Benefits of Sulfur For Your Good Health
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is biologically active sulfur. The benefits of sulfur to your health are well-known but not discussed often. Sulfur a natural (essential) mineral you don’t hear about often (if ever) but is widely used by those in the health and fitness industry. MSM supplement benefits are incredible for you, inside and out.1
You don’t store sulfur. Your body uses up everything it has each and every day so getting enough is important to overall health.
There was a time we received all we needed from our food supply but that’s a dismal situation now. The soil where our food is grown is so stripped of the nutritional content it used to give us, there’s a good chance you’re not getting enough of what you need and supplementation might be a good fit for you.
Symptoms of Sulfur Deficiency...
- Chronic fatigue
- Trouble dealing with stress (physically or emotionally)
- Depression
- Excessive inflammation
- Skin problems
- Indigestion
- Chronic pain
- Problems with menstruation
Your body could be trying to tell you that you’re low on sulfur benefits your body requires and need to get more through your diet or supplementation.2
Benefits of Sulfur Supplements (MSM)
In vertebrae animals, sulfur is the third most common mineral in the body and aids in many critical functions inside you. It’s one of the most “undercover” essential nutrients!3
Half of your sulfur concentrations are located in your bones, muscles, and skin. The rest is used for hundreds of physiological functions outlined in a report from the National Institutes of Health to make amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) and to produce insulin.
One study found that the benefits of sulfur and the functions it aides in the human body are poorly studied or understood.
The called sulfonation a function of “fundamental importance” – especially in the role it plays in our hormone production and distribution.4
Sulfur directly impacts cholesterol, pregnenolone, thyroglobulin (and other thyroid hormones), glycoproteins (manufactured in your pituitary gland), neuroendocrine peptides (part of your central nervous system), as well as the hormones directly associated with growth and the development of our skin barrier.5
When you really examine what your body uses sulfur to accomplish, you have to wonder why this mineral isn’t studied more extensively. Unfortunately, scientists know it’s important to human biology but don’t always understand precisely how it works.
Supplement Sulfur to Benefit Many Functions in Your Body...
- Repair damaged cellular tissue and aid in the production of new cellular tissue
- Slow degenerative bone and joint loss associated with aging
- Lower system-wide inflammation (especially for joints and skin)
- Improve your internal production of collagen and keratin (skin, hair, and nails)
- Ease effects of chronic pain with natural analgesic properties
Improve the way you manage stress (inside and outside your body) - Boost immune system function and wound healing
- Raise overall energy levels by boosting metabolism of food (and vitamin B)
- Inhibit “leaky gut” particles from re-entering the bloodstream
- Clear the arteries of the heart (reverse atherosclerosis)
- Provide powerful antioxidant properties that boost absorption of other nutrients
There are a few animal studies that have found the benefits of sulfur to include some truly outstanding “side effects” such as being anti-diabetic, cancer protective, anti-parasitic, anti-allergic, and neuroprotective.6
It also has detoxification properties that have shown great promise in the flushing of toxins from your cell membranes. Scientists are enthusiastic about future discoveries regarding this ancient and abundant mineral.7
Benefits of a Sulfur-Rich Diet
Getting sulfur through your food is absolutely possible but it can be a struggle to maintain adequate consumption. As our soil is depleted of the vitamins and minerals that used to infuse our food naturally, we’re losing access to sulfur benefits in the quantities humans once received.
These foods are the right choice for many health concerns so it figures they’d feature on a list for undercover sulfur.
Choosing organic or grass-fed options when you can means you’ll get a higher nutrient content than commercially produced vegetables, dairy products, and meats.
Foods Rich In Sulfur
Best Food Sources of Sulfur
- Eggs
- Kale, spinach, or arugula
- Cabbage or Brussels sprouts
- Broccoli or cauliflower
- Walnuts
- Red bell peppers
- Artichokes
- Tomatoes
- Onions, garlic, or leeks
- Asparagus
- Grass-fed beef or cheese
- Seafood
- Flax seeds
The closer to raw you can eat sulfur-rich fruits and vegetables, the less sulfur you’ll lose in preparation. It tends to break down with long cook times or during high-heat cooking.
If you’re not sure you’re going to get enough through your diet, consider an MSM supplement to make sure you’re getting enough. Supplements are well-tolerated by the majority of people since sulfur is naturally present in your body. However, rare side effects of supplementation include stomach upset.
Finding natural ways to relieve chronic pain are imperative to the quality of life of hundreds of millions of people around the world. Biologically active sulfur is a simple (and effective) method to try if you suffer from pain that seems never-ending.
References:
1 Food Matters: 5 Important Ways MSM Could Benefit Your Health
2 The Weston A. Price Foundation: A Possible Contributing Factor in Obesity, Heart Disease, Alzheimer’s and Chronic Fatigue
3 American Institute for Biosocial and Medical Research: Sulfur in human nutrition and applications in medicine
4 National Institutes of Health: Sulfonation and molecular action
5 News Medical Life Sciences: Many Americans deficient in magnesium, sulfur and sulfate
6 Southern Botanicals: Sulfur for Better Health? 10 Surprising Ways Sulfur Can Benefit You
7 Dr. Axe: MSM Supplement Improves Joints, Allergies and Gut Health
