An inexpensive sulfur compound used for joint discomfort, hard training and skin quality. Controlled trials show real but modest improvement in knee pain; analyses combining the trials have not confirmed a dependable benefit, and a prevention trial in symptom-free people found nothing. Skin and blood-fat findings are not repeated independently. Safety is the strongest part of the record. (Full Review)
| Marker | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Joint questionnaire score | Change from own baseline; roughly 10 points on a 100-point scale | The primary endpoint in every MSM joint trial |
| hs-CRP | Below 0.5 mg/L | Tests whether body-wide inflammation actually falls |
| ALT and AST | 10–26 U/L for women, 10–30 U/L for men | Confirms the absence of liver stress at multi-gram doses |
| Creatinine and eGFR | eGFR above 90 mL/min/1.73 m²; creatinine mid-reference | MSM is cleared almost entirely by the kidney, so filtration sets exposure |
| HDL cholesterol | Above 60 mg/dL (1.55 mmol/L) | The only metabolic marker moved in a controlled MSM trial |
| Homocysteine | 5–7 µmol/L | MSM donates methyl groups, so this checks methylation balance |
| Complete blood count | White cells, platelets and haemoglobin within reference, haemoglobin mid-range | Confirms the absence of the blood changes that trial safety data found unchanged |
Cadence: Baseline draw before starting; joint questionnaire repeated at 4 and 12 weeks; laboratory panel at 12 weeks, then every 6–12 months for as long as use continues