MSM for horses (Methylsulfonylmethane pronounced METH-el-sul-FON-il-METH-ane) is a natural form of sulphur, a mineral involved in maintaining good quality collagen, cartilage, hooves, hair, joint fluid and many important enzymes.
Organic sulphur is found in tiny amounts in the fluid and tissues of all living organisms. MSM contains 34% sulphur.
Sulphur is also known to inhibit scar tissue and slow neurotransmitters, triggering muscle relaxation. Sulphur naturally occurs in many feeds, but it can be unstable and breaks down during many forms of processing - such as when hay is dried. Supplementing with MSM is a handy way of delivering sulphur to your horse in a stable, easy-to-absorb form.
MSM has powerful antioxidant properties that can interfere with production of harmful free radicals - such as nitric oxide and carbon monoxide - which are generated during exercise and can cause damage to organs and cells, so performance horses and sports horses can benefit from the protection MSM is believed to give them.
The three most popular reasons for people to administer MSM to their horses are:
- Joint health - Several pre-clinical and clinical studies provide evidence of the effectiveness of MSM in supporting good joint health and mobility. Research points to the ability of MSM to protect and repair cartilage.
- Respiratory health - Supplementing with MSM appears to improve upper and lower respiratory symptoms due to seasonal allergies.
- Hoof health - Sulphur is a key, natural building block for healthy hooves.
But there are many other benefits believed to be obtained through supplementing horses’ diets with MSM.
Years before any scientific evidence supported its use, MSM for horses had earned a reputation for helping ease muscle soreness and arthritis.
Scientists now say that MSM makes the walls of cells more flexible, elastic and permeable so that water and nutrients can flow freely in and waste and toxins can flow out. This is why MSM is seen as an effective treatment for pain relief and osteoarthritis. MSM does
not cure osteoarthritis, but it is believed that it can reduce the swelling which causes the pain.
Studies have produced good evidence for believing that MSM for horses can have a preventive effect on the development of arthritis in joints, as well as a therapeutic effect on existing inflammation. It is also believed to minimise bruising, and speed recovery from bruises, after competition and sports.
MSM is believed to help blood circulation and can help maintain a healthy gut. MSM also seems to have a mild diuretic effect.
MSM does
not have a smell or taste that puts horses off and it has
no known side effects. Horse trainers have reported
no diarrhoea,
no allergic reactions and
no abnormal blood chemistry in animals taking it. They have also reported improvements in the condition of coats, faster, and healthier hoof growth, and quicker recovery after exercise.
MSM is
non-allergenic and the raw material used to produce it is 100% natural, meaning that it can be used safely in conjunction with other horse supplements and herbs for horses.
What is MSM and where is it found naturally?When phytoplankton and algae die and decompose they release sulphur compounds into the air where they are transformed into Dimethyl sulfide (known as DMS). Ozone and sunlight, converts DMS into Dimethyl sulfoxide (known as DMSO) and MSM. Both these substances are water-soluble - so when it rains they return to the ground in rainwater and are absorbed by plants which in turn are eaten by animals.
MSM is present in fresh, raw fruit and vegetables, milk, meat, seafood and some grains. But it is
not possible to extract it directly from these products because the concentrations are so small. Typically MSM and DMSO appear in quantities of less than one part-per-million. The highest concentration is found in mammal's milk, but even this is just 8.2 parts-per-million.
For this reason MSM for horses has to be manufactured, and there are two methods of producing it - distillation and crystallisation, which result in different levels of purity.
Crystallisation versus distillationPurification by crystallisation uses a wash and centrifuge process to separate impurities and by-products introduced during manufacturing. The purity of the crystals depends on the quality of the water and the raw materials used in manufacturing. Crystallisation is a less expensive production method than distillation and there is a greater chance of impurities creeping in. This makes it important to ensure that the supplier you use has high quality control procedures.
In the more expensive distillation process, heat instead of water is used to separate out the by-products and any impurities by making use of their unique boiling points. MSM’s boiling point of 478° F (248° C) allows pure MSM to be isolated from the rest of the solution. Distilled MSM also has a low moisture content, which further reduces the risk of microbial contamination and product degradation.
MSM produced synthetically by one of these methods - providing high standards of processing are applied - is identical to the MSM found in nature as it has the same molecular compounds.
How does MSM work?The exact way in which MSM works is still being investigated by scientists and researchers.
The most popular theory if that MSM inhibits inflammatory prostaglandins and leukotrienes, hormone-like substances that create inflammatory cascades in the body associated with the feeling of pain.
The best-researched use of MSM for horses is in the area of joint pain - reducing discomfort and pain that arises from degenerative conditions including osteoarthritis and from injuries and conditions like tendonitis or joint sprains.
Sulphur is abundant in connective tissue, and lack of sulphur in connective tissue is known to lead to problems.
Because MSM is 34% sulphur, it is likely that healthy connective tissue is helped by MSM supplementation. MSM delivers sulphur to the body in a way it can easily use.
MSM is a dietary supplement and should
not be used to treat serious diseases unless under veterinary supervision.
MSM can be supplemented alone or in combination with other equine joint supplements, such as glucosamine for horses.
