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

For herpes simplex cold sore virus I would try taking around 3000 mg MSM twice a day. This is a powerful immune booster. Read about it. You have to start with 1000 mg twice a day until you detox. Then when the cold sore happens I would try 3 capsules of whole neem leaf twice a day until the sore is gone. I did this and with first dose of neem leaf (3 caps), it died and fell off within three hours and that has been a month and not come back thus far.

I love MSM because my hair had quit growing and I was totally going bald. Also, I stopped having stasis ulcers on my legs and my calf muscles which had been atrophying went back to normal size. MSM increases blood circulation.


Broad Benefits
Posted by Wendy (Canada) on 10/03/2012
★★★★★

I find it odd that people are having problems with MSM!!! I have NEVER heard this before and I've loaned out my books to people and conviced them to start taking it for over 10 years!!! If you read Dr. Stanley Jacobs MD book The Miracle of MSM- you will see how amazing and non toxic msm is. Not saying the reactions aren't legit, obviously they are, but it definately warrants more in depth questions as to why?

I would think if ANYONE should react to MSM it should be ME!!! But I don't! I have intolerances and allergies to lots of foods, migraines, rashes, body aches, you name it- (BUT when my kids and I are gluten, dairy, corn sory etc. free and at 44 I feel amazing after years of following Hulda Clarks cleanses and cleaning up my diet 10 years ago.

Anyhow back to MSM. I have taken 3,000-4000mg a day in the past but didn't find it made enough of an impact to say it 'really' worked. Since I had read there really isn't an upper limit dose except for detox symptoms - diarreah-flu like symptoms etc. I thought what the heck. After using fulvic humic acid for over 6 months I felt so amazing I joined karate... But before long I was doing 5 days a week instead of my planned 1. It was pretty cool to have so much energy!!! I was still achy and stiff and sore after some of the workouts and I went oh ya, MSM!! Sometimes you forget what you have in your cupboard. ;-) This time however after tal;king with a local man who owns a successful health food store who believes most people don't take near enough MSM - I began upping my dosage of MSM. THEN I joined roller derby LOL I'm only 5'2" and 115 lbs so between being 44 and having big ass women knock me down and just the intensity of the 2-3 hour practices, plus the treadmill and the eliptical- I was pretty stiff and sore some days. I kept experimenting and I was taking 18, 000 mg or more a day (a handful of capsules 3x a day) of msm with absolutely NO side affects at all except for 100% pain free and energy to burn!! WOW! Did that for the better part of 10 months ;-) Unfortuntaely that many women can't get along and it gets ugly- kind of like highschool - so I am taking some time off til I can handle the derby drama again LOL Physically - no problem with MSM- it was AWESOME.

One thing I did find is that I could 'get away' with eating cheese or nachos or a beer when we would go out after games and practices. Something I could NEVER do before. MSM DOES handle allergies!!! My drippy nose when I would go into Walmart or a used clothign store? gone! Anyhow, it is amazing stuff. I used a brand in Canada and love it!!


Total Body Health
Posted by Emgee (Nsw) on 01/04/2017
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Ok so I read about msm recently for the first time so I ordered the organic powder online. I started low dose with 1/4 teaspoon twice a day. I thought I was imagining it when my lower back pain didn't seem so severe. Then I noticed the redness on my chest didn't look so bad. I upped the dose gradually. My hands are looking 100% better for a 61 year old. The skin tone is beautiful and my nails are finally strong but flexible and really white. I'm now taking one and a half teaspoons in water twice a day followed by a heavy duty vitamin C.

I've lost interest in sweets and am eating less but it's hot and I'm drinking alot. I've had no headaches or any side effects except a feeling of being bloated but that comes and goes and I'm overweight anyway lol. If the external is any indication of what msm is doing internally I can't imagine the improvement. I still have back pain but it's much less than it was and might improve with higher dosage and I haven't touched and anti inflammatory since I started.

I have more energy but it doesn't keep me awake at night which is good.

I've tried other supplement with the best results from wheatgrass but I'm totally won over by the msm and will keep taking it. Just starting on my second 100gm order of powder.

I want to try this on my husband as he has every health issue imaginable. I hope I can convince him.

Pity it tastes disgusting but so does spinach hahaha. I hope there are no adverse long term issues because I intend to take it for as long as it's needed which may well be forever.

goodluck


Arthritis
Posted by Joyce (Joelton, Tn) on 08/31/2009 490 posts
★★★★★

When I first learned about MSM from an artcle in Journal of Longevity about 15 or more years ago, I read that one of the doctors treating patients with it had been taking the race horse dose for years to see if any adverse side effects occurred. Supposedly at the age of 75(at time article was written), he still had a full head of dark hair and was still teaching medicine as well as practicing medicine.

I started off at the race horse dosage myself and continued at that dose. I wasn't aware that it was doing anything until one night I noticed it was raining and my joints that had always warned me that weather change was coming, hadn't warned me! I took MSM daily for several years at the large dosage for race horses.

I have to admit that I have gotten quite lax with it over the last few years, but my knees are giving me twinges now and then. When they do I go back on the large dose daily until I forget I had the problem, and then get slack again.

MSM supposedly has both antiinflammatory properties as well as cell regeneration. You can find a lot of information on line about MSM. There is also a book written by the doctor who wrote the article that let me in on the MSM, and I believe Dr. Jacobs (the one taking racehorse dose for years) co-authored the book on MSM. You should be able to find it in any bookstore.


Broad Benefits
Posted by Grammyping (Bangkok, Thailand) on 12/29/2018
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

MSM has cured trigger thumb, frozen shoulder and joint pain (losing weight also helped with joints), and I have used it for two elderly dogs. It extended their quality of life substantially. One of those dogs came with us to Thailand - at 16 years old! Still likes and is able to run!

Dosage and Tips
Posted by Nat (Orange, Nsw ) on 07/06/2014
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

MSM in conjunction with HIMAYLAYAN SALT

I too experienced the general side effects that crew have mentioned taking MSM but they completely disappeared when I startled taking MSM in conjunction with the Himaylayan Salt brine, google it ... Tons of info on how to make the brine. I think the minerals within the salt brine helps the body to better assimilate the MSM and support the cleansing process . It was a fluke how I discovered this ... I hate the bitter taste that MSM leaves in the mouth ( I take the powder form with water ) and so then decided one day to have a glass of water with my salt brine mix as it leaves a sweet taste in your mouth to get rid of the bitter MSM taste and voila' noticed I didn't get the abdominal discomfort or headaches or nausea etc etc that I would always otherwise experience. Tried again day after day to see if it was just a one off or was really onto something, yep this really works!!! Hope this info helps any crew out there suffering side effects but want to keep on with the MSM. Cheers. Nat (*_*)



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