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Research · Supplements

MSM

In three small knee osteoarthritis trials, MSM improved pain or function scores over 12 weeks. A 2008 review called the evidence positive but not definitive. After a half-marathon, MSM did not change oxidative stress or muscle damage markers. One skin trial found fewer wrinkles. Trials were small and short, and long-term safety was not studied.

Add to Bio HackChecked 2026-11-09
Status
Dietary supplement in the US.
Also called
methylsulfonylmethane, methyl sulfonyl methane, dimethyl sulfone, DMSO2, organic sulfur, OptiMSM
Taken for
joint pain, osteoarthritis, inflammation, muscle soreness, exercise recovery, skin, wrinkles, hair, nails, allergies

Strong several reviews agree · Moderate one review or consistent trials · Limited one or a few small studies · Untested no study in people, listed with what it rests on

Shown to help3

Reported risks0

No risks sourced yet.

What people take it for, and what was found

Shown to help3

Moderate

Knee osteoarthritis pain and function

Shown to improve knee osteoarthritis physical function scores over placebo in adults, with pain results mixed and gains called small.

The numbers and sources
Effect
On 6 g a day for 12 weeks, WOMAC pain and physical function improved against placebo (P < 0.05). Stiffness and total symptom scores did not change [1]. On 3.4 g a day for 12 weeks, WOMAC physical function (14.6 mm, P = 0.04) and total score (15.0 mm, P = 0.03) improved. WOMAC pain did not reach significance (P = 0.08) [2]. On 1.5 g a day, the pain index fell from 1.53 to 0.74, and more with glucosamine added [3]. A 2008 review called the MSM trials positive but not definitive [4].
Population
50 adults aged 40 to 76 [1]; 49 adults aged 45 to 90 [2]; 118 people with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis [3]; 168 people in 2 MSM trials [4].
Sources
[1], [2], [3], [4]
Caveats
The authors of [2] call the improvements small and of uncertain clinical significance. The review raised concerns about dose and treatment length [4].
Limited

Skin wrinkles and texture

One small trial found fewer facial wrinkles and less skin roughness than placebo at 3 g a day over 16 weeks.

The numbers and sources
Effect
On 3 g a day for 16 weeks, facial wrinkles and skin roughness improved against placebo (P < 0.05). In a second part, 1 g and 3 g a day improved wrinkles, firmness, elasticity and hydration from baseline [6].
Population
20 participants in a placebo-controlled pilot, then 63 in a dose comparison without placebo [6].
Sources
[6]
Caveats
The larger part compared two doses with no placebo group, so its changes are from baseline [6].
Limited

Seasonal allergies

Small uncontrolled trials found fewer nasal allergy symptoms after 2 to 4 weeks of MSM, measured against each person's own baseline.

Compared with before MSM, in the same people [8][9]

The numbers and sources
Effect
In an open-label trial, 50 people with seasonal allergic rhinitis took 2,600 mg a day for 30 days, and upper and total respiratory symptoms fell significantly from baseline by day 7 [8]. In a randomized, double-blind study comparing doses after a standard allergen challenge, 1, 3 or 6 g a day for 14 days lowered average nasal symptom scores 53.72% from baseline (P = .001) and raised nasal airflow 17.32% (P = .02). No adverse events occurred [9].
Population
50 adults with seasonal allergic rhinitis, 30 days [8]. Adults with a history of allergic nasal congestion, 14 days [9].
Sources
[8], [9]
Caveats
Neither study had a placebo group. The second study randomized people between doses, not to placebo, and its abstract does not give the number enrolled [9]. The first trial's abstract does not give the size of the fall [8].

Not shown to help1

Limited

Muscle damage and soreness after endurance exercise

One trial found no change in muscle damage markers or pain against placebo around a half-marathon.

The numbers and sources
Effect
Taking 3 g a day for 21 days before a half-marathon and 2 days after did not change oxidative stress, creatine kinase, LDH, or muscle and joint pain against placebo. The MSM group had pain reductions of more than 10 mm that the authors call clinically significant [5].
Population
22 healthy adults, 17 women, mean age 34 [5].
Sources
[5]
Caveats
One small trial. No time-by-treatment result reached significance [5].

Doses studied

Osteoarthritis trials used 1.5 g a day [3], 3.4 g a day [2] and 6 g a day [1], each for 12 weeks. The exercise trial used 3 g a day for 23 days [5], and the skin trial 1 or 3 g a day for 16 weeks [6]. A 2017 review describes MSM as well tolerated by most people at up to 4 g a day [7].

Risks

Checked, no increase found1

Limited

Side effects in trials

Small trials reported no major adverse events at up to 6 g a day for 12 weeks.

The numbers and sources
How common
How often is not known: the sources give no rate.
Effect
On 6 g a day for 12 weeks, the authors reported no major adverse events [1]. In the 118-person trial, all treatments were well tolerated [3]. A 2017 review describes few known side effects, all mild [7].
Population
50 adults [1]; 118 adults [3]; review of human studies [7].
Sources
[1], [3], [7]
Caveats
Trials were small and lasted 16 weeks or less. The abstracts give no event rates.

Possible, not studied in people1

UntestedHow often is not known

Long-term use

Not studied in people. Rats given 1.5 g/kg a day for 90 days, five to seven times the maximum human dose, showed no adverse events or organ changes.

No study in people. This rests on animal studies.

The numbers and sources
How common
How often is not known: the sources give no rate.
Effect
Rats given a single 2 g/kg dose, or 1.5 g/kg a day for 90 days, had no adverse events or deaths. Necropsy found no lesions or changes in organ weights, and kidney tissue was normal [10]. The longest human trials located ran 16 weeks [6].
Population
Rats [10].
Sources
[10], [6]
Caveats
A 90-day rat study does not show what years of use do in people. No human study longer than 16 weeks was located.

Claims tested and not found

  1. That MSM reduces muscle damage from endurance exercise. After a half-marathon, creatine kinase, LDH and oxidative stress did not differ from placebo [5].

Sources

  1. Kim LS, Axelrod LJ, Howard P, et al. Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in osteoarthritis pain of the knee: a pilot clinical trial. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage. 2006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2005.10.003
  2. Debbi EM, Agar G, Fichman G, et al. Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane supplementation on osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized controlled study. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2011. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-11-50
  3. Usha PR, Naidu MUR. Randomised, Double-Blind, Parallel, Placebo-Controlled Study of Oral Glucosamine, Methylsulfonylmethane and their Combination in Osteoarthritis. Clinical Drug Investigation. 2004. https://doi.org/10.2165/00044011-200424060-00005
  4. Brien S, Prescott P, Bashir N, et al. Systematic review of the nutritional supplements dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage. 2008. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2008.03.002
  5. Withee ED, Tippens KM, Dehen R, et al. Effects of Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) on exercise-induced oxidative stress, muscle damage, and pain following a half-marathon: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2017. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0181-z
  6. Muizzuddin N, Benjamin R. Beauty from within: Oral administration of a sulfur-containing supplement methylsulfonylmethane improves signs of skin ageing. International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1024/0300-9831/a000643
  7. Butawan M, Benjamin RL, Bloomer RJ. Methylsulfonylmethane: Applications and Safety of a Novel Dietary Supplement. Nutrients. 2017. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9030290
  8. Barrager E, Veltmann JR, Schauss AG, Schiller RN. A multicentered, open-label trial on the safety and efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane in the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2002. https://doi.org/10.1089/107555302317371451
  9. Hewlings S, Kalman DS. Evaluating the Impacts of Methylsulfonylmethane on Allergic Rhinitis After a Standard Allergen Challenge: Randomized Double-Blind Exploratory Study. JMIR Research Protocols. 2018. https://doi.org/10.2196/11139
  10. Horváth K, Noker PE, Somfai-Relle S, et al. Toxicity of methylsulfonylmethane in rats. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2002. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0278-6915(02)00086-8

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