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In the News - MSM for Osteoarthritis (OA)

There are roughly 7 million Americans who are currently suffering with osteo arthritis (OA). Medications provide only palliative relief of OA symptoms, and fail to slow or prevent the progression of the disease. The current medications used for OA, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and aspirin, and COX-2 inhibitors, such as Celebrex frequently have intolerable side effects of stomach upset which can lead to gastrointestinal ulcers. What’s more, previous drugs used for OA, such as Vioxx and Bextra, may have potentially harmful cardiovascular effects. A new form of OA treatment is would be very welcome. Glucosamine and condroitin have been well studied for treating osteoarthritis, with both agents showing promising results. According to a new study that was recently published, MSM may be the alternative.

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is increasingly becoming a popular dietary supplement and is becoming widely used for the treatment of joint pain and osteoarthritis (OA). MSM is an organic sulfur compound and occurs naturally in some primitive plants and is present in small amounts in many foods and beverages. MSM is marketed and available as a single ingredient, or in combination with glucosamine and condroitin. It has been clinically tested as treatment for a wide range of medical problems, including a dietary supplement for use in joint pain and OA, for relief of seasonal allergic runny nose, as a treatment for interstitial cystitis, and even as a throat spray for a snoring remedy.

The study which was recently conducted by researchers at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Health Sciences in Tempe, AZ, followed the progress of fifty men and women suffering from osteoarthritis pain. Patients aged 40-76 years with knee OA pain participated in the study to determine the effectiveness of MSM for OA. Patients were randomly selected into two groups. The treatment group received either 3 grams of MSM twice daily, while the placebo group received an sugar-pill placebo twice daily. Patients did not know if they were receiving the active treatment. At the end of the 12 week study, the patients taking the MSM reported significantly better pain control and less physical impairment. The patients taking MSM also had significantly improved activities of daily living and 10% less fatigue reported than patients treated with placebo.

MSM, 3g twice a day, improved symptoms of pain and physical function during the short trial without major adverse events. Only a few side effects were reported more common in those treated with MSM. These included feeling bloated (7% more than placebo), and insomnia (8% more than placebo). Side effects reported to be associated with MSM in other studies include increased blood pressure, increased hepatic enzymes, and possible interactions with anticoagulant drugs.

Currently, no guidelines are available for using MSM for osteoarthritis. However, this study highlights new evidence that may contribute to updating the osteoarthritis guidelines to include MSM therapy.

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Zeolla MM. MSM improves OA symptoms, physical function. ADIL, Feb. 2006 issue

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Childs SJ. Dimethyl sulfone (DMSO2) in the treatment of interstitial cystitis. Urol Clin North Am 1994;21:85

Blum JM, Blum RI. The effect of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in the control of snoring. Integrative Medicine 2004;3:24