MSM is a naturally occurring nutrient, an organic sulphur compound, found in the normal human diet. Sulphur is present in all living organisms and without sulphur life as we know it would not exist. It is an important element in more than 150 compounds in the body – tissues, enzymes, hormones, antibodies and antioxidants.
MSM is found in foods including alfalfa, corn, tomatoes, tea, and coffee. It is found in abundance in fresh fruit and vegetables in amounts generally ranging from 1 to 4 mg/kg. Raw milk from cows which graze in pastures contains 2 to 5 mg/kg MSM.
Due to the volatile nature of MSM it is rapidly lost due to heating during the preparation of food. It is also lost when vegetables and fruit are left for a period of time, heated or not. Pasteurised milk also contains less than 0.25 mg/kg MSM compared to the high level found in raw milk.
The optimal dosage depends on the nature and intensity of the complaints. According to research done at the MSM clinic at the Oregon Health Sciences University, long-term use of MSM at a dose greater than 2 g/day is well tolerated, producing no adverse effects.