MSM
MSM, or methylsulfonylmethane, as powder, capsules and tablets. You will find pure MSM and blends with glucosamine or vitamin C, plus our reasoning on forms, purity on the label and how to build up your daily amount.Read more →
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What methylsulfonylmethane is and how to choose your form
MSM stands for methylsulfonylmethane, an organosulfur compound: a molecule that carries sulphur. Small amounts sit in milk, fruit, vegetables and in your own body fluids. The MSM in supplements is made and purified in a lab, because plants do not give useful amounts. It is a white powder with a bitter taste that dissolves well in water. On our site it sits with the sulphur carriers in our amino acid range, next to NAC.
The forms differ in dosing, taste and price
- Powder: the lowest price per gram, and you decide the amount yourself. The taste is bitter, so most people stir it into juice or a smoothie.
- Tablets and capsules: a fixed amount per unit and no taste. Easy to carry, but a higher daily amount means swallowing several.
- Distilled MSM: purified by distillation instead of crystallisation, sold under names such as OptiMSM. The purity is stated on the label.
MSM also appears inside blends with glucosamine, chondroitin or vitamin C. Those blends are about one habit instead of three, not about a stronger effect. If you want to compare single ingredients first, look at our glucosamine options before you choose a combination.
What we are allowed to say about MSM
Very little, and we would rather be straight about that. EFSA, the European food safety authority, assessed MSM for joints, collagen, hair and nails and approved no health claim. So neither we nor any other shop may tell you what MSM does in your body. What we can do is describe the ingredient, the forms and the amounts used in practice. Studies and product labels sit between one and three grams a day. If you try it, give it two to three weeks of steady use before you judge how you get on.
How we choose MSM at BONO
We look at three things: purity, the amount per serving and whether a combination makes sense. We prefer MSM that names its purity and its distillation method on the label, because that is checkable. For powders we want MSM and nothing else: no flow agents, no sweeteners. For tablets we check the amount per tablet, so you are not swallowing six to reach a normal serving. Blends only make our shelves when each ingredient is dosed at a level used in research, not sprinkled in. Every product passes our compliance team, we test ourselves and independent labs spot-check batches. See how we select brands and products.
Who MSM suits, and who should wait
MSM is mostly chosen by adults who already use Collagen or glucosamine and want to add sulphur, and by people who prefer a plain powder over pills. It is vegan, since it is lab-made rather than taken from animals.
Start small. People who begin at three grams a day sometimes report loose stools or a mild headache in the first days, which usually settles when they build up more slowly over a week or two. Labels normally state 18 years and over. There is no reliable data for pregnancy and breastfeeding, so ask your midwife or GP before you start. If you take medication regularly, check with your pharmacist first.
Frequently asked questions
MSM is short for methylsulfonylmethane, an organosulfur compound. That means a molecule built around sulphur. It occurs naturally in small amounts in foods such as milk, fruit, vegetables and grains, and in the fluids of the body. Because those food amounts are tiny and easily lost during cooking and storage, people who want more take it as a supplement. You will also see it listed as dimethyl sulfone or methyl sulfone on labels.
