MSM
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and the second most common cause of long-term disability among middle-aged and older adults. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease and over time, it causes inflammation and loss of cartilage in the joints which leads to inflexibility, pain, and stiffness in weight-bearing joints such as the knee, hips, and spine.
MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) is a sulfur-based nutritional supplement that is purported to have pain and inflammation reducing effects for arthritis and rheumatic pain.
A clinical trial shows that consuming MSM helps to decrease pain caused by osteoarthritis in the knees. In one study, 40 men and women suffering from osteoarthritis were divided into an MSM consumption group and a non-consumption group. Participants took two daily doses (3g per dose) of a MSM or a placebo for 12 weeks.
Both the placebo and MSM consumption group used a WOMAC* to assess their pain, stiffness, and joint function. The results showed that compared to the placebo group, the MSM consumption group had a decrease in pain and physical function impairment. The MSM consumption group showed improvements in performing daily living activities when compared to placebo group on the SF-36**. Also, the MSM consumption group’s MDA (malondialdehyde) levels had significantly decreased over the 12 week period. The MDA level is known as a marker of oxidative stress and the antioxidant status.
In conclusion, MSM effectively improved symptoms of pain and physical function in individuals suffering from osteoarthritis. The decrease in MDA levels in the MSM consumption group indicates that MSM functions as an antioxidant that reduces oxidative stress and cartilage degradation.
This paper was published in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage.
*The WOMAC is a widely used self-administered health status measure used in assessing pain, stiffness, and function in patients with osteoarthritis.
**The SF-36 is used to indicate the health status of particular populations, to help with service planning and to measure the impact of clinical and social interventions.
Reference
Kim LS, Axelrod LJ, Howard P, Buratovich N, Waters RF. Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in osteoarthritis pain of the knee: A pilot clinical trial. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2006 14(3): 286-294.
