Not just for osteoarthritis. (MSM)

Member Name: gmlm1989

Product:	MSM
Date:	20/05/09 (78 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Treats acne as well

Disadvantages: Strong taste, can be inconvenient.

Before I begin, I must stress that I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. If you are thinking of taking any supplement, see your GP first.

MSM (full name Methyl-Sulfonyl-Methane, try saying that when you're drunk!) is a naturally occurring form of sulphur. It is commonly used as a dietary supplement, sold mainly in power form, to treat osteoarthritis. However, my personal experience of this supplement was for the treatment of acne.

I first started taking MSM when I was about 15 and had the most awful spots ever. Every few days my skin would erupt with yellow, pus filled spots (my apologies to anyone trying to eat whilst reading this review) and because I used to squeeze them, they stayed as red lumps for nearly a week. Also, my entire nose, most of my cheeks, my back and my breasts were covered in blackheads. I also squeezed these, with similar results. All in all, not a pretty sight.

I get my MSM from a guy called Simon, a family friend, though it is also available in high street health food shops such as Holland and Barrett. Holland and Barrett sell it in capsule form but the version I take is in a powdered form, so that is what the following instructions relate to.

MSM powder is usually taken mixed with water, though Simon just takes it straight off the spoon (he's weird like that). It has a rather sour taste when mixed with water and so needs to be mixed in with juice to hide the taste. I use Sainsbury's Basics Breakfast Juice, though regular orange juice or some kind of cordial would do the same job.

I've found that the best way to mix this product is to turn the kettle on, wait until the water inside has warmed enough that the kettle side is warm to the touch (use the back of your hand to test this) and then turn the kettle back off again. Don't boil the water or it will be too hot to drink, unless you intend to have the MSM with some form of tea. I've never tried that so I couldn't say if it would work or not. Then pour the water from the kettle into a glass until you have approx an inch or two of water in the glass, spoon in the required dose of MSM powder and stir until dissolved. Then add your juice to cover the taste. If the juice is out of the fridge, I would advise stirring again to mix the temperature.

The dosage of MSM required depends on the condition being treated. For osteoarthritis, one level teaspoon twice a day is usual. For acne, only half a teaspoon is usually required, though more will not cause any harm as any excess powder simply leaves the body in your urine.

The required dose should be built up to slowly over a number of weeks to reduce the chance of side effects such as headaches, loose stools and wind. If you experience these side effects, stop usage and resume again in a few days at a lower dose. If the side effects don't stop, see your GP straight away.

It's alright me chattering on about how to take the stuff, what you really want to know is, "Does it work?" Overnight, no. But over a few months, I did start to see a reduction in the level of spots I had and generally felt healthier. So yes, I believe it works.

In summary, this product has more use than for the osteoarthritis it is usually marketed at helping. Though it can be a bit time-consuming to mix, I believe it's worth it in the long run. But please, see your GP before use.

Summary: Worked for me, but see your GP before starting on any supplement.