Doctors Best MSM Powder, Supports Hair, Skin, Nails, & Joints, Non-GMO, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Vegan Net Wt. 8.8 oz (250 Grams)

If you are reading this review, chances are you have osteoarthritis or an inflammatory disorder and it has been suggested that you supplement with MSM. But what the heck is MSM? It's awesome and I'll tell you why.MSM is a distilled and crystalized organic sulfur that is an essential nutrient and vital to ALL bodily processes. Without sulfur, you would die. MSM is the key to the whole sulfur cycle. Sulfur is created via geological processes and is then vaporized and carried to the upper atmosphere. There it is converted to MSM. As it falls, it mixes into the lower atmosphere and combines with rain. That rain water then falls to the earth where plants of all sorts take it into their system. They use it to build tissue and structure cells, sustain rapid growth, optimize photosynthesis, etc. Since it is an essential nutrient, they also store it. Animals then come along and eat the plants. As we digest the plant matter, our bodies extract the MSM and use it to build healthy tissue and cells, invigorate metabolism, detoxify, optimize gas exchange and power lungs, add elasticity and strength to skin and connective tissue (esp in joints), reduces and prevents inflammation, and supports muscle growth and repair. We, too, will store some for a rainy day. Then, when we die (or get eaten), we return to the earth, become part of the geological process, and the whole cycle begins again. This is a bit reductionist, but you get the idea.So, sulfur is imperative to life. Here's the bad news: we are screwing with the sulfur cycle. While plants and animals in the wild have access to MSM rich foods, the human supply is dwindling. Irrigated crops have drastically reduced levels as they are often grown in drought prone areas - hence the irrigation. We drink chemically treated water instead of well water. Processing & shipping destroys vast quantities of what little MSM remains. Cooking pretty much takes care of the rest. Highly processed foods don't have much in the way of nutrition in any regard and MSM is no exception. MSM readily dissolves in water and escapes via vaporization. Heat speeds up this process. Ironically, our super modern lifestyle is actually killing us in all the effort to "improve quality of life." We are out of balance.Can you have your cake and eat it too? Absolutely. You can eat a diet that is heavy on raw, organic, locally produced fruits and vegetables. Eat only grass-fed and fully pastured meat, non-homogenized dairy, and eggs. Save the bones to make a super rich and healthy bone broth and enjoy at least once a day. Chicken feet from pastured chickens are an excellent source of MSM, collagen, and a ton of other minor and macro nutrients! Plus, it makes the most amazing chicken soup! And no... you DO NOT have to eat the actual feet! Unless you want.... no judgements! I personally grind them up and use them in homemade dog treats! If you want my chicken feet soup recipe and stock instructions, feel free to message me! Eat clean, healthy, organic, and whole foods, and you will probably be getting enough MSM.I know... easier said than done. And that's where MSM powder comes in to play. Even I fall short on the diet front and worry that even my local farm fresh foods may be lacking. Additionally, I was thrown from a horse and broke my back about 6 years ago. Consequently, I have residual damage to the entire length of my spine. I also have damage to my knee. So, I supplement. It's pretty much impossible to kill yourself with MSM, so it's convenient, safe, and probably beneficial to supplement even if you have a perfect diet. However, you don't want to take too much as you can have some side effects. But I'll address dosing and potential side effects in a moment.In addition to easing the pain and muscle spasms in my back and keeping my knee in fighting condition, my hair, skin, and nails all see a drastic improvement. Hair loss slows way down and my hair becomes soft, bouncy, and full of shine. It also grows a lot faster, so those with short cuts may have to go to the salon more often. Even my eyelashes thicken. My skin plumps and takes on a wonderful glow. Plus, the rough & dry problem areas (i.e. heels, elbows, etc) soften and heal. My nails, which typically chip and peel due to digging in the dirt and repeatedly washing my hands, become stronger and grow much faster. I have more energy, my digestion improves, my allergies become a non-issue, and I feel much healthier. And once you start feeling healthier, you start feeling happier, which leads to even more healthy choices! Now that's a cycle you DON'T want to break! FYI: If you've never taken MSM, or you stopped for any length of time, it will take a bit to build back up. Give it a few months before you even begin to make hard judgments on how it may or may not be benefiting you.In addition to taking an oral dose, I also apply MSM topically via body sprays, lotions, and creams I make myself. I discovered that when I apply a specific MSM formula directly to my skin, the effects of the dietary supplement are drastically enhanced! You have no idea how soft and supple your skin will become. Furthermore, it actually works wonders to reduce scar tissue! That was probably the most surprising benefit. I had a very large, ragged scar across the top of my thigh from my accident. It used to be this raised, lumpy, drunken monstrosity that marched across my leg in a staggering line. Now, it is perfectly flush and not visible unless you are looking for it! Same goes for stretch marks! And, if you apply it to to a new wound, you may not even get a scar! Quite a few scar treatment products include MSM or a derivative.Are you sold? Good! So on to the really important stuff.As with any supplement, you always have to be careful when sourcing them. Doctor's Best MSM Powder is safe, potent, and PURE! There are ZERO added ingredients, not even flow or anti-caking agents! When you get this bottle, it is 100% MSM powder. As such, do NOT be alarmed if you open it one day and see it clumped together some! It's totally fine and absolutely safe to use. Just replace the cap and give it a good shake to loosen it up. Totally worth it to not have to ingest silicon or nasty, unnecessary chemicals. This is simply a pure form of OptiMSM which is the most highly rated MSM in the world - aside from that found in nature. It is distilled, which is vastly superior and results in a very high quality MSM. The resulting crystalline powder is 99.9% pure and pharmaceutical grade! FYI, it's impossible for any substance to legitimately claim to be 100% pure. But OptiMSM is as close to it as you're gonna get! That is why they have been GRAS designated and repeatedly analyzed by third party organizations. They consistently put out the purest, safest, most potent MSM available. That is just some of the many reasons that this is one of, if not THE best!I only recommend the powder, NOT the pills. Pills, by their very nature, have a ton of added ingredients - including some nasty stearates. The powder, on the other, can be added to a wide variety of food and drinks plus you can make your own DIY beauty products! I generally split my daily dose into 2 equal doses. I put it in my coffee and it is PERFECT! It dissolves instantly and the coffee completely covers the taste. So, generally I have some with my morning coffee swell as in my afternoon pick-me-up. At night, I use my DIY body care products to apply it topically post shower. So, as I sleep it's fully seeping into my skin and helping repair and restore!Insofar as dosing is concerned, I highly recommend a step-up approach that includes PLENTY OF WATER & CLEAR FLUIDS!! Start with a 1 gram dose, divided into 2-3 different doses spread though the day. Two weeks later, increase by another gram, dividing accordingly. Another two weeks later, take "inventory" and see how you are doing on a 2 gram divided dose. Are you seeing any benefits? If so, what? How do you feel? Have you had any reactions? Grab a notepad or type a note into your phone so you won't forget. If you feel good, go ahead an bump it up another gram, divided. Stay at that dose for a month. You just hit the two month mark! You should be feeling the benefits to some degree!Grab your notepad (or open the app) and take an updated inventory. Pay close attention to effects you should now begin to notice. Are you satisfied? If so, stay on the 3 gram dose for 6 months then cut it back to 2 grams for long term maintenance. If you would like to see more effects, bump it up to 4 grams, divided. Keep taking inventory every two weeks and increasing the dosage accordingly. Once you get to a point where you are seeing results you like, increase the dose one more gram and stay on that dose for six months. After six months, reduce it back down and you have your long term maintenance dose! This is a very safe, effective, and informed way to add it to your diet. DO NOT START TAKING 10 GRAMS RIGHT FROM THE START! By titrating up methodically, you can avoid or minimize any side effects, including the unpleasant detox side effects. If you DO start to have detox symptoms - i.e. upset stomach, loose stools, headache, skin rash (similar to dermatitis), etc - reduce your dose by one gram and INCREASE your water intake to help flush the toxins faster. It would also help to add a Green Superfood juice or smoothie to give further detox support. Once you feel better, add that gram back in and continue the step up schedule.Just remember: MSM is a powerful detoxifying substance. Even if you follow the instructions to a "T," you are likely to have some days here and there where you feel sub-par. Drink LOTS of water, rest when possible, eat clean and healthy, and it will pass with in a couple of days. Don't stress. Try to relax.... and remind yourself that it's all part of the detox process. Your body is purging the old, the toxic, the damaged. It is making room for all the new, healthy, good stuff. That is hard & dirty work, so give yourself a break! ONLY reduce your dose if you feel genuinely BAD. As I said, pretty much everyone will have some detox symptoms. It depends on how much junk is in your body, your personal biochemistry, your DNA, and your personality. Some people just handle discomfort better than others. Water is your friend! So are water infusions, juices, and teas that are designed to support detox. If you would like a recipes or guidance on how to make detox concoctions, feel free to message me!As I said before, you do NOT want to make too much, even though it wouldn't be toxic let alone fatal. But if you take too much too soon, you will definitely have more intense detox symptoms. If you already have liver or kidney problems, you MUST take it slow! Even slower than my general guidelines for stepping up. You WILL get sick because your body's toxic scrubbers - your liver and kidneys - are already struggling. Dumping a ton of toxic waste on them all at once will push them to the edge. Dump too much on them, and you could find yourself in acute liver or kidney failure. That's not a fun hospital visit and recovery takes a long time. Slow and steady wins the race!With all that said, I recommend not exceeding 6 grams for your long term maintenance dose. If you get to 6 grams and you still feel you want or need more benefits, I suggest going to 7 grams (as per the step up program) and re-evaluate in 6 months. MSM does get stored in our bodies. That's why I recommend staying on an extra gram for 6 months. It helps build up depleted stores. But try to get down to 6 grams or less, if at all possible.Well, I think that just about covers it! PHEW! This is, I believe, the longest review I've ever written. For all intents and purposes, I just wrote a paper.... on MSM powder. LULZ! But hey... I've been studying, researching, and living whole foods, holistic and natural health, mini-farming, sustainability, climate change, and so on etc for over 10 years now - most of my adult life! Might as well put it to good use. My family is sick of hearing it. LULZ!So, obviously, I highly recommend Doctor's Best MSM Powder! With ZERO additives, this OptiMSM is a top choice!If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reply to this review, tweet me, or shoot me an email! There are links to both my Twitter and email in my Amazon profile. Thanks! I wish you happiness and health! :-)

Love this stuff , noticed pain relief right away !

I add this powder to my tea every morning. I enjoy that there is no taste to it. I have been using it for nearly 2 months, and my nails are getting stronger. I do believe this powder causes you to go number 2 (poop). It's not a problem for me since I take it in the morning before work, but something to be mindful of when you digest the powder. You may not have the same effect, but that's my experience. It’s also a good price.

The first time I ordered it was a powder which dissolved well in liquids, worked great… stopped my hair from shedding as much. My second order I got a product that’s more crystallized and clumpy. It also doesn’t seem to work as well as I had my usual amount of hair fall this time…

It helped grow my hair so much!!!! Get it and take it consistently for results. I’m on my second order, about to order my 3rd it last a long time too. Highly recommend , no smell, improved my skin and nail growth. Taste isn’t that great but drink it with plenty of water and then follow with something more flavorful.

I have used this before and I love it. While i didnt take it long enough to see blatantly noticeable results, i do feel as if it helped with my joints feeling a lot less sore and stiff after work, my hair grew longer in a shorter period of time than normal, and i had some very entertaining dreams. However, if you are wary of your product coming damaged, you may need to look into another brand. I ordered 2 and one of them came with a silver seal and the other had a cracked lid, no silver seal, just a paper seal which was also broken open. I tried to reach out for a replacement because its not safe to take now, but they dont do replacements or returns for this item. Just a heads up. Buy at your own risk.

I actually bought this for hair growth. I researched and loved the other results they said you can get from this. Also read it was good for joint pain and menstrual pain as well as good for your skin and healthy hair & nails. I have only been taking it about a week. I have yet to notice changes in my hair. My hair has suffered a lot. I've bleached it and flat ironed it often. I am praying I can grow it back out were the bleach and heat broke it off. This is the shortest I've had my hair since I was a teenager. I'll be back with an update. As far as knee joint pain, within the first 4 days of taking it, it decreased. I really like that added benefit. I am stoked from all the reviews so I am excited to see my hair results. My nails already grow fast so I see that to be the same.I actually started off taking the 3 scoops once a day in the morning and no side effects. I actually take it in water, but of course you can take it in juice or smoothies. I don't mind the bitter taste.Hoping for great results!Update** I'm going on a little over a month of taking this at 3 grams daily. It really messed with my period at first. It was barely there then it became very heavy but I read somewhere about this and they said keep taking it and I did, so it finally stopped. Also I noticed that the hair under my arms grew super fast and I have yet to notice extreme growth of the hair on my head but, I hope to see those results within the next couple of months. My skin seems to look really good but I've never had bad skin. It is still helping with my knee pain and I have no complaints.2nd Update 4/18/24 ****Before I started taking this I had really extreme hair fall. I felt it was due to bleaching and flat ironing often, as I mentioned but I am sure stress caused it as well. I have noticed within these couple of months taking it that my hair fall has decreased by more than half. It seems to be growing faster/steady. It has been hard for me to tell how much in this short time. I am still taking the 3 grams a day. All in all I really like this MSM powder, many positive benefits.My period is not coming as it should but it could be a lot of other factors, other than that, no complaints.