Pure OptiMSM™* - Pure Acerola

The best of two worlds - Balchem OptiMSM®* and natural acerola with a very high natural vitamin C content - All without any additives

MSM and sulfur, the neglected nutrient
After calcium and phosphorus, sulfur is the third most common mineral in the human body. MSM is organic sulfur, methylsulfonylmethane, also known as dimethylsulfone. The human body contains about 0.2% of its mass in sulfur, for example, a weight of about 70 kg contains about 140g of sulfur. This is five times more than, for example, magnesium with about 28g, and yet unlike organic sulfur, more magnesium is consumed worldwide. The majority of sulfur in food is supplied by the sulfur-containing amino acids (SAAs) methionine and cysteine. Methionine cannot be produced by our body and must therefore be supplied through diet. Dr. sc. med. Bodo Kuklinski and Dr. Anja Schemionek point out in their book "Mitochondrial Therapy - The Alternative" that "Cysteine and Methionine - In cases of strong oxidative stress, the available amount of glutathione may not be sufficient. Then, other substances (preferably those with sulfur) are attacked, such as α-lipoic acid or coenzyme A. To counteract these effects, sulfur-containing amino acids cysteine and methionine help. They are oxidized instead of the other substances and thereby protect them." Without sulfur, methionine is also lacking. Methionine has many important functions in the body. For example, it transports selenium to various places in the body where it is urgently needed. Without selenium, the immune defense no longer functions properly, and we become more susceptible to inflammation and infections. Selenium is very important for blood vessel walls, connective tissue, and eyes, and it also protects against free radicals. Glutathione, one of the strongest antioxidants, cannot fulfill its function without sulfur to combat free radicals. If the body cannot produce enough glutathione due to sulfur deficiency, increased oxidative stress occurs, weakening the immune system. MSM can counteract this entire oxidative complex. Recent research has shown that OptiMSM™* provides the body with an easily accessible sulfur pool, which prevents essential sulfur-containing amino acids (SAAs) methionine and cysteine from being metabolized due to their sulfur content. Previous pharmacokinetic and metabolic research with orally ingested MSM shows that it is quickly absorbed and well distributed, and then excreted from the body. Its role as a sulfur donor and its ability to maintain SAAs explain the wide range of health benefits observed with OptiMSM™*.

Improved oxygen uptake for cells, detoxification of brain cells
The body requires sulfur to enable amino acids and proteins to enter cells. Without sufficient sulfur, the cell membrane becomes impermeable, making it increasingly difficult to excrete alkaline (acidic) breakdown products, which can cause cells to degenerate or even die over time. Since sulfur quickly forms compounds with other substances, it is excellent for detoxifying heavy metals. The permeability of cells is increased, allowing more nutrients and vitamins to be absorbed, and toxins and pollutants to be transported out of the cell and the body more quickly. MSM also crosses the blood-brain barrier and is thus able to transport toxins from this region as well. It has been shown in experiments to be present in both gray and white matter, with a washout half-life of 7.5 days. Our brain is relatively defenseless against harmful environmental influences. For example, toxins can cause significant damage because pollutants, which tend to concentrate in nerve cells, cause significant neurological damage. Therefore, it is enormously important that MSM, as one of the few antioxidants, crosses the blood-brain barrier and can thus protect against oxidative damage. Of course, it is also advantageous that by improving cell elasticity, toxins can be broken down more quickly.

MSM and Diabetes
Studies have shown that MSM can significantly increase insulin production in diabetics, activate the entire carbohydrate metabolism, and improve the reduced ability to wound healing in diabetes. As a result, patients reduced the amount of insulin they needed to inject. Sulfur is also a component of insulin. When the body is regularly supplied with sufficient MSM, this increases the permeability of the cell membrane, allowing blood sugar to enter the cell more effectively for energy production. Less blood sugar - better metabolism.

Beauty comes from within
A recent study (2020) has shown that oral intake of OptiMSM™ helps reduce the signs of skin aging, such as facial wrinkles and skin roughness, and improves skin firmness, elasticity, and moisture. Since both dosages (1 or 3 grams) were effective, the researchers highlighted the effectiveness of OptiMSM™ in reducing visible signs of skin aging, even at a low dose of 1 gram per day. In a scientific study published at the end of 2019, OptiMSM®* also showed positive effects on hair and nail health, possibly due to its effect on keratin.

What do MSM and DMSO have in common?
When DMSO (Dimethylsulfoxide) is ingested, a part of the DMSO is converted to MSM in the body. MSM is said to have largely the same effects as DMSO, albeit slower than DMSO, but without the typical slightly rancid - garlic-like odor of DMSO, which even emanates through the lungs after several days of DMSO ingestion. MSM is attributed with significantly anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and antitumor properties. MSM acts against pain similarly to DMSO, and MSM has many of the same effects as DMSO. In a study from the 1990s, researchers found that the transmission of pain impulses was already slowed down by low concentrations of DMSO. DMSO inhibits pain impulses in the C fibers, the nerve fibers that transmit pain impulses. C fibers transport pain impulses from damaged tissue to the brain. Other studies have shown that DMSO can even cause a blockade of the central pain response in the brain, where the pain is received. Exactly the same effect is suspected for MSM as well.
In the late 1970s, Robert Herschler researched the natural metabolites of DMSO at the Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland under the direction of Professor Stanley Jacob. It was already known from earlier studies that MSM is the main metabolite of DMSO. After the body absorbed DMSO, about 15% was converted to MSM. Urine analysis showed that orally ingested DMSO was no longer detectable in the urine after 120 hours, but MSM could still be detected after 480 hours. The delayed excretion is probably due to the fact that MSM binds more strongly to body tissue than DMSO. The researchers also found that many of the medical effects attributed to DMSO are likely due to its metabolite MSM. And it turned out that MSM is much more user-friendly than DMSO: it is more stable, odorless, and does not cause skin irritation. The user does not emit that strong characteristic smell.

MSM - Qualities - natural? - synthetic? - pure? - highly bioavailable? -

There are strange rumors circulating about MSM on the internet. There was talk of production from pine wood until an investigation of carbon dating by the laboratories of Beta Analytic revealed that the characteristic amount of radioactive carbon 14, which is found in every product made from recently living material (tree, pine wood, corn, biomass), was not found (zero) in any product. However, it was clear: it cannot come from plant production.
Everywhere you find MSM offers with "absolute" purities of about 99.6 to 99.9 percent. That sounds almost like 100% pure! Great! And what does that mean when you take a closer look? Calculated per kilogram, it means 996 to 999 grams out of 1000 grams are pure, meaning we have one to four grams left over. However, what these four grams consist of became quickly and clearly apparent. They contain exactly the impurities, heavy metals from the wastewater (so-called strong black liquor) of the paper industry. This is the cheapest source for producing MSM or DMSO. The naturally occurring lignin in wood is separated during paper production from the cellulose needed by the paper industry. The methyl groups are isolated and converted into dimethyl sulfide (DMS) by adding sulfur. This is then converted into DMSO by catalytic oxidation with oxygen. From this, MSM and water are produced again by adding hydrogen peroxide in an oxidation process. However, the productions then take two completely different paths. All MSM products except OptiMSM®* from Bergstrom are "cleaned" by heating (and evaporating). However, the contaminants and heavy metals contained therein cannot be removed because they do not simply dissolve into the air even after multiple boiling and refilling with water. This process is found everywhere under the designation of crystallization, sometimes also 3-fold or 4-fold crystallization, but this does not change the fact that this (naturally cost-saving) process cannot really remove everything conclusively.

The patented and worldwide unique process by Balchem to separate impurities is as follows: Firstly, no black liquor is used as the starting material, but Bergstrom obtains its DMS directly in the quality demanded by Bergstrom from the pharmaceutical industry. However, the most important thing is the cleaning of the end product through multiple distillation, not evaporation by heating, so that no residues remain in the MSM. This is the only way to obtain completely pure material, and Bergstrom operates the only plant worldwide where only MSM and nothing else is produced. This also eliminates contamination from the production of other substances, and it is no coincidence that OptiMSM®* is the only MSM worldwide to have obtained approval from the US FDA as a pharmaceutical and medical product.

OptiMSM®* is a trademark of Balchem Corporation, which is manufactured in the USA in a single-purpose production facility and cleaned by a protected multi-stage distillation process. In this process, impurities are removed by using specified boiling points to isolate the MSM molecules. Distillation also guarantees a low moisture content, which is reflected not only in weight but also prevents micro-contaminants and loss of quality. This results in MSM with a calculated purity of 99.9999974%, as far as today's laboratory analysis technology goes.
In nature and in the human body, MSM is formed by the sulfur cycle of the earth, but the natural sources are far too low for MSM production. Therefore, all commercially available MSM is produced using processes that mimic the sulfur cycle of the earth and, when used correctly, yield the same results as nature. MSM's ability to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress makes it an important component for overall health. Chronic inflammation is associated with a range of health problems and the aging process. Research on MSM continues to support its inclusion in various formulations, ranging from joint health to beauty, cognitive and immune health, and sports nutrition.

OptiMSM® uses the much more complex and costly distillation process to clean MSM. The MSM is heated to the boiling point of 238°C. The resulting "MSM vapor" is cooled down, and crystallizes back into MSM crystals. This process is repeated several times, resulting in MSM crystals of the highest possible purity:
1. All impurities with lower boiling points evaporate before the MSM. These impurities are mainly organic compounds.
2. But most importantly, all impurities with higher boiling points remain in the so-called distillation column. These impurities are mainly heavy metals. They have much higher boiling points:

Mercury (Hg): 356°C
Lead (Pb): 1740°C
Cadmium (Cd): 765°C
Arsenic (As): 613°C

gsOptiMSM®* from Balchem is, according to today's laboratory technology, the only MSM without detectable heavy metals worldwide. You wouldn't really want heavy metals in a mineral meant for cell detoxification and crossing the blood-brain barrier. After extensive research, we chose OptiMSM® simply because Balchem is the only manufacturer worldwide that purifies MSM through distillation multiple times, and that too in a production facility exclusively reserved for MSM production. The entire site is a product. Below are the results, which are also roughly the limits of detection according to today's laboratory technology.

Mercury (Hg): < 0.001 ppm (mg/kg)
Cadmium (Cd): < 0.005 ppm (mg/kg)
Arsenic (As): < 0.01 ppm (mg/kg)
Lead (Pb): < 0.01 ppm (mg/kg)

The entire interview by Trung Nguyen with Patrick McGean, Director of the Live Blood and Cellular Matrix Study - Body Human Project, can be found in English here.

Our MSM flakes are the pure crystal precipitate, unground and untreated, simply pure. Our tablets are made without any flow aids or other additives, they also do not contain any substances that do not need to be specified, the 250mg of added acerola comes from Brazil and is sustainably grown and selectively harvested in a small operation without chemical fertilizers or pesticides, to ensure the extremely high vitamin C concentration of 27-30%. The acerola powder is freeze-dried and also contains no binders, not even unspecified ones (they don't even need to be listed on the packaging) like maltodextrin or acacia gum, of course also no additional ascorbic acid for "standardization". But all acerola polyphenols and bioflavonoids are included for improved bioavailability and metabolism as well as duration in the body.
Therefore, the vitamin C values fluctuate depending on the vintage and harvest between 25% and sometimes a little over 30%.
Simply the pure active ingredients pressed into a tablet with 1000mg of MSM and 250mg of pure acerola.
OptiMSM®* is a trademark of Balchem Corporation or its subsidiaries