Arthritis affects more than 43 million Americans, according to the Arthritis Foundation. That number is expected to rise to more than 60 million by 2020. Arthritis is considered the No. 1 cause of disability in America, limiting everyday activities like walking, getting dressed or simply getting out of bed for those who suffer from it.

Recent research is offering new hope for arthritis sufferers seeking a new, natural approach to alleviating pain. A preliminary study of methyl-sulfonyl-methane (MSM), a nutritional supplement that supplies biologically-active sulfur, indicates that it may offer a safe, non-toxic way to help ease the pain of arthritis. MSM is a naturally-occurring sulfur compound found in our bodies, as well as in many common beverages and foods, including milk, coffee, tea and green vegetables.

A small, double-blind study of patients with proven degenerative joint disease found that those who took 2250 milligrams of Lignisul MSM daily for six weeks reported an 82 percent average improvement in pain relief, compared to an 18 percent improvement reported by patients receiving the placebo treatment.

Ronald M. Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D., co-author of The Miracle of MSM and leader of the study, believes that sulfur, the eighth most abundant element in the body, is a sorely-neglected mineral nutrient. While mankind has long recognized the healing power of sulfur through such regimens as soaking in sulfur-rich, mineral hot springs, much is still unknown about precisely how it works in the body. MSM has many of the healing agents of dimethyl sulfoxide, DMSO, a close relative of MSM which has been used worldwide in the treatment of many painful and inflammatory conditions.

“Lignisul MSM may offer a significant new nutritional substance for the control of arthritic pain without the serious side effects of other pharmaceuticals,” Dr. Lawrence said.

Those taking MSM to alleviate their arthritis pain may also find improvement in the health of their hair and nails. In two recent double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot trials, performed by Dr. Lawrence, oral supplementation with Lignisul MSM proved to be a valuable addition to hair and nail growth. Hair and nail health was significantly improved in a short term of six weeks.

`“I have been prescribing MSM for my patients experiencing pain from arthritis and fibromyalgia, and they kept saying how great their hair and nails looked,” said Cathleen London, M.D., a Boston-based family practitioner. “It’s good to see an efficacy study confirm that there are benefits in this area.”

The study showed 50 percent of the subjects taking MSM showed increased nail length and nail thickness growth compared to the group on placebo, and 100 percent of the subjects taking MSM showed increased hair growth compared to the group on placebo. In addition, 30 percent of the subjects taking MSM showed improvement in hair brilliance, while none of the subjects on placebo showed such an improvement.

Lignisul MSM is a natural form of MSM. An analysis performed at the University of Georgia confirmed that there is “no addition or dilution with fossil fuel derived material, according to Randy Culp, research coordinator at the university. A fossil fuel source would indicate that the MSM is synthetic. Lignisul is the only all-natural source of MSM derived from pine trees. It is unlike other forms of MSM, including those imported from China, which are derived from petroleum.