More Natural Painkillers – MSM and Celadrin

Last Updated on March 9, 2010 by Jimson Lee

I am currently based about 40 minutes north of Rome in a town called Nepi.

Nepi is famous for their natural bubbly spring water (Acqua di Nepi) where locals can bring their empty bottles and fill them up for free between the hours of 2-6pm.  The bubbly water tastes like Perrier but the price is right.  You can always buy Acqua di Nepi bottled water around 2.40 Euro for a 6 x 1.5L pack.  But I like going directly to the source as it’s a fun community event. 

There are two water taps: one bubbly water, and one from a natural hot spring that smells like sulphur.  Often there is a line up for the former because free is good.  However, there is never a line-up for the sulphur based water.  (Geez, I wonder why?)

Why is Sulphur good for me?

Sulphur smells like rotten eggs.  I don’t need to explain that it’s not a pleasant smell.

Some locals swear by the sulphur drink because it has reported medicinal properties.  If you can’t stand the stench, then you can offset it by adding a squeeze of lemon or lime.  HINT: add the peel as that is where the oils are located which gives lemons and lime their aromatic smell.

Sulphur is found naturally in every cell (muscle, adipose, cardiac, and connective tissue) of the human body with the highest concentrations found in the joints, hair, skin and nails.

But your body needs some sulphur to aid in the health of your soft connective tissues and cells.  Fortunately, Sulphur exists in meat products from the amino acids methionine and cysteine, and luckily you can’t taste it.  For a complete reference of protein, read Lyle MacDonald’s The Protein Book.

And this is where MSM or Methylsulfonylmethane comes in.

Rub-on-Relief:  Arnica, Menthol, Celadrin, and MSM

I can’t talk about Track and Field without mentioning injuries, and I can’t talk about injuries without mentioning pain

In a previous post, I mentioned the wonders of Arnica, Tiger Balm and Menthol and one of my favourite products, Rub-on-Relief. 

Rub-on-Relief contains several pain killers and anti-inflammatories such as Arnica, Menthol, Celadrin, and of course MSM.

What the heck is Celadrin?

Celadrin delivered relief to 100% of the participants in the study performed at the University of Connecticut. This substance has been tested and proven to deliver fast pain relief while also stimulating healing in the cells and tissues.

Another study reported in the prestigious Journal of Rheumatology found that Celadrin was effective at reducing pain in the elbow, wrist and knees. It’s proven itself to be a very powerful anti-inflammatory and pain reliever that is also very safe to use long-term.

What the heck is MSM?

MSM delivers vital sulphur (yes, sulphur) to your connective tissue to form healthy bonds in your cells and joints for faster healing and pain relief.

Research reported in The Journal of Anti-Aging Medicine found that in a recent study, MSM resulted in an 80% reduction in pain when compared to the placebo group. MSM has proven to be a very effective and completely safe pain reliever.

How does MSM Affects Pain?

Reported studies have shown MSM relieves pain by reducing inflammation, promoting blood flow, and reducing muscle spasms. 

It also inhibits pain impulses along the nervous system network called “C fibers”, which are fibers carrying message signals of pain from the site of damaged tissue to your brain.

Why MSM gets a bad rap?

MSM gets a bad rap because of reported claims for literally all ailments that exists.

I surfed the web for fun (okay, I was bored) and came up with this massive list of claims.  Some are outrageously too funny to be true.

Here goes:

MSM helps speeds the healing of wounds and cuts, MSM relieving allergies to food and pollen, MSM reduces backache, MSM stops leg cramps, MSM stops candida. MSM heals bursitis. MSM detoxifies the body. MSM relieves stress. MSM cures asthma. MSM increases energy level. MSM relieves constipation, MSM heals tendonitis, curing fibromyalgia.

Glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulfate and Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)

There are several reports that Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate in conjunction with MSM may be beneficial.

But there is no long term proof that either substance, taken singly or in combination, will actually slow the degenerative process or restore cartilage in arthritic joints.

My belief is once the injury pain and inflammation has begun, there is no magic pill you can take to cure it.  There are only pills out there to cure the symptoms temporarily.

Let me repeat… there is no magic pill you can take to cure it.

However, Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate in conjunction with MSM may be beneficial in the prevention phase, along with the other 99 things you do already.  At the end, it is hard to establish what worked and what didn’t work.