This is the first of a series of articles on minerals. Sulfur is an essential mineral – the third most abundant mineral in the body (after calcium and phosphorus). MSM (MethylSulfonylMethane) is a naturally-occurring sulfur compound often used as a sulfur supplement.
Sulfur is a component of several essential amino acids and also:
• gives skin a healthy elasticity and makes hair and nails grow faster and stronger
• is essential for the function of immunoglobulins, an important part of the immune system
• neutralizes allergens in both the GI & respiratory tracts thus reducing food and air-born allergy symptoms
• protects the GI tract from parasites
• improves permeability of cell walls to allow nutrients in and flush toxins out
• reduces muscle soreness by helping flush out lactic acid and other toxins
• increases permeability of cell walls to insulin thus reducing insulin resistance and helping to normalize blood sugar
Sulfur is found in many foods including most fresh raw fruits and vegetables, milk, meat, eggs and some grains. For this reason it is sometimes assumed that we get sufficient in our diets. But the sulfur compound is easily lost with even modest processing – cooking, drying, pickling, even long-term storage depletes the sulfur.
MSM supplementation:
• is safe and non-toxic – you can’t overdose with msm
• is odorless, does not produce intestinal gas or body odor
• has no reported interactions with other medications
• works better with vitamin C
• is often combined with glucosamine for joint pain
Another way to obtain sulfur is to soak in a bath with Epsom Salt (magnesium sulfate) – both sulfur and magnesium are absorbed through the skin.
Sources:
U Maryland Medical Center
Nutrition & Metabolism – Are we getting enough sulfur in our diets?
Mercola – MSM ad
For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.
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