We use essential cookies (authentication, your saved goals/stack) by default. With your permission we'll also enable privacy-respecting analytics (Vercel Web Analytics, anonymous load-time metrics) and error-replay diagnostics (Sentry — DOM snapshots only when an error fires) so we can fix bugs faster. Learn more
Msm8.5
MSM Research
Mostly mechanism / observationalHigh safety
19 peer-reviewed studies
What the evidence says
Mostly mechanism / observational
Most MSM studies are mechanism or observational rather than RCTs that measure a clinical effect — keep findings provisional.
Most evidence is from high-quality meta-analyses and randomised trials published 2006–2025 with a typical study size of 88 participants.
Based on 19 studies · 2 meta-analyses · 14 RCTs · 5,915 total participants
Confidence
High
What the studies found
1helped· 18 more without graded effect data
By outcome
Joint pain & arthritisReduces osteoarthritis pain and improves physical function · 4-8 weeks
RecoveryReduced muscle soreness after exercise · 2-4 weeks
Mostly mechanism / observational3 studies
InflammationReduced joint pain and stiffness · 4-12 weeks
Mostly mechanism / observational3 studies
Cholesterol & lipids
Too few graded studies2 studies
Safety profile
Too few graded studies2 studies
Heart & blood pressure
Too few graded studies1 study
Endurance & exercise performance
Too few graded studies1 study
Therapeutic & clinical
Too few graded studies1 study
Women's health
Too few graded studies1 study
Immune support
Too few graded studies1 study
By the numbers
Pulled from 10 studies with measurable effects
Likely real effects
100%
across studies
People studied
5,915
typical study: 88 people
Strongest designs
16
2 pooled, 14 randomised
Showed benefit
100%
1/1 studies
How long studies ran
1–3 months
2
3+ months
2
Populations Studied
Patients with osteoarthritis1
Osteoarthritis patients1
Chronic bacterial prostatitis patients1
Healthy participants with mild knee pain1
Active research area
12 studies in the last 5 years · Latest meta-analysis: 2025
200620152025
1WOMAC pain score improvementMeta-AnalysisCited 3×n=2,455 · very large study2025
Passion fruit peel extract was the best supplement for improving WOMAC pain and function scores in patients with osteoarthritis, followed by Lanconone and collagen.
Chen CS et al. · Journal of integrative medicine (2025)
Noticeable benefit
← WorseNo effectBetter →
In the WOMAC pain score, the SUCRA of passion fruit peel extract was 91% (mean difference [MD]: -9.2; 95% confidence interval [CI]: [-16.0, -2.3]), followed by methylsulfonylmethane (89%), undenatured type II collagen (87%), collagen (84%), and Lanconone (82%).
The SUCRA (99%) of passion fruit peel extract (MD: -41.0; 95% CI: [-66.0, -16.0]) ranked first in terms of the WOMAC function score, followed by Lanconone (95%), collagen (86%), ParActin (84%), and Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (83%).
The top three total rankings are passion fruit peel extract (95.0%), Lanconone (88.5%), and collagen (85.0%).
The overall analysis including all trials showed that supplements provided moderate and clinically meaningful treatment effects on pain and function in patients with hand, hip or knee osteoarthritis at short term, although the quality of evidence was very low.
Liu X et al. · British journal of sports medicine (2018)
Another six (undenatured type II collagen, avocado soybean unsaponifiables, methylsulfonylmethane, diacerein, glucosamine and chondroitin) revealed statistically significant improvements on pain, but were of unclear clinical importance.
Chondroitin demonstrated statistically significant, but not clinically important structural improvement (effect size -0.30, -0.42 to -0.17).
The overall analysis including all trials showed that supplements provided moderate and clinically meaningful treatment effects on pain and function in patients with hand, hip or knee osteoarthritis at short term, although the quality of evidence was very low.
3Pain outcomes in osteoarthritis treatmentSystematic ReviewCited 58×n=681 · large study2008
No definitive conclusion can currently be drawn for either supplement.
Brien S et al. · Osteoarthritis and cartilage (2008)
Two of the four DMSO trials, and both MSM trials reported significant improvement in pain outcomes in the treatment group compared to comparator treatments, however, methodological issues and concerns over optimal dosage and treatment period, were highlighted.
No definitive conclusion can currently be drawn for either supplement.
The findings from all the DMSO studies need to be viewed with caution because of poor methodology including; possible unblinding, and questionable treatment duration and dose.
The purpose of this review is to describe the potential application of nutraceuticals in OA, highlighting its molecular mechanisms of actions and data of efficacy and safety (when available).
Colletti A et al. · International journal of molecular sciences (2021)
It is characterized by pain, stiffness, and a reduced range of motion with regard to the arthritic joints.
These symptoms can cause in the long term a greater risk of overweight/obesity, diabetes mellitus, and falls and fractures.
The purpose of this review is to describe the potential application of nutraceuticals in OA, highlighting its molecular mechanisms of actions and data of efficacy and safety (when available).
5Clinical efficacy in chronic bacterial prostatitisRCTCited 14×n=2,015 · very large study2016
The combination of serenoa repens, selenium, lycopene + bromelain and methylsulfonylmethane extracts improved the clinical efficacy of levofloxacin in patients affected by CBP without the development of side effects.
Cai T et al. · Archivio italiano di urologia, andrologia : organo ufficiale [di] Societa italiana di ecografia urologica e nefrologica (2016)
Likely real
At the second follow-up visit (T2), questionnaire results demonstrated statistically significant differences between groups (p < 0.001).
One patient in Group A (2.5%) and 7 patients (17.9%) in Group B showed a symptomatic and microbiological recurrence (p = 0.02).
The combination of serenoa repens, selenium, lycopene + bromelain and methylsulfonylmethane extracts improved the clinical efficacy of levofloxacin in patients affected by CBP without the development of side effects.
6Knee quality of life scoresRCTCited 9×n=88 · small study2023
This study indicated that MSM oral consumption improved both knee and systemic health conditions in healthy participants who experienced mild pain in the knee joint.
Toguchi A et al. · Nutrients (2023)
Likely real
The total scores at 12 weeks in the MSM and placebo groups as the primary outcome were significantly different (p = 0.046).
The health condition of JKOM also improved after MSM consumption (p = 0.032).
The questionnaire results also suggested improvement in the knee and systemic health.
combination of glucosamine-chondroitinsulfate-methylsulfonylmethane showed clinical benefit for patients with knee OAK ellgren-Lawrence grade I-II compared with GC and placebo.
Lubis AMT et al. · Acta medica Indonesiana (2017)
Likely real
on statistical analysis it was found that at the 12th week, there are significant difference between three treatment groups on the WOMAC score (p=0.03) and on the VAS score (p=0.004).
When analyzed between weeks, GCM treatment group was found statistically significant on WOMAC score (p=0.01) and VAS score (p<0.001).
Comparing the score difference between weeks, WOMAC score analysis showed significant difference between GC, GCM, and placebo in week 4 (p=0.049) and week 12 (p=0.01).
8RCTn=49 · small study2020
This study provides recent evidence for MSM's role in exercise recovery and muscle soreness reduction.
Withee ED et al. · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (2020)
MSM supplementation significantly reduced muscle soreness following exercise
Improved markers of antioxidant status compared to placebo group
No significant effects on exercise performance parameters
10Hand pain in symptomatic hand osteoarthritisRCTCited 19×n=106 · medium study2021
There were no significant differences in symptomatic relief between the two groups over 12 weeks.
Liu X et al. · Osteoarthritis and cartilage (2021)
One hundred and six participants were included with mean age 65.6 years and 81% were women. 45% of the participants were graded as KLG 4, 40% KLG three and 39 (37%) had erosive OA.
The adjusted between group difference in means (95%CI) was 5.34 (-2.39 to 13.07).
Five participants (10%) in the supplement combination group discontinued study treatment due to AE vs four participants (7%) in the placebo group.
Our findings indicate that MSM supplementation may improve the cholesterol profile by resulting in higher levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
Miller L et al. · Nutrients (2021)
The primary finding of this work shows that high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was elevated at 8 and 16 weeks of daily MSM consumption compared to baseline, (p = 0.008, p = 0.013).
Measurements occurred at baseline and after 4, 8, and 16 weeks.
Outcome measures included fasting glucose, insulin, blood lipids, blood pressure, body composition, metabolic rate, and markers of inflammation and oxidative status.
Future research should seek to validate how the changes observed with exercise may model to various chronic inflammatory states.
McFarlin BK et al. · Nutrients (2025)
Results: This study is the first to demonstrate significant effects with lower MSM doses (0.5-1.0 g/d) compared to previous work using higher doses (3 g/d).
We identified 29 mRNAs in four distinct immune response pathways (peripheral tissue inflammatory response, myeloid immune cell invasion, NK cell invasion/activity, and notch signaling) whose response was statistically changed with MSM at 2 h and/or 4 h.
Future research should seek to validate how the changes observed with exercise may model to various chronic inflammatory states.
The combination of CS/GL/MSM/HA with collagen significantly outperforms collagen-free therapy in reducing pain, improving joint function, and decreasing symptomatic treatment needs in patients with knee OA exacerbations.
Naumov AV et al. · Terapevticheskii arkhiv (2025)
Group B demonstrated significant superiority: a 76% reduction in WOMAC pain scores (vs. 47% in Group A; p=0.04) and a 74% reduction in VAS scores (vs. 56%; p<0.05).
NSAID use at week 8 was 2.6±0.5 days in Group B (vs. 4.3±1.8 in Group A; p=0.04).
Functional improvements (12% increase in walking speed, 42% reduction in Timed Up-and-Go test duration) were also more pronounced in Group B (p<0.05).
Randomized, double-blind studies are warranted to confirm the effectiveness of this dietary supplement.
Desideri I et al. · Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) (2022)
Aromatase Inhibitors (AIs) are recommended for the adjuvant treatment of hormone receptor positive breast cancer in both high-risk pre-menopausal and post-menopausal population; arthralgia is the main cause of discontinuation of therapy and affects up to 25% of population on AI treatment.
Seven subjects (13.2%) were not included in the final analysis because of consent withdrawal. 46 participants were eligible for final analysis.
According to CTCAE scale, 10 out of 46 patients reported symptoms resolution at 6-month follow-up from the time of enrollment T0 (p = 0.0009).
These findings suggested that the use of GCM supplementation after arthrocentesis plus intraarticular HA injection produced no additional clinical benefits or improvements for patients with TMJ-OA compared with arthrocentesis plus intraarticular HA injection alone.
Cömert Kılıç S · Journal of cranio-maxillo-facial surgery : official publication of the European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery (2021)
Pain complaints (p < 0.001) and joint sounds (p = 0.030 for the control group; p = 0.023 for the study group) showed statistically significant decreases.
After estimating the differences between the follow-up and baseline outcomes, the mean changes in the primary outcome variables (VAS scores, MIO, and mandibular motion) showed no statistically significant differences between the two groups (p > 0.05).
Progressions (reparative remodeling) of hard-tissue TMJ structures were observed on CBCT scans of some participants in both groups.
19Dyslipidemia and polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolismAnimalCited 2×2022
MSM+SSO treatment's effects on HDL and non-HDL cholesterol and PUFA metabolism could lead to improved clinical outcomes in diabetics by improving the lipid profile.
Fili CV et al. · Journal of medicinal food (2022)
Blood glucose significantly decreased after 4 weeks of MSM treatment in T1D mice.
Serum PUFA levels were significantly reduced in T2D mice compared with control mice.
Serum triglycerides were significantly increased in both diabetic models compared to nondiabetic control, mimicking diabetes in people.