MSM/sulfur supplements with the fewest additives
MSM (methylsulfonylmethane, a way of delivering sulfur/sulphur) may be useful for fighting osteoarthritis, post-exercise muscle soreness, and fatigue. However, many MSM supplements add excipients I think are worth avoiding.
I also lean towards brands who use Bergstrom Nutrition's OptiMSM in their products for a few reasons, even though they tend to be more expensive:
- It's made in the US rather than China as most of the other producers are.
- Bergstrom Nutrition has openly shared their specs (including purity levels and aluminimum/arsenic/cadmium/mercury/lead levels) and their distillation process. I don't know enough to judge their claims that their distallation process is superior to the usual process of crystallization, but it sounds plausible.
With those constraints, here's the brands I'd suggest:
MSM powder suggestions:
This first suggestion is more expensive, but provides a certificate of analysis showing their composition and that they're made in the US:
- silica-free / silicon-dioxide-free
- hypromellose-free / hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-free
- free of gums
OptiMSM methylsulfonylmethane powder.
These two are much less expensive (under 3 cents per gram), and are probably identical to PureBulk's:
- silica-free / silicon-dioxide-free
- hypromellose-free / hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-free
- free of gums
OptiMSM methyl-sulfonyl-methane powder.
- silica-free / silicon-dioxide-free
- hypromellose-free / hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-free
- free of gums
OptiMSM methylsulfonylmethane powder.
MSM gelatin capsule suggestion:
- silica-free / silicon-dioxide-free
- hypromellose-free / hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-free
- free of gums
OptiMSM methylsulfonylmethane, gelatin (capsule).
MSM veggie capsule suggestion:
- silica-free / silicon-dioxide-free
- hypromellose-free / hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-free
- free of gums
OptiMSM, vegetable capsule.
Other MSM products
The following are other MSM products I'm aware of, sorted alphabetically.
| Name | Ingredients |
|---|---|
| 7 Lights Sulfur Defense MSM (Powder) | Methylsulfonylmethane crystals (99.9%). |
| BulkSupplements MSM (Choice of Gelatin or Veggie Capsules) | Methylsulfonylmethane powder, capsule shell ingredients (BulkSupplements couldn't say what these were, other than presumably gelatin for the gelatin version). |
| BulkSupplements MSM (Powder) | Methylsulfonylmethane powder. A certificate of analysis is available. |
| Dexterity Health MSM (Liquid) | Methylsulfonylmethane, calcium ascorbate, distilled water. |
| Doctor's Best Best-MSM (Powder) | OptiMSM methylsulfonylmethane powder. |
| Doctor's Best Best-MSM (Tablets) | OptiMSM methylsulfonylmethane, microcrystalline cellulose, stearic acid, magnesium stearate (vegetable source). |
| Dr Mercola MSM with Organic Sulfur Complex | OptiMSM methylsulfonylmethane, L-methionine, R-alpha lipoic acid (from sodium R-alpha lipoate), organic sulfur vegetable blend (garlic, broccoli, collard greens, cauliflower, and kale), capsule (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose), silicon dioxide. |
| Jarrow Formulas MSM (Gelatin Capsules) | OptiMSM methylsulfonylmethane, magnesium stearate (vegetable source), capsule consists of gelatin. |
| Health Natura MSM (Powder) | MSM powder. A certificate of analysis is available, with the China as the country of origin |
| Kala Health OptiMSM MSM (Powder, Course Flake-form) | OptiMSM methylsulfonylmethane powder. Make sure to get the "course flake" powder rather than the "fine crystal" form if you want to avoid silicon dioxide. |
| Lifetime Vitamins MSM (Powder) | Methylsulfonylmethane powder. |
| MRM MSM Crystals (Powder) | MSM (methyl-sulfonyl-methane) powder. |
| Natural Factors MSM (Capsules) | OptiMSM methylsulfonylmethane, gelatin capsule (gelatin, purified water), magnesium stearate (vegetable grade). |
| Natural Factors MSM (Tablets) | OptiMSM methylsulfonylmethane, cellulose, silica, magnesium stearate (vegetable grade). |
| Nature's Way OptiMSM (Tablets) | OptiMSM methylsulfonylmethane, vegetable cellulose, vegetable modified cellulose, vegetable magnesium stearate, vegetable glycerin, and vegetable acacia. |
| NOW Foods MSM (Gelatin Capsules) | Methylsulfonylmethane, gelatin (capsule), stearic acid and magnesium stearate. |
| NOW Foods MSM (Powder) | Methylsulfonylmethane powder. |
| NuSci MSM (Powder) | Methylsulfonylmethane powder (assayed at 99.9%). |
| NutraBio MSM (Opti) (Powder) | OptiMSM methylsulfonylmethane powder. NutraBio is unable to provide a certificate of analysis without a purchase. |
| NutraBio MSM (Opti) (Veggie Capsules) | OptiMSM methylsulfonylmethane powder, vegetable capsule (probably hydroxypropyl methylcellulose). |
| PC NetwoRx OptiMSM (Powder) [Discontinued?] | OptiMSM methylsulfonylmethane flakes. |
| Pure Encapsulations MSM (Powder) | Methylsulfonylmethane powder (OptiMSM). |
| Pure Encapsulations MSM (Veggie Capsules) | Methylsulfonylmethane powder (OptiMSM), vegetarian capsule (cellulose from pesticide-free Southern pine, probably hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, water). |
| PureBulk MSM (Powder) | Methylsulfonylmethane powder. |
| Source Naturals MSM (Tablets) | OptiMSM methylsulfonylmethane, molybdenum chelate, vitamin C (as ascorbic acid), sorbitol, stearic acid, modified cellulose gum, silica, and magnesium stearate. |
| Trimedica Pure MSM (Liquid) | Methylsulfonylmethane, deionized water, benzyl alcohol. |