MSM may relieve joint discomfort in healthy adults: RCT
Data published in Nutrients indicated that 12 weeks of supplementation with MSM led to significant improvements in scores on the Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure (JKOM), compared to placebo.
“This is the first clinical trial of MSM oral consumption in healthy participants who felt mild pain in the knee joint rather than patients with OA [osteoarthritis],” wrote scientists from Chlorella Industry Co. and Kurume University.
“The MSM group showed significant improvements compared to placebo at 12 weeks, in terms of morning pain, pain while standing, and health condition in the JKOM questionnaires. These results indicate that MSM alleviates wake-up pain and standing pain and improves general health and quality of life in healthy individuals with knee mild pain in daily life.”
OptiMSM
The study used Balchem’s OptiMSM brand of MSM. Commenting on the new study, Lauren Eisen, Strategic Marketing & BD Manager for Balchem Human Nutrition & Health, said: “Joint health is a priority for people across multiple generations who are proactively seeking ways to ensure a good quality of life as they age.
“In addition, according to the World Health Organization by the end of the decade one in six people worldwide will be over 60, which presents the opportunity to prioritize staying active. High-quality, innovative ingredients like OptiMSM will play a pivotal role in joint health segment growth.”
Study details
The Japanese scientists recruited 88 healthy adults who were experiencing mild pain in the knee joint(s). The participants were randomly assigned to receive either two grams of OptiMSM or a placebo per day for 12 weeks. Assessments of pain and stiffness were performed after four, eight, and 12 weeks.
The results showed that, At the end of the study, the JKOM scoring system showed significant reductions in morning pain, nocturnal pain, pain while standing, and overall health condition in the MSM group compared to the placebo group.
In addition, nocturnal pain and pain while standing were also reduced after 8 weeks of MSM consumption, said the researchers.
The potential mechanism of action is postulated to be related to MSM’s anti-inflammatory activity, they added.
“We are particularly excited about this study as it was the first carried out on healthy adults, and to highlight OptiMSM’s potential to be effective at just two grams per day,” said Eric Ciappio, PhD, RD, Strategic Development Manager and nutrition scientist for Balchem Human Nutrition & Health.
“We are fully committed to leading the way with industry-leading clinical studies, and this trial provides us with the confirmation that all the benefits reported from clinical and pre-clinical studies on patients with ostheoarthritis could be applied to healthy adults, changing the landscape of joint health formulations.”
Source: Nutrients
2023, 15(13), 2995; doi: 10.3390/nu15132995
“Methylsulfonylmethane Improves Knee Quality of Life in Participants with Mild Knee Pain: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial”
Authors: A. Toguchi et al.
