There are so many supplements on the market today that it can be hard to see the wood for the trees. You may never have heard of MSM, but it is genuinely a supplement your body needs. Curious why? Read on.

What is MSM and why should you take it?

Sulphur is the forgotten mineral. MSM is the reason that is changing.

MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is an organic sulphur compound that occurs naturally in fresh fruit, vegetables and raw milk. After calcium and phosphorus, sulphur is the most abundant mineral in the human body. Sulphur is present in the antioxidant glutathione and in the amino acids cysteine and methionine — the building blocks of many proteins in your body. It is found in your joints, your skin, your hair, your nails. It is the glue that holds your connective tissue together.

And yet most people do not get enough of it. Not because they eat poorly, but because modern food is simply not what it used to be. What remains of MSM after heating and processing is a fraction of what was there before.

What does MSM actually do in your body?

MSM consists of two methyl groups (CH₃) and one sulfonyl group (SO₂). When the body breaks down MSM, those are precisely the three building blocks that are released. No toxic residual molecule, no by-product that needs to be processed. Only usable building materials.

The sulfonyl group supplies sulphur for the synthesis of structural proteins such as collagen and keratin. Scientists have radioactively labelled MSM (³⁵S) to track where it goes in the body. The sulphur from MSM was found in blood serum proteins, in the amino acids methionine and cysteine, and in the collagen and keratin of hair and nails. (Richmond, 1986; Magnuson et al., 2007) The body recognises MSM as a building material and uses it accordingly. Exactly how this works is still the subject of ongoing research (Wong et al., 2017).

Methyl groups can be added to a molecule such as DNA, proteins or hormones through a biochemical reaction called methylation. This process acts as a molecular switch that turns genes on and off, regulates neurotransmitters, assists with detoxification, and is essential for energy production and recovery in every cell of the body. How MSM may contribute to this process is currently still being researched (Clement et al., 2022).

Who is OptiMSM® Powder for?

The honest answer: almost anyone over thirty. But the most noticeable difference is experienced by people who:

• want to supplement their daily intake of organic sulphur
• are physically active and place high demands on their body
• are over 40 and notice that recovery takes more time
• value the purest form of MSM with no additives whatsoever
• want the freedom to determine and build up their own dosage
• are vegetarian or vegan

MSM is not a miracle cure, and we will never tell you it is. But it is one of the few supplements where, after three decades and thousands of customers, we are still surprised by what people report back to us.

Why powder, and not a capsule or tablet?

Freedom, purity, and a ritual that works.

Capsules and tablets are convenient. But they have a fixed dosage, and they always contain something alongside the active ingredient: a capsule shell, a tabletting excipient, a binder.

Powder does not. Our OptiMSM® Powder consists 100% of pure OptiMSM® — and that is literally all it contains. No silicon dioxide, no fillers, no excipients. What you see is what you get.

But the real advantage of powder is freedom. You can start low (1 gram per day) and gradually work up to what suits you. That way you get to know your body and find the amount that works best for you. Some people stay at 2 grams. Others take as much as 6 to 8 grams per day. That choice simply cannot be made with capsules. With powder it can.

Do you have questions about building up your dosage? Our therapists are happy to advise you personally.

How to use it

The coarse crystals dissolve well in water and fruit juice. Up to 4 grams per litre, the taste is nearly neutral. At higher concentrations the water develops a bitter taste, which you can mask by dissolving the MSM in fruit juice instead of water. Many of our customers make it a fixed morning moment: before the day begins, your daily MSM dose in your drink of choice. A small ritual, sustained consistency over time.

We include a measuring scoop. The 250 g and 500 g tubs come with a single scoop measuring one gram. The larger 1 kg and 5 kg packs include a double-sided scoop allowing you to measure 4 or 12 grams at a time.

On patience

MSM does not work in three days. It is not a painkiller, not a quick fix. It works slowly, as part of the continuous processes in your body. Most people notice something after 2 to 4 weeks. But the people who call us after 3 months are the ones who are truly enthusiastic.

That requires patience. But it is also exactly why we offer our powder in packs of up to 5 kilograms: for people who are serious about it and understand that supplementation is a long-term commitment, not a short-term impulse.

Flake vs. Microprill: what is really in your tub?

Balchem (USA) supplies OptiMSM® in two grades, and the difference is worth understanding.

• Microprill is a fine powder to which 0.1% silicon dioxide has been added to prevent the crystals from clumping during tabletting processes. It is 99.9% pure. Very good, but not 100%.
• Flake is coarse powder. No additives. No silicon dioxide. 100% pure OptiMSM®, exactly as it comes from the production process after distillation. This is what our powder contains.

What makes OptiMSM® different?

Not all MSM is the same. The difference is not in the molecule — it is in everything around it.

The MSM molecule itself is identical everywhere. Whether it comes from Balchem (USA) or an unknown manufacturer in Asia, the chemical formula is the same. What differs is everything else that is in it.

And that is precisely the problem with cheap MSM.

The two ways to purify MSM and why it matters

Almost all MSM on the market is purified through crystallisation. MSM is dissolved in water and then dried. That sounds clean, but it is not genuine purification. The contaminants that were present before the process are still there afterwards. Worse still, the process water often introduces new contaminants of its own.

That is why other manufacturers only guarantee heavy metals as a group to less than 10 to 20 ppm. That may sound low, but if you take this supplement daily over many years, it adds up.

OptiMSM® is purified through quadruple distillation. MSM is heated to its boiling point of 238°C, it vaporises, is collected, cooled and crystallised. The principle is elegant:

• Lighter contaminants vaporise before the MSM begins to vaporise. They are simply gone before the MSM’s turn comes.
• Heavy metals do not vaporise, because their boiling points are far higher. Lead only boils at 1,740°C, cadmium at 765°C, arsenic at 613°C and mercury at 356°C. These metals remain behind as residue. They never end up in your tub.

This process is repeated four times. The result is MSM with guaranteed heavy metal levels up to 20,000 times lower than those of other manufacturers. This is not a marketing claim — it is a measurable, certified fact.

Three things only OptiMSM® can say

• The only MSM with GRAS status from the FDA (GRN 000229) — the highest safety recognition in US food law.
• The only MSM with published, peer-reviewed clinical research (Toguchi et al., 2023).
• The only MSM produced under the worldwide patents of Robert J. Herschler (US4296130A) — the scientist who discovered MSM as a supplement.

An honest word about “natural” and “synthetic”

You will come across MSM labelled as ‘distilled from pine trees’, ‘of plant origin’ or even ‘organic’. We understand why that sounds appealing. But unfortunately it is not true.

MSM does occur in nature, but in concentrations far too low for commercial extraction. To obtain 1 kilogram of MSM from pine trees, you would need enormous quantities of trees. So that is not what happens. All MSM sold as a supplement, without exception, is synthetically produced. The molecule that results from that production process is biologically identical to what is found in nature.

That is exactly how chemistry works. And there is nothing wrong with it. What really matters is not the origin claim on the label, but the purity of the end product. And that is the only point on which MSM manufacturers genuinely differ from one another.

We are not saying this to discredit others. We are saying it because you have the right to understand what you are buying.

Kala Health: product developer, manufacturer and your therapeutic advisor since 1997

Not a middleman. A product developer with its own factory and more than four decades of MSM experience.

Kala Health’s founder, Paul Klein Breteler, was the first in Europe to import OptiMSM® to Europe. That was back in the 1980s, and since 1997 Kala Health has guided thousands of people through MSM supplementation, developing, refining and manufacturing products in-house.

Over these four decades we have worked closely with therapists, doctors and nutritionists who use MSM in their practice. That experience feeds back into everything we do: from the formulation of our products to the personal advice you receive from our specialists when you call or email. The complete Product Specification Sheet with all technical specifications, laboratory analyses and certificates can be found in the product gallery on this page.

Every pack of OptiMSM® Powder that arrives at your door has been produced in our own FSSC 22000-certified factory in the Netherlands. We purchase the raw material directly from Balchem, test every batch on arrival for identity, purity and the absence of contaminants, and only give production approval when everything checks out.

That sounds obvious, but with many supplement brands it is not.

What quality standards does our OptiMSM® Powder meet?

Our OptiMSM® Powder meets the most stringent international quality and safety standards:

• FSSC 22000 certified: produced in our own certified Dutch factory in accordance with the highest food safety standards
• GMO free: certified in accordance with EC 1830/2003, no genetically modified ingredients
• Non-irradiated: in accordance with EC 1999/2, no ionising radiation applied
• Microbiologically tested: every batch tested for the absence of E. coli, Salmonella, Enterobacteria and Staphylococcus aureus
• No pesticides, PCBs, dioxins or mycotoxins: not detectable in every tested batch
• Kosher and Halal certified: recognised by the Orthodox Union and IFNCA respectively
• Guaranteed free from: preservatives, synthetic fragrances, colorants and flavourings

The complete OptiMSM® range

OptiMSM® is also available in other forms, for those who prefer a capsule, a flavoured option, or topical MSM use. All variants contain exclusively OptiMSM® from Balchem, purified by quadruple distillation.

Legal notice

Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Consult a healthcare professional before using supplements in cases of pregnancy, breastfeeding, medication use or illness.

References

Clement, K., McGill, M. R., Miousse, I. R., Young, S. G., Melnyk, S., & Koturbash, I. (2023). Methylsulfonylmethane Serves as a Donor of Methyl Groups for Methylation of DNA in Human Liver HepaRG Cells. Journal of dietary supplements, 20(6), 950–962.

Magnuson, B. A., Appleton, J., & Ames, G. B. (2007). Pharmacokinetics and distribution of [35S]methylsulfonylmethane following oral administration to rats. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 55(3), 1033–1038.

Richmond, V. L. (1986). Incorporation of methylsulfonylmethane sulfur into guinea pig serum proteins. Life Sciences, 39(3), 263–268.

Toguchi, A., Noguchi, N., Kanno, T., & Yamada, A. (2023). Methylsulfonylmethane Improves Knee Quality of Life in Participants with Mild Knee Pain: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Nutrients, 15(13), 2995.

Wong, T., Bloomer, R. J., Benjamin, R. L., & Buddington, R. K. (2017). Small Intestinal Absorption of Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) and Accumulation of the Sulfur Moiety in Selected Tissues of Mice. Nutrients, 10(1), 19.