Earlier in the thread, it was mentioned that MSM is derived from sulfur. Any ideas if it would have a negative affect on someone with a sulfa drug allergy? (think hives, really, really itchy hives...........everywhere 
)Â I am not sure I want to chance it, but some relief from this back pain would be awesome.
Well, I dont know much about allergic reactions- and I would defer to someone that knows more about medicine in these areas than me. I will however, give you my free opinion as an average JoeÂ
MSM is naturally occuring, and you get it in fruits and vegetables already (as well as other sources as noted below). Your body needs sulfur to function:
NATURAL SOURCES OF MSMMSM is the natural form in which sulfur is found in the earth's sulfur cycle (3). Algae and several forms of plankton in oceans are capable of absorbing massive amounts of inorganic sulfur from seawater, and to convert this into a simple, organically-bound form. When these algae and planktonic organisms die, enzymatic processes result in the breakdown of the organic molecules into DMS, or Dimethylsulfide. This compound is volatile and poorly soluble in water. It collects in the stratosphere, where it is oxidized under the influence of ultraviolet light into DMSO (Dimethylsulfoxide), and further converted into MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane). DMSO and MSM are highly soluble in water, and therefore concentrate easily in atmospheric water vapor, returning to earth in the form of rain. Plant roots rapidly collect and concentrate these sulfur sources. Laboratory research has shown, that a one ppm mixture of radioactive labeled DMSO and MSM, can concentrate hundred fold in plant roots within hours (4).
Rainwater in particular therefore contains a lot of MSM. It is also abundantly found in fresh fruit and vegetables in amounts generally ranging from 1 to 4 mg/kg (3). Raw milk from cows which graze in pastures contains 2 to 5 mg/kg MSM. Due to the volatile nature of MSM, it is rapidly lost due to heating during the preparation of food. It is also lost when vegetables and fruit are left for a period of time, heated or not. Pasturized milk therefore contains less than 0.25 mg/kg MSM, roughly the same amount as found in milk from cows fed dried, artificial food (3). Due to our present day's dietary patterns, it is unavoidable that modern man suffers from a chronic shortage of MSM.
MSM AND HUMAN HEALTHThe natural level of MSM in the circulatory system of an adult human male is about 0.2 mg/kg. Normal adults excrete 4 to 11 mg MSM per day in their urine. Several studies suggest, that the systemic concentration of MSM drops in mammals with increasing age, possibly as a result of changing diet or body metabolism. Some research suggests, that there is a minimum concentration of MSM that must be maintained in the body to preserve the normal function and structure (8, 9). Low concentrations of MSM in our bodies have been linked with unspecified complaints of fatigue, depression, high sensitivity to physical and psychological stress, and with a large number of degenerative diseases (5, 6). MSM is an important source of sulfur, but also has unique properties related to its chemical structure and biological activities. To understand the preventive and therapeutic properties of MSM, a distinction needs to be made between "why humans need sulfur" vs. "why humans need MSM".[/list]
While I was in Survival School for the USAF, they taught us a technique with which to test a new plant source to see if it was edible, in a survival situation. Try a little bit, and see if you have a reaction (real small dose), and incrementally increase the dosages. My guess though, is that you will likely not have a reaction because MSM is naturally occuring, and you are already getting it in your food- naturally though, in smaller doses.
G
