The Benefits of MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) for Athletes: The Evidence Base

MSM is often offered to athletes as a means for faster recovery and healthy joints. The editorial team analyzed studies involving physical exercise and osteoarthritis to find out how well these promises are supported by scientific data.

Why athletes are interested in MSM

Intense and unusual loads, especially with an eccentric component (downhill running, the negative phase in strength exercises), cause micro-damage to muscle fibers. This manifests as delayed-onset muscle soreness, a decrease in strength, and an increase in blood markers such as creatine kinase.

In addition to mechanical damage, exercise is accompanied by oxidative stress and an inflammatory response. These processes are part of normal adaptation, but during periods of dense competition or training camps, athletes look for ways to speed up recovery.

MSM came into view precisely because of its hypothetical anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties described in mechanistic studies. An additional argument was the popularity of MSM for joint pain, since in athletes with a long training history the joints are often the "weak link."

Below, the editorial team examines the key studies of MSM in the context of physical exercise, paying attention to their design, sample size, and the practical significance of the results obtained.

Key studies involving exercise

In the study by Barmaki and co-authors (2012), untrained men took MSM at a rate of 50 mg/kg of body weight per day for 10 days before a 14 km run. The authors reported a lower increase in certain markers of muscle damage and a higher total antioxidant capacity compared with placebo.

Kalman and co-authors (2012) in a pilot study gave healthy men 1.5 or 3 g of MSM per day for 28 days, after which the participants performed a series of leg extensions aimed at inducing muscle damage. There were trends toward less muscle pain and fatigue, but most of the differences did not reach statistical significance.

In the double-blind RCT by Withee and co-authors (2017), participants took 3 g of MSM per day for 21 days before a half marathon. After the run, the MSM group reported less increase in muscle and joint pain, while the differences in laboratory markers of oxidative stress were less convincing.

Van der Merwe and Bloomer (2016) studied the effect of 28 days of intake of 3 g of MSM on cytokine secretion by blood cells before and after exhausting exercise. The results indicated a modulation of the inflammatory response, but the clinical significance of these changes for recovery is not yet clear.

Joints: data from osteoarthritis studies

For athletes with chronic joint discomfort, studies of MSM in knee osteoarthritis are relevant. In the work of Kim and co-authors (2006), 6 g of MSM per day for 12 weeks reduced pain and improved physical function on the WOMAC scale.

Debbi and co-authors (2011) obtained similar results at the same dosage and duration: improvements in pain and function, although the authors emphasized that the effect size is moderate and longer studies are needed.

Usha and Naidu (2004) compared 1.5 g of MSM, 1.5 g of glucosamine, and their combination. Both components individually outperformed placebo, and the combination gave a somewhat better result. This study is often cited as a rationale for "glucosamine + MSM" complexes.

It is important to remember that the participants in these works were middle-aged and older people with diagnosed osteoarthritis. Transferring the results to young athletes with joint overload can only be done with great caution.

Strengths and weaknesses of the evidence base

Among the strengths is the fact that most MSM studies have a randomized, placebo-controlled design, and some are double-blind. Also attractive is the consistency: in various works there is a trend toward a reduction in subjective pain.

The main weakness is the small samples: sports studies involved from one or two dozen to several dozen people. With such a number of participants, random fluctuations can both create the illusion of an effect and hide a real small effect.

The second problem is the heterogeneity of protocols. Different doses, durations of intake, types of loads, and sets of markers complicate comparison and meta-analysis. In addition, part of the research was funded by raw material manufacturers, which does not make it unreliable but requires independent replication.

Finally, there is almost no data on the effect of MSM on training results in the long term: strength, endurance, body composition. Accordingly, it is incorrect to speak of MSM as a means of improving sports results.

How the editorial team assesses the benefits of MSM for athletes

Taken together, the available data allow MSM to be regarded as a potential auxiliary means for reducing pain after exercise and chronic joint discomfort. It is not a performance "booster" and not a replacement for full recovery.

The most justified use scenarios are the period of preparation for long competitions (as in the half-marathon study) or situations where an athlete has stable moderate joint pain without signs of acute injury.

In contrast, one should not expect MSM to noticeably accelerate muscle hypertrophy, growth of strength, or endurance. For these purposes there are supplements with a much stronger evidence base: creatine, caffeine, beta-alanine, and a sufficient amount of protein.

Any joint pain that worsens or is accompanied by swelling, blocking of movement, or instability requires examination by a doctor. MSM should not mask the symptoms of an injury that requires treatment.

• Realistic expectations: a little less pain, not better results.
• Assessing the effect: after 3–4 weeks for recovery, after 8–12 weeks for joints.
• Priority: sleep, nutrition, dosing of loads.

Editorial conclusions

The evidence base of MSM for athletes consists of several small RCTs in which a moderate reduction in muscle and joint pain after exercise was observed. Data on laboratory markers of damage and oxidative stress are heterogeneous.

The effectiveness of MSM in knee osteoarthritis has somewhat better, but also limited, evidence. A direct effect on strength, endurance, or body composition has not been proven.

MSM can be regarded as a safe auxiliary tool with realistic expectations, but not as the basis of a recovery strategy.

We also recommend familiarizing yourself with our articles "MSM: What It Is and How It Works," "How to Take MSM: Dosage, Timing, Duration," and "Myths About MSM."

References

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3. Kalman DS, Feldman S, Scheinberg AR, et al. Influence of methylsulfonylmethane on markers of exercise recovery and performance in healthy men: a pilot study. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012;9(1):46.
4. Withee ED, Tippens KM, Dehen R, et al. Effects of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) on exercise-induced oxidative stress, muscle damage, and pain following a half-marathon: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:24.
5. van der Merwe M, Bloomer RJ. The influence of methylsulfonylmethane on inflammation-associated cytokine release before and following strenuous exercise. J Sports Med (Hindawi). 2016;2016:7498359.
6. Kim LS, Axelrod LJ, Howard P, et al. Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in osteoarthritis pain of the knee: a pilot clinical trial. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2006;14(3):286–294.
7. Debbi EM, Agar G, Fichman G, et al. Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane supplementation on osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized controlled study. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2011;11:50.
8. Usha PR, Naidu MU. Randomised, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled study of oral glucosamine, methylsulfonylmethane and their combination in osteoarthritis. Clin Drug Investig. 2004;24(6):353–363.