MSM The Benefits of Organic Sulfur Revisited

Written by Dallas Clouatre, PhD

Back in the news is MSM (short for methylsulfonyl-methane, also known as dimethyl sulfone). MSM has generated broad anecdotal support for its benefits in cases of allergies, arthritis and joint pain. However, the list of conditions that are said to respond to MSM is much longer. Broadly speaking, MSM has been tested with clinical results in inflammation, joint and tissue pain, muscle spasms, hair and nail growth, even snoring! So just what is this compound and how does it work? Is it really a panacea? Nature’s Sulfur Cycle MSM’s initial popularity was due, in part, to the success of the booklet, “The MSM Miracle: Enhance Your Health with Organic Sulfur,” by Earl L. Mindell, R.PH., Ph.D. which was followed in 1999 by the definitive The Miracle of MSM (by Jacob, Lawrence and Zucker). However, the story of MSM dates back at least to the early 1960s. Unfortunately, these first suggestions of the nutritional and therapeutic potential of MSM were not immediately followed up. Yet another decade lapsed before real clinical studies began. The catalyst for renewed interest was a report presented at a meeting of the New York Academy of Sciences in the early 1980s. Since that time, thousands of patients have been given MSM under medical supervision to determine its benefits and side effects when given either by mouth or intravenously, with much of that work performed at the Oregon Health Sciences University. Hundreds of thousands more individuals have purchased MSM from health food store shelves. MSM is a stable source of sulfur that can be derived mostly from plants grown either on land or in the sea. Marine sources include algae and phytoplakton. Indeed, MSM is an integral part of the “sulfur cycle” in the biosphere in which sulfur is taken up from the soil by plants, is released into the atmosphere as the highly volatile dimethyl sulfide, which in turn is oxidized in the upper atmosphere to dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), which then becomes the atmospheric source of MSM. DMSO and MSM return to the soil via the rain, and then the sulfur cycle repeats itself. Of our normal foods, milk is one example of a source of MSM, and so are onions, garlic, asparagus, cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts as well as eggs and red peppers. However, there is a caveat. Plants in their fresh state thus contain a quantity of MSM when grown on sulfur-rich soils, yet most of the compound found in plant foods may be lost by improper handling and storage. Food preparation, especially excessive cooking and cooking in large volumes of water, also reduces the levels of MSM found in foods. Bioavailable Sulfur Improves Joint Health and More MSM is a bioavailable source of sulfur, which is important for supplying the building blocks for the production and repair of the skin, hair, cartilage, ligaments and tendons. In the cases of arthritis and similar joint and ligament injuries, MSM may work through several different mechanisms. For instance, it was discovered in the 1930s that sufferers from arthritis often have below normal levels of cystine (a metabolite of cysteine) in their fingernails. This can lead to brittle or soft nails and can be an indication of either inadequate sulfur in the diet or a poor ability to manipulate dietary sulfur to match the body’s needs. Interestingly, when sulfur was given to one hundred arthritis patients intravenously in one trial, many found that the pain and other symptoms of their arthritis disappeared and that their fingernails returned to normal in the nail test for cystine. Sulfur is required for the repair of joint tissues and for the construction of connective tissues generally. This is one rationale often given for the use of glucosamine sulfate as the preferred form of glucosamine in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Likewise, the cartilage extracts that were employed so successfully in many of the European arthritis trials certainly contained some quantity of sulfur along with other compounds. This suggests that MSM might be used in conjunction with glucosamine to yield improved results. This was confirmed recently in a trial combining MSM with glucosamine. The researchers concluded that the “combination of MSM with Glu (glucosamine) provides better and more rapid improvement in patients with osteoarthritis.” Joint health to most of us means arthritis. However, this leaves out sports injuries, one of the areas in which MSM has been researched. Also, not just humans benefit from MSM. There even is research, for instance, on the effective use of MSM with racehorses. Pilot clinical trials suggest that a realistic time frame for response to MSM therapy is four to six weeks. For instance, in a small arthritis trial conducted at UCLA by R. M. Lawrence, pain scores exhibited a 60 percent improvement at four weeks and an 82 percent improvement at six weeks compared with placebo, which exhibited improvements of 20 and 18 percent respectively. Similarly, in a pilot trial on hair and nail health, 3 grams of MSM ingested daily led to significant improvements within six weeks. An Autoimmune Connection? One of the more curious findings with MSM is that some types of autoimmune responses are positively modulated. The reasons for this are not at all clear. One route of protection may be improvements in gastrointestinal health. Rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disease, is strongly associated with the passage of toxins and certain proteins through the wall of the gut and into the blood stream. This is sometimes referred to as “leaky gut” syndrome. Interestingly, MSM is sometimes said to improve allergies, constipation, and even problems with parasites. Common to all of these are problems with the health of the intestinal wall. This observation actually takes us back to the role of the glucosamines in health. Glucosamines are forms of amino sugars. Amino sugars are essential components of all body tissues, being integral parts of cell membranes and their surface structures, and of interstitial tissue that holds cells together. About half of the interstitial tissue components are derived from amino sugars. An amino sugar is made up of a sugar (glucose or galactose) and an amino group (typically one nitrogen and one or more hydrogen atoms), forming glucosamine or galactosamine. While most sugars come from dietary sources and are burned for energy, amino sugars are mainly formed in the body and used in manufacturing tissue components. Normal wear and tear during body functions means that tissues are constantly broken down and rebuilt or restructured. The amino sugars are steadily and necessarily recycled. The loss sustained during such turnover must be made up by the bodily synthesis of new amino sugars from glucose inasmuch as dietary supplies of amino sugars are usually low. Of course, if amino sugars are to be used to efficiently construct connective tissue, there must be sulfur freely available to the body. Normally, the mucosal cells lining the digestive tract have an especially high turnover rate such that the whole layer of surface cells may be renewed in three to four days. An inability to manufacture adequate glucosamine therefore will cause the intestinal wall to “thin” and allow toxins and not fully digested proteins into the blood stream. A lower than normal sulfur content in the gut wall is also associated with rheumatoid arthritis and may play a contributory role. Studies with MSM given to animals in their drinking water indicated that microorganisms in the gut lining may be responsible for incorporating sulfur from MSM into sulfur-bearing amino acids, with a positive benefit to this essential aspect of the metabolism. MSM may thus play a role in improving this aspect of gut health and likely works even better in this regard in conjunction with a glucosamine source, such as glucosamine sulfate, or N-acetyl-glucosamine (NAG). It may be the case that the autoimmune modulating effects of MSM are partially due to free radical scavenging actions. Unfortunately, although it is the object of numerous U.S. patents, MSM, has been the subject of only a handful of published studies in this particular area. Dosage MSM often is associated with the name of Stanley W. Jacob, M.D. in the Department of Surgery at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Jacob used MSM with more than 12,000 patients and therefore from clinical practice there is a foundation for suggesting an approximate intake of MSM for supplemental purposes. The minimum dosage is 750–1,000 mg and a common dosage level is two to three grams of MSM per day taken in divided doses; for instance, 1.5 grams ingested with the morning and evening meals. Increase the dosage slowly if a dosage higher than 1 gram per day is intended. Vitamin C and glucosamine are two nutrients often used in conjunction with MSM. A recent clinical trial for arthritis tested three grams MSM taken twice per day. Benefits usually become evident with three weeks or less, but as indicated above, there typically is further improvement in the period from four to six weeks. MSM is safe for chronic intake and is not associated with serious side effects even at dosages far above the two to three gram level. Selected Sources: Ameye LG, Chee WS. Osteoarthritis and Nutrition. From nutraceuticals to functional foods: a systematic review of the scientific evidence. Arthritis Res Ther. 2006;8(4):R127. Brien S, Prescott P, Bashir N, Lewith H, Lewith G. Systematic review of the nutritional supplements dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2008 Nov;16(11):1277–88. Childs SJ. Dimethyl sulfone (DMSO2) in the treatment of interstitial cystitis. Urol Clin North Am 1994;21(1):85–8. Jacobs SW, Lawrence RM, Zucker M. The Miracle of MSM. (New York: G.P. Putnam/ Berkeley Trade, 1999). Jacob, SW, Herschler, RJ. Introductory Remarks: Dimethylsulfoxide After Twenty Years. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1983. 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 Mar;14(3):286–94. Klandorf H, Chirra AR, DeGruccio A, Girman DJ. Dimethyl sulfoxide modulation of diabetes onset in NOD mice. Diabetes 1989;38(2):194–7. Lawrence, RM, Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM): A double-blind study of its use in degenerative arthritis. International Journal of Anti-Aging Medicine 1998 Summer;1(I);50. Mindell, Earl L. The MSM Miracle: Enhance your health with organic sulfur. (New Canaan, Connecticut: Keats Publishing, Inc., 1997). McCabe D, O’Dwyer P, Sickle-Santanello B, Woltering E, Abou-Issa H, James A. Polar solvents in the chemoprevention of dimethylbenzanthracene-induced rat mammary cancer. Archives of Surgery 1986;121(12):1455–9. O’Dwyer PJ, McCabe DP, Sickle-Santanello BJ, Woltering EA, Clausen K, Martin EW Jr. Use of polar solvents in chemoprevention of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colon cancer. Cancer 1988;62(5):944–8. Richmond VL. Incorporation of methylsulfonylmethane sulfur into guinea pig serum proteins. Life Sciences 1986;39(3):263–8. Usha PR, Naidu MU. Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel, Placebo-Controlled Study of Oral Glucosamine, Methylsulfonylmethane and their Combination in Osteoarthritis. Clin Drug Investig. 2004;24(6):353–63.

Dallas Clouatre, Ph.D. earned his A.B. from Stanford and his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley. A Fellow of the American College of Nutrition, he is a prominent industry consultant in the US, Europe, and Asia, and is a sought-after speaker and spokesperson. He is the author of numerous books. Recent publications include "Tocotrienols in Vitamin E: Hype or Science?" and "Vitamin E – Natural vs. Synthetic" in Tocotrienols: Vitamin E Beyond Tocopherols (2008), "Grape Seed Extract" in the Encyclopedia Of Dietary Supplements (2005), "Kava Kava: Examining New Reports of Toxicity" in Toxicology Letters (2004) and Anti-Fat Nutrients (4th edition). Website: www.dallasclouatre.com

Health Benefits Of Rooibos Tea

The health benefits of Rooibos tea or red bush tea as it is also known as, are numerous and remarkable.  It is grown from a small shrub, which only thrives in the Cedarberg region near Cape Town.

10 Health Benefits Of Rooibos Tea

1. Caffeine free – The rooibos plant grows naturally without any caffeine.  This is important, as it means it does not need to undergo a chemical process to remove the caffeine.  It also means that anyone can drink it, including those who do not want to drink caffeine such as children & pregnant women.  The other key benefit of no caffeine is that rooibos tea can be drunk in unrestricted amounts, in fact, the average South African will consume 5-6 cups per day.
2. Contains powerful antioxidants – Rooibos tea contains a huge array of antioxidants, which help to protect the body in a number of ways.  Two polyphenol antioxidants called aspalathin and nothofagin are found in high concentrations in rooibos tea.  These antioxidants protect the body by fighting free radicals.  These are unstable cells, which attack healthy cells in order to stabilise themselves.  The polyphenols also have anti-inflammatory properties and can safeguard against heart disease.
3. Prevents against some cancers – Some studies have demonstrated a link between consumption of rooibos tea and a reduction of cancer-causing chemicals.  This is because of the high level of dominant antioxidants, some of which have anti-mutagenic properties.  This means that they defend cells & DNA against damage and inhibit them from developing into cancer.
4. High mineral content – One of the key health benefits of rooibos tea is that it contains several minerals that are vital to health.  These include: magnesium – essential for the nervous system, calcium & manganese – essential for strong teeth and bones, zinc – important for metabolism and iron – critical for helping blood & muscles distribute oxygen.
5. Improves circulation – One of the many potent antioxidants in rooibos tea is called Chysoeriol.  It can improve circulation by preventing the activity of the enzyme that triggers cardiovascular disease.  Drinking rooibos tea also lowers blood pressure and cholesterol.
6. Relieves stomach complaints – As rooibos tea contains high levels of flavonoids, especially one called quercetin, it has the ability to relieve numerous abdominal ailments such as cramps, diahorrea and indigestion.  This is because the flavonoids help to reduce spasm, inflammation and allergies.  It has also been widely stated that the health benefits of rooibos tea extend to alleviating colic in babies.  As it is totally caffeine free, it is perfectly safe for them to drink rooibos tea.
7. Aids absorption of iron – Unlike most black teas, which prevent the body from absorbing iron effectively because of the tannins they contain, rooibos tea supports the body in absorbing iron.  This is because rooibos tea contains less than half the tannins of black tea.
8. Can relieve skin conditions – A more recent discovery of the benefits of rooibos tea is that it can help you to look more beautiful!  Rooibos tea contains phenyl pyretic acid, which can help to improve acne, psoriasis and eczema.  You can apply a freshly brewed and cooled tea bag to the affected areas and it will soothe and heal any inflammation.
9. Can protect against Parkinsons/Alzheimers disease – drinking rooibos tea regularly can protect against a process known as lipid peridoxation.  This is where free radicals damage brain cells and nerve tissue.  If this is prolonged, it can lead eventually to progressive and deteriorating brain disease, such as Alzheimers.  Laboratory tests on rats showed little difference in brain function from a group of older rats given rooibos tea to the brains of newborn rats.
10. Encourages restful sleep – One of the many health benefits of rooibos teais that it can be drunk as often as you wish and at any time of day.  Many people choose to drink it before bedtime as it can help with insomnia.  Due to its high mineral content and lack of caffeine, it helps people to feel calm and relaxed.

We have been drinking rooibos tea for about a year now and absolutely love it.  It does have a slightly different taste but we actually prefer it to standard black tea and it is great to know that it genuinely doing our bodies a lot of good.  The health benefits of rooibos tea are quite extraordinary – why not give it a try today!

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Dallas Clouatre, PhD Dallas Clouatre, Ph.D. earned his A.B. from Stanford and his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley. A Fellow of the American College of Nutrition, he is a prominent industry consultant in the US, Europe, and Asia, and is a sought-after speaker and spokesperson. He is the author of numerous books. Recent publications include "Tocotrienols in Vitamin E: Hype or Science?" and "Vitamin E – Natural vs. Synthetic" in Tocotrienols: Vitamin E Beyond Tocopherols (2008), "Grape Seed Extract" in the Encyclopedia Of Dietary Supplements (2005), "Kava Kava: Examining New Reports of Toxicity" in Toxicology Letters (2004) and Anti-Fat Nutrients (4th edition). Website: www.dallasclouatre.com

MSM Organic Sulfur

MSM Organic Sulfur

Bila Saya Perlu Mula Mengambil Sulfur Organik? Serta merta! Diharapkan anda memahami tubuh anda memerlukan bekalan Sulfur Organik (MSM) yang stabil dan secukupnya dengan segera, terutamanya apabila tubuh bertoksik, termasuk toksin dari bahan tercemar melalui udara dalam bentuk Chemtrail. Ramai orang akan mendapat faedah yang hebat apabila mengambil Sulfur Organik setiap hari kerana ianya merupakan mineral yang penting dan tidak boleh dihasilkan oleh tubuh kita. Ia diperlukan dalam setiap sel tubuh untuk tujuan pengoksigenan yang betul dan detoksifikasi yang berkesan. Bagaimana Saya Mengambil Sulfur Organik? Jumlah pengambilan yang diperlukan oleh setiap orang adalah berlainan dan berbeza-beza. Panduan umum ialah mengambil 1 sudu teh (4 gram) Sulfur Organik dua kali sehari, lebih elok di antara waktu makan atau perut kosong, jadi tiada apa yang akan menghalang penggunaan Sulfur Organik sepenuhnya dalam tubuh. Jumlah pengambilan boleh ditambahkan atau dikurangkan bergantung kepada tahap kesihatan anda dan hasil yang anda alami. Adalah disyorkan bermula dengan dos yang rendah (1-2 gram sehari) pada minggu pertama dan ditambah sedikit demi sedikit kepada diet anda untuk merasa kesan yang lebih kerana bagi mereka yang tidak biasa akan mengalami sakit kepala atau kesan detoksifikasi pada peringkat awal. Ini kerana majoriti orang mengalami kekurangan sulfur dan badan bertoksik. Jika tubuh anda memerlukan jumlah yang lebih tinggi, anda boleh mengambilnya dalam dos-dos yang kecil sepanjang hari, bagi membolehkan tubuh anda menerima / menyesuaikannya. Berapa Cepat Saya Dapat Merasakan Hasil Pengambilan Sulfur Organik? Memandangkan setiap individu mengalami penyakit dan tahap penyakit yang berbeza, maka tindak balas Sulfur Organik pada setiap individu juga turut berbeza. Sesetengah individu yang mengalami kesakitan yang serius melaporkan segala kesakitan hilang dalam sekelip mata. Sesetengah pula merasai perbezaan dalam tempoh seminggu, manakala ada diantaranya merasai kesan selepas berbulan-bulan. Secara umumnya, kebanyakan orang merasai perbezaan selepas beberapa hari mengambil Sulfur Organik seperti yang kami cadangkan, yang mana ianya berbeza dengan cadangan pengambilan supplemen MSM yang lain. Dalam tempoh seminggu pengambilan Sulfur Organik, perkara pertama yang jelas kelihatan ialah kulit wajah lebih sihat dan berseri. Mereka yang mengalami resdung yang serius dan masalah alergik juga akan merasai kesan pemulihan yang hebat dalam tempoh kurang dari seminggu. Jika anda mengambil Sulfur Organik bagi tujuan detoksifikasi logam berat dari tubuh, ia mengambil masa yang lebih lama untuk merasai kesannya kerana masalah-masalah ini berpunca sejak bertahun yang lalu dan tertanam di dalam tisu-tisu tubuh. Hakikatnya, tidak ramai orang yang mengambil Sulfur Organik secara tetap mengatakan mereka tidak merasai faedahnya. Dalam beberapa kes, faedahnya sangat dramatik bergantung kepada tahap kesihatan anda. Soalan Lazim Mengenai Sulfur Mengapa Saya Perlu Mengambil Sulfur Organik (MSM)? Sulfur Organik boleh memberi manfaat kesihatan yang positif kepada hampir setiap penyakit yang dialami manusia. Walaupun kebiasaannya telah digunakan sejak bertahun-tahun sebagai sokongan pada sendi, ianya mempunyai pelbagai manfaat yang meluas. Berikut merupakan kegunaan Sulfur Organik :- • Sakit sendi • Kekejangan sendi • Sakit belakang • Sakit otot • Pedih ulu hati • Sakit kepala • Kudis (Cold Sores) • Alahan • Kecederaan Acute Athletic • Jerawat & kondisi kulit • Uban • Keracunan • Gangguan gastrointestinal • Menyokong hati (Liver Support) • Trauma • Dan banyak lagi! Pemerhatian klinikal juga percaya bahawa Sulfur Organik boleh berfungsi untuk :- • Mengurangkan bengkak • Melembutkan tisu parut • Meningkatkan aliran darah dalam tubuh • Mengurangkan kekejangan otot • Mengurangkan kesakitan akut dan kronik. BEGINILAH RUPA MSM ORGANIC. YG BOLEH MENEGANG DAN MENCANTIKKAN KULIT SERTA MENGUATKAN OTOT ANDA.  Nota: MSM ORGANIC adalah sebatian sulfur yang penting bagi setiap hidupan di bumi. Ia merupakan unsur protin. MSM adalah ibu kepada collogen yang tengah hangat diperkatakan sekarang.