Methylsulfonylmethane: Applications and Safety of a Novel Dietary Supplement

Butawan M, Benjamin RL, Bloomer RJ · Nutrients

Summarizes cell and animal work in which MSM dampens NF-kB signalling, the NLRP3 inflammasome and oxidative stress, and reports it well tolerated in humans at up to four grams daily; under the FDA GRAS notification it cites, OptiMSM is considered safe below 4,845.6 mg/day. It gives natural food concentrations as hundredths of a part per million, and lists cow's milk, red deer tail-gland secretion and human saliva among the biofluids in which the compound has been detected.

Population

Narrative review of MSM pharmacology, mechanisms, and safety

Intervention

MSM at doses up to about 4 g/day in humans; mechanistic data from cell and animal models

Comparator

n/a

Limitations

Narrative review; the mechanistic claims rest largely on in-vitro and animal data. Funded by the University of Memphis; one author is an employee of Bergstrom Nutrition, the OptiMSM manufacturer, and the corresponding author reports research funding from and consulting for companies that sell MSM.