What is MSM and why has Kala Health chosen OptiMSM® for over 40 years?

MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is a small, lightweight molecule with a molecular weight of just 94. Due to this low molecular weight, MSM is exceptionally easily absorbed by the body. MSM is the form in which sulphur naturally occurs in all living organisms and in which it is biologically active. It is found in fruits, vegetables and in the milk of pasture-fed cows.

But not all MSM is equal. The difference lies not in the molecule itself, which is identical everywhere, but in the purity of the end product. And it is precisely here that OptiMSM® fundamentally distinguishes itself from all other MSM on the market.

Kala Health has been importing OptiMSM® to Europe since the 1980s, as the first to do so. Over these decades, we have guided thousands of people with MSM supplementation and possess unique practical experience that few other suppliers can match. Our therapists and nutritional specialists are available daily to advise you.

Sulphur: the third most abundant mineral in your body

Sulphur is the third most abundant mineral in the human body, after calcium and phosphorus. It is an essential component of amino acids such as methionine and cysteine, and therefore of all proteins the body builds. Sulphur plays a role in the formation of collagen, keratin and connective tissue. It is present in skin, hair, nails, joints and muscles.

Yet sulphur receives relatively little attention compared to other minerals. Partly because sulphur deficiency is difficult to measure, partly because the important role of organically bound sulphur has only been properly understood in recent decades. MSM is the most bioavailable form of sulphur: a small molecule that is easily absorbed and can be utilised throughout the entire body.

Through food processing, heating and prolonged storage, the MSM content in our diet declines rapidly. The concentrations in modern food are a fraction of what our ancestors consumed through fresh, unprocessed produce. This makes MSM supplementation an interesting addition to the daily diet for many people.

OptiMSM®: the only MSM in the world purified by distillation

MSM was already being studied in the 1960s by scientists affiliated with the Health Sciences University in Oregon in the United States, under the leadership of Professor Stanley W. Jacob M.D. Dr. Jacob documented his experiences in several books: “The Miracle of MSM, the Natural Solution for Pain” (1999) and “MSM, the Definitive Guide” (2003).

OptiMSM® is the purest MSM available, produced by Bergstrom Nutrition in the United States and the only one in the world purified through multiple distillation. OptiMSM® is also the only MSM with published, peer-reviewed research. OptiMSM® is the only MSM in the world produced according to the worldwide patents of Robert J. Herschler.

Distillation versus crystallisation: the crucial difference

OptiMSM® distinguishes itself by being purified through quadruple distillation. This removes all potential contaminants, leaving only pure MSM. Bergstrom Nutrition is the only company in the world that applies the distillation method to purify MSM.

All other manufacturers ‘purify’ their MSM using the inexpensive crystallisation method, in which MSM is dissolved in water and then dried. This is not truly a purification, although it is often presented as such. All contaminants do not disappear but remain present. Moreover, the water used typically contains contaminants of its own that end up in the MSM crystals.

How distillation works: the principle behind boiling points

Bergstrom Nutrition uses the expensive distillation method to purify MSM. In this method, MSM is heated to its boiling point (238°C). The MSM vapour is captured, cooled and crystallises back into MSM crystals. This method achieves the highest purity:

Substances with a lower boiling point evaporate before MSM begins to evaporate. This removes in particular the volatile organic compounds that may be present as contaminants.

Substances with a higher boiling point remain behind in the distillation apparatus. These are primarily the heavy metals: lead (boiling point 1740°C), cadmium (765°C), arsenic (613°C) and mercury (356°C).

MSM: natural or synthetic? And why that is the wrong question

Many people appear to struggle with the question of what exactly the source of MSM is. Is it natural or synthetic? Is it plant-based? Some manufacturers claim that their MSM is ‘distilled from pine trees’. We also regularly encounter the claim that MSM is ‘of natural origin’, or even ‘organic’.

MSM is a natural substance found in the human body and many foods. The richest source of MSM is breast milk, in concentrations of no more than a few milligrams per litre.

In theory, MSM could be extracted from pine trees. However, we would then need to cut down most of the pine trees on earth to obtain a reasonable amount of MSM. In practical terms, this claim is therefore impossible, as is the claim that MSM is ‘of natural origin’ or ‘organic’. All MSM currently offered on the market does not originate from trees, plants or oils. You cannot isolate, extract or cultivate MSM; a chemical reaction is required to produce it.

From ‘wastewater’ to pharmaceutical raw material: how MSM is produced

The American manufacturer Cardinal Nutrition (now: Bergstrom Nutrition) was the first to use wastewater from the paper industry as a raw material for the production of MSM. From this wastewater, the substance lignin was extracted, which was further converted into DMS (dimethyl sulphide) by binding it to sulphur. It was then converted into DMSO, and subsequently into MSM.

A major disadvantage of wastewater is that it contains a great many other substances that we do not want in our dietary supplements, including contaminants of all kinds. For this reason, Bergstrom Nutrition decided years ago to move away from wastewater and to use DMSO sourced from the pharmaceutical industry.

DMS and DMSO are small and relatively simple molecules that can easily be produced synthetically, and are identical to what is found in Mother Nature. All MSM offered today is synthetically produced from DMSO and hydrogen peroxide. Because all DMSO is synthetically produced, the origin of DMSO is irrelevant.

It is a misconception to believe that one MSM is ‘more natural’ than another. All commercially available MSM is synthetically produced from the same raw materials. There is, however, a difference, but then we must look at the quality of production and the purity of the end product.

Bergstrom Nutrition’s attention to quality and purity elevates its OptiMSM® above all others. From the very beginning, Bergstrom Nutrition has pioneered the distillation process to guarantee purity and safety. Experts around the world recognise that Bergstrom Nutrition uses a superior multiple distillation method to purify MSM. The end product is biologically identical to MSM found in nature.

Sulphur existed before oxygen: MSM as primordial supplier

The element sulphur belongs to the same main group as the element oxygen. Sulphur and oxygen are therefore closely related. In oxygen-free environments, organisms often use sulphur instead of oxygen as a source of energy.

In 1986, an underground cave was discovered in Romania that had probably not been in contact with the outside world for five million years. A total of 48 new invertebrate species were discovered in the cave. The animals owe their existence to warm, upwelling, sulphur-rich water that fills the cave with high concentrations of hydrogen disulphide (H₂S). For humans, this sulphur-rich gas would be lethal. For the bacteria, fungi and animals in the cave, it forms the very basis of life.

We must consider that hundreds of millions of years ago, oxygen was barely present on earth. Only after land plants began to develop did the oxygen levels in the atmosphere rise. After that, it took a very long time before the oceans had absorbed the oxygen. We know that hundreds of millions of years ago, algae in the oceans began producing simple organic sulphur compounds, such as MSM. These sulphur compounds were probably the first and most important energy sources for all life forms that developed afterwards. This lends support to the idea that higher life forms may be genetically programmed to use MSM as a sulphur source.

In various studies with laboratory animals, MSM was used in which the sulphur had been made radioactive (³⁵S). These studies revealed that MSM, after oral intake, is partially broken down and the released sulphur is utilised by the body. The radioactive sulphur (³⁵S) was found in the collagen and keratin of hair and nails. Surprisingly, radioactive sulphur was also found in the amino acids methionine and cysteine, and in the proteins of blood serum. This discovery proves that sulphur derived from MSM is incorporated into what is known as methionine metabolism.

Without methyl groups, no new DNA: MSM as methyl donor

Methyl groups are the building blocks from which all organic molecules are constructed. The body is constantly breaking down and rebuilding tissues and cells. Millions of times per second, methyl groups are made available to molecules in our body. This process, called methylation, affects all life processes. Without methyl groups, no new DNA can be formed and therefore no new cells can be created.

The interesting fact now presents itself that the MSM molecule is composed of two methyl groups and one sulphur atom (as a sulphate group). An MSM molecule is broken down in the body into a sulphate (sulphur) group and two methyl groups, leaving no residue whatsoever. It is almost certain that MSM was an important and perhaps the sole supplier of methyl groups for the primitive life forms that developed hundreds of millions of years ago. Are all other life forms that developed afterwards genetically programmed to use MSM as a methyl donor? All indications point in that direction.

It is remarkable that MSM can be ingested in virtually unlimited quantities by all life forms studied to date, without toxic effects. In technical terms: an LD50 has never been established, this being the dosage in an experimental setting at which 50% of test animals die.

The half-life of MSM in the body is approximately 48 hours, and after 480 hours MSM is still detectable in urine. This makes MSM the most stable source of sulphur and methyl groups for the body.

No toxic residual molecule: why MSM fundamentally differs from other methyl donors

The MSM molecule consists of two methyl groups and one sulphate group. When the body breaks down MSM, precisely those three components are produced and nothing else. There is no toxic residual molecule. There is no by-product that the body needs to dispose of. The body breaks MSM down completely into usable building blocks, without any waste.

Compare this with methionine, another important supplier of methyl groups. Methionine is an essential amino acid that the body cannot produce on its own. When methionine donates a methyl group, homocysteine is formed. Homocysteine is not harmful in itself, provided the body converts it again quickly enough. But with a deficiency of vitamin B6, B12 or folic acid, homocysteine can accumulate. With MSM, this issue simply does not arise. After breakdown, no molecule remains that the body still needs to process. Precisely because no residual product remains, MSM can be taken in considerably higher quantities than most other dietary supplements.

Two methyl groups, one sulphate group, zero waste: what happens when your body breaks down MSM

The methyl groups released during the breakdown of MSM are used by the body for methylation: the process in which methyl groups are attached to molecules to activate, transform or break them down. Methylation is involved in the formation of new DNA and the regulation of gene expression. But methylation also plays a role in the production of numerous other molecules. Certain neurotransmitters, including choline, serotonin, noradrenaline and adrenaline, are dependent on methylation reactions for their synthesis. Millions of times per second, such reactions take place in your body. Without a continuous supply of methyl groups, these processes would come to a halt.

The sulphate groups released are equally important. In the liver, sulphate groups are used in so-called phase II conjugation reactions: processes in which foreign substances are coupled to a sulphate group, rendering them water-soluble so they can be excreted via the kidneys. Additionally, sulphur is an essential component of the amino acids methionine and cysteine, and therefore of all proteins the body builds.

MSM delivers both building blocks simultaneously: methyl groups and a sulphate group. And it does so without any residual product. This explains why no researcher has ever been able to establish a toxic dose of MSM in any life form studied.

Flake and Microprill: the two grades of OptiMSM® and what the difference means

Two grades of OptiMSM® powder exist. First, there is the fine powder, known as the ‘Microprill’ grade. This is a fine powder whose crystals easily stick together. This grade is primarily intended for tabletting, requiring very few fillers. To keep the powder workable, 0.1% silicon dioxide has been added (silicon dioxide is simply finely ground sand). One could therefore say that this grade of OptiMSM® is 99.9% pure.

The second grade of OptiMSM® is the coarse powder, known as the ‘Flake’ grade. These crystals are somewhat coarser and stick together less. ‘Flakes’ are primarily intended for mixing into feed and dissolving in water or fruit juice. However, due to the larger crystals, dissolving takes somewhat longer than with ‘Microprills’. OptiMSM® ‘Flakes’ not only mix more easily with food, no silicon dioxide has been added. One can therefore say that the ‘Flake’ grade is 100% pure.

For our OptiMSM® Capsules, the ‘Flake’ grade is used. These pure crystals do not stick together and are therefore the most suitable crystals for encapsulation. This means our capsules contain 100% pure OptiMSM®, without any additives.

From paper mill to dietary supplement: the discovery of MSM

Over fifty years ago, Dr. Robert Herschler, working as a chemist at the Crown Zellerbach Corporation paper mill, was asked to find a useful application for lignin, one of the factory’s waste products. Oxidation of the lignin in a reactor yielded DMSO (dimethyl sulphoxide), a natural, organic form of sulphur. DMSO was not a new substance, as a Russian scientist had already produced it in 1867 and described it in a German journal.

Initially, Crown Zellerbach focused its research primarily on the application of DMSO as a solvent for pesticides. One day, Dr. Herschler and a colleague got some pesticide dissolved in DMSO on their skin and subsequently became seriously ill. Investigation revealed that the pesticide, which normally could not be absorbed through the skin, had inexplicably entered the men’s bodies.

By this time, Dr. Herschler had come into contact with Dr. Jacob, who was primarily interested in DMSO as an antifreeze for transplant organs. Both men discussed the accident and realised that DMSO apparently possessed an important property that no one yet knew: it was capable of dissolving chemical substances and transporting them through the skin into the human body.

DMSO has been the subject of various international symposia. According to Dr. Jacob, over the years more than 12,000 scientific publications have appeared on the biological applications of DMSO, and 28,000 on its chemical properties.

Due to its bitter taste and pungent odour, DMSO never became popular with the general public. Furthermore, it was found to easily cause skin irritation when applied to the skin. In the late 1970s, Robert Herschler took the initiative for further research into the natural metabolites of DMSO. The research was carried out at the Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, under the leadership of Professor Stanley Jacob.

From earlier research, it was already known that MSM is the most important metabolite of DMSO. After DMSO is absorbed by the body, approximately 15% is converted into MSM. Urine analysis showed that orally ingested DMSO was no longer detectable in urine after 120 hours. MSM, however, was still detected after 480 hours. The delayed excretion is probably caused by MSM forming a stronger bond with body tissues than DMSO.

The researchers discovered that many of the healing properties attributed to DMSO should probably be ascribed to its metabolite MSM. Moreover, they discovered that MSM is far more user-friendly than DMSO: it is more stable, odourless and does not cause skin irritation.

For a very long time, the application of MSM remained limited to the veterinary market and cosmetics. Fear of the strict FDA regulations was the underlying reason. Only after the FDA relaxed its rules in the 1990s did MSM become available as a dietary supplement for humans.

Quality and production

Every package of OptiMSM® Capsules is filled in our own FSSC 22000 certified facility in the Netherlands. From raw material analysis to encapsulation and packaging: everything takes place in-house, under the direct supervision of our quality team. Paul Klein Breteler, founder and product developer of Kala Health, has been personally involved in the formulation and quality control of every OptiMSM® product since the 1980s. Thanks to this complete chain control, we guarantee purity, safety and traceability at every step of the process.

The OptiMSM® raw material is extensively tested before it enters our facility. Every batch is checked for identity, purity and the absence of contaminants. Only after approval by our quality team is the raw material released for production.

The complete Product Specification Sheet with all technical specifications, laboratory analyses and certificates can be viewed in the product gallery on this page.

Certifications and guarantees

OptiMSM® Capsules meet international quality and safety standards:

• FSSC 22000 certified: filled in our own certified Dutch facility according to the highest food safety standards
• GMO free: certified in accordance with EC 1830/2003, no genetically modified ingredients
• Not irradiated: in accordance with EC 1999/2, no ionising radiation applied
• 100% plant-based capsules: HPMC capsules, suitable for vegetarians and vegans
• Guaranteed free from: preservatives, synthetic flavourings, colourings and fragrances

Who is this product suitable for?

OptiMSM® Capsules have been developed for:

• Adults who want to supplement their daily sulphur intake
• People who value the purest form of MSM
• Users who prefer an easy-to-take capsule over powder
• Athletes and active people
• Vegetarians and vegans (100% plant-based capsules)
• People who prefer a product without fillers or additives

Product features at a glance

• 1000 mg OptiMSM® per capsule from Bergstrom Nutrition (USA)
• Quadruple distillation for maximum purity
• 100% Flake quality without silicon dioxide or other additives
• Plant-based HPMC capsules suitable for vegetarians and vegans
• Filled in the Netherlands in our own FSSC 22000 certified factory
• Complete chain control from raw material to finished product under direct supervision
• GMO free and not irradiated in accordance with EU legislation
• Product Specification Sheet available in the product gallery
• Free from: preservatives, synthetic flavourings, colourings and fragrances

The complete OptiMSM® range from Kala Health

In addition to our OptiMSM® Capsules, we offer the same high-quality OptiMSM® in various other forms:

All variants contain exclusively OptiMSM® from Bergstrom Nutrition, purified through quadruple distillation.

Important notice

A dietary supplement is not a substitute for a varied diet. A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important. This product is a dietary supplement (contains MSM).

Due to legal restrictions, we may not disclose all details about the possible effects of this dietary supplement. Kala Health has published comprehensive information brochures about MSM that are available free of charge upon request. We will add these brochures to your order upon request.

For content-related questions or personal advice, we are available by phone at: (+31) 070 345 0290. And by email: info@kalahealth.eu.