DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) is basically a sulfur amalgam that is naturally present in our body and is also present in soil. In addition, DMSO is a derivative of the process involved in making wood pulp.
When present in our body, this sulfur compound is a powerful forager of the harmful free radicals - the volatile molecules that are accountable for most of the damage caused to the cells in the body.
People who advocate the therapeutic use of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) claim that this compound that the aptitude to ease pain as well as inflammation caused owing to arthritis.
They further assert that this sulfur compound is also useful for treating different conditions that lead to inflammation.
On the other hand, MSM or methylsulfonylmethane is a product of metabolic action of DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) that naturally occurs in our blood and is also a constituent of metabolic enzymes, nails and hair.
MSM is present in foods enclosing sulfur, for instance broccoli, meat and milk. In the form of a dietary supplement, methylsulfonylmethane is available in capsule form.
Similar to DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide), MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is believed to alleviate pain caused by arthritis, but devoid of the potent smell of sulfur.
It may be noted that MSM is a permitted veterinary medication and is generally made use of in cream form for treating injuries to muscles as well as aching in horses.
It may be noted that all foods that contain high amounts of sulfur, for instance, milk, garlic, broccoli, onions, meat and eggs, enclose some amount of DMSO as well as MSM.
In effect, dimethyl sulfoxide is marketed in the form of an industrial solvent, which is not meant for use by humans. On the other hand,
MSM is sold in the form of a dietary supplement and is available at any health food store.
DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) is available in liquid variety and is massaged on the skin to alleviate the pain and inflammation caused by arthritis, while MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is available in the form of capsules.
While purchasing DMSO, the major worry is to get a wholesome grade that does not contain any contaminant.
Nevertheless, it is unfortunate that thus far scientists in the United States are yet to undertake safety studies to demonstrate that even the pharmaceutical quality dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is harmless for prolonged use when it is massaged onto the skin.
DMSO possesses a potent sulfur smell, which has been expressed as having a smell similar to garlic, fish, oysters and rotten eggs.
DMSO has the aptitude to be included in the saliva and sweat, resulting in foul body smell and awful breath. In addition, dimethyl sulfoxide may also lead to irritation of the skin at places where it is applied.
It is interesting to learn that dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), actually began with an auto mishap.
More precisely, although a retired Portland, Oregon, mechanic Bill Rich continued to live on following a terrible traffic mishap in 1970, he sustained grave burn injuries on his body.
Following the accident, Bill spent almost six months for treatment wherein he received skin graft as well as healing.
Incidentally, Bill continued to endure intense ankle and knee pains for more than a decade following the traffic accident. At times, the pain was so intense that Bill would just about double up and cry owing to the pain in the ankles and knees.
At this stage, he met a veterinarian who informed Bill regarding a supplement that was given to horses during races with a view to ease pain. The supplement or chemical compound was actually MSM.
Surprisingly, much of Bill's pain disappeared just after using the supplement for three days. All through his life, Bill was a fiddler and in due course, he created a cream containing MSM which he regularly massaged on the skin in the region of the ankles and knees.
Just about a phenomenon, the skin that had gone purplish and was difficult to heal was soon reinstated with a pink hued skin in a very brief period of time.
While the story regarding Bill's revival appears to be very incredible to be factual, actually there are numerous other individuals who depend on MSM for its healing properties, especially muscle and joint pains.
In addition, this compound is also believed to be effective for treating allergies, inflammation as well as constipation.
While there have only been a small number of scientific researches with MSM, scientists have undertaken extensive research on one of its chemical cousin - DMSO.
In effect, almost everybody is familiar with the compound called dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), which has been in the environs for more than two decades and it its effectiveness has already been confirmed by several thousand studies.
Ever since, dimethyl sulfoxide has been effectively used to cure pain as well as support healing in several thousand people.
It may be noted that dimethyl sulfoxide possesses highly fast absorption attributes. In 1961 it was believed that this compound may possibly be utilized to facilitate the effective transportation of different medications into the body.
However, more researches have demonstrated that dimethyl sulfoxide possesses several useful attributes. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States has also approved the use of this compound for specific conditions.
The most stirring feature regarding MSM (methylsulfonymethane) appears to be that breaking down DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) in our body results in the production of MSM.
A number of scientists are of the belief that MSM is the real compound that is useful following ingestion or absorption of DMSO.
MSM comprises approximately 34 per cent sulfur and may possibly act by contributing this mineral to an assortment of biological functions inside our body.
Albeit sulfur is necessary for robust health, the FDA is yet to acknowledge MSM to be an essential element for our body. It is any irony that sulfur is among the substances that is present in most abundance in the human body.
In addition, it is also among the least studied elements concerning the health of humans. Majority of the scientists concur that MSM works rather to provide the body with the requisite quantities of sulfur in the appropriate varieties.
It may be underlined here that sulfur is indispensible to several human body parts, such as the skin, collagen, nails as well as proteins present inside the body. If there is a deficiency of sulfur in our body, it will restrict the functioning of the number of body processes.
Although, DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) was initially developed in the 1800s, this compound was of little use till the 1940s, when it turned out to be very popular in the form of an industrial solvent.
In the 1960s, DMSO was utilized to prepare a veterinary liniment, in addition to a well accepted panacea.
Currently, the use of this compound is only limited to treating intestinal cystitis, also known as infection of the bladder, and according to a method approved by the FDA.
In present times, DMSO is also present in anti-freeze and paint thinner and is not marketed in any preparation that is appropriate and safe for use by humans, barring by prescription as mentioned above.
In fact, currently DMSO is only sold in the form meant for industrial use and, hence, it is contaminated.
DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) and MSM (methylsulfonymethane) both have similar impacts. However, MSM has one major advantage over DMSO - the former compound does not create a potent sulfur essence that may result in foul breath.
MSM offers several health benefits and some of the condition specific advantages of this compound are discussed in brief below.
Similar to DMSO, in its oral form, methylsulfonymethane may assist in providing relief from inflammation plus pain in the muscles and joints.
Several components of the joints comprise collagen and glucosamine and these two substances depend on sulfur to a great extent.
One of the several patents of MSM depicts the manner in which an 81-year-old woman enduring arthritis began taking methylsulfonymethane.
It says that in only a few weeks' time, the lady experienced almost complete respite from joint pain. Findings of several studies on animals have show that DMSO as well as MSM have yielded more or less the same results with one another.
Both these compounds have been found to be effectual in curing musculoskeletal pain, inflammation, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, tendonitis and gout.
Scleroderma is a health condition that causes the finger tips to distend as well as becoming stiff. Generally, this is a chronic ailment that may result in the disfigurement or blemishing of the skin, joints, in addition to a number of internal organs.
When such scarring occurs in the esophagus, it becomes somewhat difficult to swallow anything. Since MSM is effective in treating scleroderma, it appears that this compound helps to normalize collagen formation.
It has been discovered that MSM helps to alleviate several symptoms of allergies. However, the manner in which MSM facilitates in providing relief from allergies is yet to be ascertained.
It is believed that MSM obstructs the histamine receptors that have the aptitude to set off the allergic symptoms.
In addition, it has also been found that MSM (methylsulfonymethane) is useful in the treatment of the symptoms of lupus, which is basically an autoimmune disorder that may be believed to be a form of 'self-allergy'.
Besides the health conditions mentioned above, it has been found that MSM is also useful for diminishing stomach acid as well as hypersensitivity or allergic reaction to a number of medications.
This compound also possesses the attribute to facilitate the retardation of the smooth vascular muscle tissue, which is related to the perils of developing heart ailments. It is also believed that MSM possesses anti-cancer attributes.
Since DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) is soaked up by the skin without much difficulty, this compound may be massaged onto the skin with a view to alleviate muscle pain as well as the pain caused by arthritis.
On the other hand, MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is basically taken orally in the form of a dietary supplement.
While MSM is primarily employed in treating arthritis, the advocators of the use of this compound assert that it is effectual for treating an assortment of diseases, counting muscle pain, headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome (a widespread problem of the wrists and hand marked by itchiness, pain and muscle debility) and fibromyalgia (a health condition distinguished by exhaustion and persistent muscle and tissue pain around the joints).
MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) possesses a number of specific attributes. This compound moves across the cellular membranes, counting the skin, within our body.
It also helps in vasodilatation or widening of the blood vessels and augments blood circulation. MSM is also known to be a cholinesterase inhibitor.
It may be noted that cholinesterase is actually an enzyme which prevents the excessive transit of nerve signals from one nerve to a new one.
It has also been found that methylsulfonylmethane provides rapid respite from constipation related to aging. By means of impeding the cholinesterase's actions, this compound facilitates in reinstating the usual bowel activities - a process known as peristalsis.
MSM offers other health benefits too. For instance, this compound assists in lessening muscle contractions. In fact, muscles spasms are generally caused by any inflammation or injury to a particular muscles or a group of muscles.
Muscles spasms imply abrupt contraction of the muscles that leads to pain as well as hindrance in the functioning of the muscles.
A physician is able to feel a muscle spasm when he or she touches the affected area or gauges it using a process called electromyography.
In case you are applying methylsulfonylmethane cream or gel to the affected area and feel the contracted muscle some time afterward or measure it using electromyography, you will notice that the muscle has become loose and the area affected by the spasm has become less aching.
When MSM is taken orally, it works to unwind the muscles.
It has also been found that MSM changes the cross linking procedure in collagen, thereby diminishing scar tissue.
It may be noted that cross linking is a procedure wherein new fundamental proteins are interwoven into the prevailing vigorous tissue at places where there have been surgical incisions or sites where distressing damage has been caused to the body.
MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) possesses anti-parasitic attributes, especially for the protozoan parasite called giardia that is responsible for diarrhea.
In addition, MSM also occurs naturally in sulfur amalgams, which have a vital role in skin and muscle formation, in addition to the growth of hair and nails. It also helps in building robust cells.
Methylsulfonylmethane also provides a normal means to alleviate pain as well as inflammation devoid of any grave adverse effects.
Compared to regular analgesics, this compound may possibly also provide equal or more respite from pain. Nevertheless, MSN simply does not act as rapidly and this is primarily owing to the fact that it is neither a medication nor a sedative.
On the contrary, MSM is a dietary supplement. However, it is likely that you will frequently start experiencing remarkable alleviation of pain as well as uneasiness.
At the same time, it provides you with additional energy and overall makes you feel healthier just with some days of using this beneficial compound.
People who use DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) or plan to use this compound ought to be aware of the potential side effects caused by it.
For instance, it has been found that the side effects of using DMSO externally may include redness of the skin and warmth, which may well be acute.
In addition, though one may be using this compound topically, he or she may experience an unclean taste in their mouth and the smell or their body odour may be akin to that of oysters or garlic.
It may be noted that several studies have been conducted with MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) to determine the animal toxicity of this compound and they have all confirmed that the use of this compound on animals is safe.
Even when taken in large amounts or excessive doses, MSM is not a toxic compound.
Nevertheless, MSM may result in mild blood thinning or anti-coagulant actions and, hence, it ought not to be taken in conjugation with over-the-counter anti-coagulant drugs, such as high dosages of vitamin E, aspirin and the herb ginkgo biloba, as well as prescription anti-coagulant drugs, for instance Coumadin, or any other medications or dietary supplements that lessen the possibilities of forming blood clots.
