MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) vs DMSO
Two related sulfur donors: the safe supplement and its solvent precursor
Definition
MSM (methylsulfonylmethane, or dimethyl sulfone) and DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) are two chemically related organosulfur compounds. DMSO is a solvent that penetrates skin and carries substances across it; in the body it is oxidized into MSM, its stable metabolite. MSM is a safe, well-tolerated dietary supplement with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that provides bioavailable sulfur. The key distinction: DMSO is a topical vehicle with a characteristic odor and a narrower safety profile, whereas MSM is taken orally as a sulfur donor supporting joints, inflammation, and glutathione synthesis.
Detailed explanation
DMSO was developed as an industrial solvent and gained medical interest for its ability to cross biological membranes and act as a transdermal carrier. Once absorbed, roughly 15% of DMSO is oxidized to MSM (dimethyl sulfone), which persists in the body far longer than the parent DMSO. This has led researchers to propose that some benefits historically attributed to DMSO are actually due to its conversion into MSM.
MSM is an odorless crystalline solid, unlike liquid DMSO, which leaves the well-known sulfurous taste and breath. In mouse intestinal-absorption studies, MSM is absorbed passively and non-saturably, and its labeled sulfur is incorporated into serum proteins, blood, and liver — showing it functions as a metabolically active sulfur donor.
In longevity and joint health, MSM is used for its sulfur contribution to glutathione and collagen synthesis and for its effects on inflammatory pathways. Trials in knee osteoarthritis show positive but not definitive evidence versus placebo. DMSO, by contrast, has limited regulatory approval (interstitial cystitis) and topical use demands pharmaceutical purity: industrial-grade DMSO can carry contaminants through the skin.
Scientific sources
- Source — Methylsulfonylmethane: Applications and Safety of a Novel Dietary Supplement (Nutrients 2017)
- PubMed — Systematic review of DMSO and MSM in the treatment of osteoarthritis (Brien, Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2008)
- PubMed — Small intestinal absorption of MSM and accumulation of the sulfur moiety in selected tissues of mice (2018)
- Source — Meta-analysis of DMSO and MSM in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee
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