Sulphur - another multitasking tool

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[DATE OF FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS PAGE - FEBRUARY 2024] 

....namely for leaky gut, fermenting gut, poor gut motility, for healing and repair, inflammatory bowel disease, detoxification, protein synthesis, glucose metabolism

Other multitasking tools

I love simple easy tools that multitask - they make my job easier! They also mean that the patient need spend less, and gets more bang for his buck!

Other such tools are:

A Brief History of Sulphur

Sulphur (sulfur to our North American friends) has had a bad reputation through the ages, often being associated with the Devil and Hell, and its use in gunpowder only served to cement this bad reputation! In Shakespeare's "The Tempest", the spirit, Ariel, replies to the magician Prospero, as to whether his orders have been carried out, that: 

The fire and cracks
Of sulphurous roaring the most mighty Neptune
Seem to besiege, and make his bold waves tremble;
Yea, his dread trident shake.

[Aside - my co-author, Craig, and his then girlfriend, now wife, Penny, saw a production of The Tempest at The Minack Theatre in Cornwall, in 1983, whilst a fierce storm raged! The actors carried on, the audience buttoned up, the rain swept in, the wind blasted, and as they left, Craig overheard one chap say "Well none of us ever needs to see The Tempest again - we've just lived it!"]

Then you have Black “gun” powder which is approximately 75% potassium nitrate, 15% wood charcoal, and 10% sulphur, by mass. Roger Bacon (Wikipedia Page on Roger Bacon) in his "Letter Concerning the Marvelous Power of Art and of Nature and Concerning the Nullity of Magic", wrote his version of the formula, partly expressed as an anagram, and in the original Latin - 

Sed tamen salis petrae. VI. Part V. NOV. CORVLI. ET V. sulphuris, et sic facies toniitrum et coruscationem: sic facies artificium.
 But, however, of saltpetre take six parts, live of young willow (charcoal), and five of sulphur, and so you will make thunder and lightning, and so you will turn the trick.

Cast these ideas from your mind!

Here I write of sulphur as an essential element with many useful properties for good health.

Read on!

Introduction

Sulphur is an essential building block for hair, skin, bones, muscles and tendons and is the eighth most abundant element in the body [Ref - Libre Texts Medicine - Sulphur.

Disulphide bonds hold us together! It is essential for a non-leaky gut. Sulphur containing amino acids (homocysteine, cysteine, methionine, taurine) are vital for many enzyme systems, for protein synthesis (healing and repair), to quench free radicals (anti-oxidant), and liver detoxification (L cysteine and glutathione). Most people are deficient in sulphur because it is deficient in soils and so in Western diets. Deficiency is associated with obesity, poor glucose control and atherosclerosis and dementia.

How the body compensates for sulphur deficiency

When sulphur is lacking in the body, the gut comes to the rescue with an increase of sulphur reducing bacteria to create bioavailable sulphur. These may be in the upper gut: streptococcus, enterobacter, helicobacter and many others which thrive in a sulphur deficient environment. These ferment foods to produce vital sulphate – yippee! But there is a payback for this microbial service…….such ferments may cause symptoms such as diarrhoea, pain, rashes and hydrogen sulphide (foul smelling wind). Sulphur reducing bacteria in the lower gut may be associated with constipation as sulphur is essential for mucous and this allows frictionless movement within the gut.

So, 

Sulphur deficiency presents, paradoxically, with the above symptoms of sulphur intolerance! Sufferers cannot tolerate pulses, onions, garlic and brassicas. Bloating may be a particular feature - 30 grams, one ounce, of fermentable substrate can generate 22 litres or 5 gallons of gas!

Treatment - general

The treatment, then, is to provide lots of bioavailable sulphur to the body so that the required sulphur no longer needs to come from bacterial fermentation. Indeed, even better, this extra sulphur in the diet kills off the unfriendly upper gut aerobic fermenters (including yeast) AND encourages growth of the friendlies in the anaerobic microbiome.

But there is an issue.....and herein lies the rub – when you first give the gut more sulphur, all the microbes above initially ferment harder – the symptoms may worsen. THEN as sulphur stores in the body are repleted, and the dose increased, the upper gut fermentation is slowed and killed off by higher dose of sulphur. Conversely the friendlies in the microbiome are restored because in the anaerobic large bowel sulphur is an energy source for friendly bacteria.

So, once again, (see Diet, Detox and Die-off Reactions Expect to get worse) when introducing a new supplement, one may feel worse before one feels better.

But eventually, providing extra sulphur means there is no further need for sulphur reducing bacteria and benefits for both the upper and lower gut result as mentioned above.

Meat, fish, eggs and bone broth are rich in sulphur, and so this problem is more likely to occur in vegans and vegetarians

Treatment - specific

The treatment of these gut symptoms, which are symptomatic of sulphur deficiency, is to use MSM (methylsulphonylmethane) – a biologically available source of sulphur

Dr Kathleen Janel ("GI Janel" - see GI Janel website) has worked out the above and recommends using MSM.

Many other micronutrients are necessary for sulphur metabolism - so do take a basic package - see Groundhog BASIC – what we should all be doing all the time. This includes starving out upper gut fermenters with a PK diet and killing them with vitamin C 5 grams and Lugol’s iodine 15% 3 drops daily.

THEN add in MSM. You can purchase this cheaply - see MSM Crystal Powder 1kg - Pure | Vegan | Methylsulfonylmethane | 99.9% Highly Dosed Sulpher

MSM may be all you need. However if you have other gut symptoms, or are very sensitive, then Dr Janel recommends you mix into your kilogram bag of MSM the following

Dosing

Start with a tiny dose ¼ tspn daily and build up according to your tolerance of. Aim for 6 heaped teaspoons (or 2 heaped tablespoons) ie 30 g per day for two months. It can cause you more gas and bloating to begin with for the reasons above and it may take days to months to get to the 6 teaspoons per day. You don’t get to the proper therapeutic dose until you get to 2 teaspoons per day. That’s when it really starts to do its job properly. Then when you get to the 6 teaspoons per day, remain on that dose for two months.

The tolerant gut can manage to increase the dose by 1 tspn every 1-5 days. For the intolerant gut, go slow. Any symptoms worsening is a good sign! So maintain the dose until these settle before increasing again

This is a very safe intervention! We need between 800 and 1500 mg of sulphur per day. You can take up to 8g per kg of your weight per day safely. So for someone who is 70 kg could take up to 560g per day safely. The body doesn’t store sulphur, so we rely on receiving that from our diet every day, and any excessive amounts within the body is removed from the body via urine every day. So 30g a day is a very safe amount to take and over 2 months will replace any deficiency.

Once improved, many chose to stay on a maintenance dose of ½-1 tspn a day to mitigate the deficiencies of Western diets.

Acknowledgement

Thank you Frank Dalton for introducing me to the work of Dr Janel! See Dr Janel's book - GI Janel - Permanent IBS/SIBO Resolution

Other conditions that respond well to MSM

(Reference - Wikipedia Page on MSM (which itself has many links))

Osteoarthritis

A review of two small randomized controlled trials of methylsulfonylmethane in osteoarthritis (OA) knee pain relief "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." The two trials included 168 people, of whom 52 received MSM, either 1.5 g/day or 6.0 g/day. (Note – these are small doses – with up to 6 tspns of MSM daily expect much better results)

References:

Subsequent to the 2008 review there have been two more clinical trials :

  • One was a double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled trial with 49 participants taking 1.125 g of MSM or placebo three times daily for 12 weeks. The results showed a significant decrease in WOMAC physical function and total WOMAC scores, as well as improvement in VAS pain scores. The effect size of MSM supplementation was slightly lower than that of NSAID use as reported in other clinical trials. The authors wrote "longer-term trials may yield additional and greater improvements." See Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane supplementation on osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized controlled study
  • The second used 6.0 g/day versus placebo for 26 weeks. Subjects were evaluated through the WOMAC questionnaire, SF-36 Quality of Life survey, and Global Assessments for OA symptoms from both patients and physicians. WOMAC results showed significant improvements in all areas for the MSM group. The MSM group also showed a strong trend towards changes in disease status. Careful lab monitoring of health indicators showed no side effects of MSM supplementation and no adverse events were reported. See The Effect of Methylsulfonylmethane on Osteoarthritic Large Joints and Mobility

Cancer

A South Korean study focussing on the role of MSM affecting growth factors associated with breast cancer identifies MSM to have multiple targets, both in vitro and in vivo, including STAT3, STAT5b, IGF-1R and VEGF, confirming the ability of MSM to suppress tumor initiation, growth and metastasis in a dose dependent manner. See Methylsulfonylmethane Suppresses Breast Cancer Growth by Down-Regulating STAT3 and STAT5b Pathways

HDL cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol), beneficial effect

A small 2021 Randomized Controlled Trial on cardiometabolic markers found a possible relationship between a daily dose of 3 g of MSM and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels on overweight and obese people. The MSM group demonstrated higher HDL levels after 16 weeks (51.8 ± 2.8 mg/dL) when compared to the baseline (44.9 ± 3.7 mg/dL) and also versus the placebo group (42.7 ± 2.5 mg/dL at baseline vs 48.0 ± 4.9 mg/DL at 16 weeks). See The Effect of Daily Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) Consumption on High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Healthy Overweight and Obese Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Skin, hair, nails

The first scientific investigation of MSM for skin health was published in 2015. The RCT used a 3g per day dose and included only 20 women. Results showed significant improvements in the number and severity of facial wrinkles, firmness, tone and texture. See Effects of Oral Supplementation With Methylsulfonylmethane on Skin Health and Wrinkle Reduction

Another study evaluated doses of 1g and 3g and showed improvements in wrinkles, firmness, and hydration at both dose levels in 20 persons.See Beauty from within: Oral administration of a sulfur-containing supplement methylsulfonylmethane improves signs of skin ageing

The same author published a study on MSM for hair and nails from the same clinical trial. The results showed improvements in hair shine, volume, and appearance, and nail shine and appearance. See Beneficial Effects of a Sulfur-Containing Supplement on Hair and Nail Condition

An Italian study evaluated the effects of a nutraceutical composed of MSM, hyaluronic acid, and L-carnosine. The results from RCT showed broad improvements in facial skin hydration and elasticity, as well as decreased sebaceous secretions. See Randomized, Placebo-controlled Study of a Nutraceutical Based on Hyaluronic Acid, L-carnosine, and Methylsulfonylmethane in Facial Skin Aesthetics and Well-being

Oxidative stress and inflammation

Multiple human and animal trials indicate MSM may reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. In one small human trial, MSM has been shown to protect muscles from damage by reducing the amount of oxidative stress damage incurred through exercise. See

and

In a second small trial the total antioxidant capacity was significantly increased after taking MSM. See Effect of Single Dose Administration of Methylsulfonylmethane on Oxidative Stress Following Acute Exhaustive Exercise

Studies in animals indicate a hepatoprotective effect of MSM against several toxins including acetaminophen, paraquat, and carbon tetrachloride. See:

Animal models of experimental colitis and pulmonary hypertension indicate a protective effect as well. See:

Allergies and immunity

Two studies have evaluated the effects of MSM on allergic rhinitis. A 2004 multi-centered, open-label clinical trial found that MSM reduced both upper and lower respiratory symptoms associated with seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR), and increased energy levels. It found no significant changes in IgE levels, although the duration of the study was not likely long enough to see changes.[48] An RCT evaluated three doses of MSM and found that a 3g daily dose was most effective compared to 1g or 6g per day. Daily use at 3g decreased allergy-associated symptoms, including itchy eyes, itchy nose, watery eyes, rhinorrhea, sneezing, and nasal obstruction. The 3g dose also improved peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) indicating improved breathing. The study also evaluated an acute 12g dose and found significant improvements in all symptoms except itching eyes and sneezing, but not for PNIF. See Evaluating the Impacts of Methylsulfonylmethane on Allergic Rhinitis After a Standard Allergen Challenge: Randomized Double-Blind Exploratory Study

MSM has been shown to improve immune function markers. RCT found that in blood samples taken after bouts of exhaustive exercise, there was a reduced response to an infectious stimulus in the placebo group, but the MSM group maintained a robust response, indicating that MSM protected against stress-induced immunosuppression. The authors postulate that MSM’s anti-inflammatory properties reduce the overstimulation of inflammatory cells during exercise, thus conserving their ability to respond to infections threats. See The Influence of Methylsulfonylmethane on Inflammation-Associated Cytokine Release before and following Strenuous Exercise

This is supported by in vitro research showing MSM inhibits over-activation of white blood cells and has an anti-apoptotic effect. See:

MSM and DMSO

MSM is similar to DMSO - -so if DMSO is not tolerated, then MSM is a good substitute

Related Articles

External Links

References

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