MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane)

We evaluated 45 human studies on MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane), including 20 randomised controlled trials and 8 meta-analyses or systematic reviews; the controlled studies include 1,056 participants in total. As of 4 October 2026.

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1. What Is MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane)? Occurrence, Origin and Forms

MSM is an organic sulfur compound; chemically it is also called dimethyl sulfone. It occurs in small amounts in plants and foods. As a powder, capsule, tablet or cream it is mainly used in the context of joints, sport and skin, and that is where studies in humans examine it.

Naturally, MSM is found in small amounts in plants and foods. In use it appears as a dietary supplement and as a preparation applied to the skin.

For preparations, MSM is produced technically; chemically it differs from the solvent dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) only by one additional oxygen atom. Studies mainly examine orally taken forms as well as preparations applied to the skin.

Forms and Preparations Studied

• Powder for dissolving
• Capsules
• Tablets
• Liquid preparations
• Topical gels or creams
• Combination products with other substances

Not covered on this page:

• DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide), a related but distinct substance
• Cartilage building blocks such as glucosamine and chondroitin, which are often part of combination products
• Sulfur baths and sulfur springs
• Sulfur-containing amino acids such as cysteine and methionine

2. What Does MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) Do? Results by Area

How to read the table: counted are human studies whose results concern the area. “High” means at least one meta-analysis and two controlled studies showing improvement, or at least three controlled studies of which three quarters show improvement, with at least 300 participants in total. “Moderate” means at least two controlled studies showing improvement, as a majority, or one meta-analysis alongside controlled studies. “Low” means one controlled study showing improvement. Where an area has no controlled study, the strength of evidence is at most “low” (result “reviews only” or “observational data only”). Everything else is “unclear”. A study counts as showing improvement when at least half of its outcomes in this area improved. Reviews of combination products do not count as meta-analyses; results that only describe side effects or shares of users do not count as an effect. The same study is counted only once.

3. What the Studies Show in Detail

MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane), Joints and Musculoskeletal System: Human Studies

In knee osteoarthritis, MSM capsules alone in a randomized controlled study improved pain and swelling more than placebo 9. The combination with glucosamine had the strongest effect there, also lowering the Lequesne index 9. In mild knee pain, MSM tablets in a second randomized controlled study improved the JKOM score more than placebo 14. A meta-analysis found a significant pain relief of unclear clinical significance for MSM versus placebo 4. A network meta-analysis counted MSM among the most effective agents against knee stiffness 2. Many other joint studies tested MSM only in mixtures, for example with glucosamine 111, collagen 101213 or boswellia and curcumin 1526. Some of them relieved joint pain more than in the control group 111213, but not the two boswellia-curcumin mixtures 1526. These results cannot be ascribed to MSM alone. Long-term data and independent replications are still pending.

Further studies in this area: 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 26 33 38 41 42 43 44

MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) and Skin: Human Studies

In a placebo-controlled study, oral MSM capsules reduced facial wrinkles and skin roughness more than placebo 30. Firmness, elasticity and moisture improved in the subsequent dose comparison compared with baseline 30. In women with photoaged skin, capsules of MSM, hyaluronic acid and L-carnosine improved skin moisture and elasticity, while they remained the same with placebo 18. Wrinkle depth around the eyes decreased slightly with the mixture 18. A nail polish of hydroxypropyl chitosan, horsetail and MSM healed nail psoriasis more often than placebo in a randomized study 28. In a placebo-controlled study, redness, papules, itching and moisture in rosacea improved with silymarin and MSM on the skin 29. The studies are small and short; three of the four controlled studies tested mixtures 182829. Long-term effects remain open; larger placebo-controlled studies with pure MSM are still pending.

MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane), Sport and Physical Exercise: Human Studies

A small pilot study compared two MSM doses without a placebo group 25. Muscle soreness and fatigue after strength training decreased only as a statistical trend, while strength performance remained the same 25. With glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate and MSM, aerobic capacity in training women with knee osteoarthritis increased somewhat more than with placebo 20. In runners, a mixture of curcumin, pomegranate ellagitannins and MSM increased mRNA markers of innate immunity 24. From these combination products, no effect of the individual substance MSM can be derived. The studies are small, short and partly open-label; a larger placebo-controlled study on MSM alone in sports is still pending.

MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane), Inflammation and Inflammatory Markers: Human Studies

For inflammatory markers, four smaller randomized studies are available, three of them with mixtures; their findings are inconsistent 16192425. In runners, a mixture of curcumin, pomegranate ellagitannins and MSM dampened inflammation-related mRNA signals in an open randomized study 24. In knee osteoarthritis, a mixture of collagen, boswellic acids, MSM and vitamins reduced the synovitis area more than glucosamine with chondroitin 16. In a pilot study without a placebo group, antioxidant capacity in the blood increased after training with MSM, and homocysteine decreased 25. A mixture of glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, MSM, guava leaf extract and vitamin D did not significantly change serum hyaluronan compared with placebo 19. The favorable results come from mixtures or from a pilot study without a placebo group, and the participant numbers are small. The effect of MSM alone, the transferability to longer-term courses and the influence of the forms studied (powder, capsules, topical preparation) remain open.

MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane): Further Outcomes in Studies

In women with knee osteoarthritis in a weight-loss training program, glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM did not change body composition, strength and metabolic values more than placebo 20. A chewing gum with EDTA, xylitol and MSM did not differ from a chlorhexidine mouth rinse in plaque and gum values 22. In contrast, an MSM-containing mixture improved the body pain index more than placebo 12. Another raised physical quality of life more than glucosamine with chondroitin 16. In chronic bacterial prostatitis, a mixture of saw palmetto, selenium, lycopene, bromelain and MSM in addition to levofloxacin reduced symptoms and relapses 27. Because of the mixtures, these results cannot be attributed to MSM alone. The overall evidence is low; the studies are small and short, and the forms tested range from capsules to chewing gum. It remains open whether MSM alone - as a powder, capsule, tablet or topically applied preparation - has a benefit for joint, skin or other complaints.

Further studies in this area: 31 34 35 36 40 43 45

4. How Is MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) Dosed? Preparation, Dose and Duration in Studies

The studies used MSM as a powder for dissolving, as capsules, as tablets and as topically applied preparations such as nail polish or cream. Some of the investigations tested MSM alone, but many as a combination product with other substances such as glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, curcumin or collagen. The exact amounts and treatment durations are shown in the table.

5. Is MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) Safe? Side Effects in Studies

With a mixture of MSM, boswellia, pine bark, curcumin and piperine, side effects occurred about as often as with placebo 15. With a similar mixture, slightly more participants discontinued because of side effects than with placebo 26.

6. What Remains Open: Limits of the Evidence

• Many studies tested MSM only in combination products, so the effect of the individual substance remains open.
• The participant numbers of most studies are small and the observation periods short.
• For MSM alone in athletes, only one very small investigation is available.
• Long-term effects and the transferability to pure MSM preparations are not clarified.

7. Bottom Line: What Is Established About MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane)

MSM is used as a powder, capsule, tablet or topically applied preparation, especially in the context of joints, sport and skin. For knee complaints, MSM alone in two randomized studies relieved the complaints more than placebo 914. Many other joint studies tested only mixtures. For skin, inflammatory markers and sport, smaller studies found partly favorable but inconsistent results, mostly with mixtures 161819202425282930.

Above all, the effect of MSM alone, the transferability to pure preparations and long-term courses remain open.