Based on percentage of total body weight, sulfur is the 3rd most abundant mineral in your body. Close to ½ of it can be found in your muscles, skin and bones, and sulfur plays important roles in hundreds of physiological processes. In order for proteins to maintain their shape, sulfur bonds are required and they determine the biological activity of the proteins. The flexible tissues in your body tend to lose their elasticity with age, leading to that sagging and wrinkling of skin, stiff muscles and painful joints. Having a shortage of sulfur can contribute to these age-related problems.
Sulfur is also required for the proper structure and biological activity of enzymes. Without enough sulfur, the enzymes cannot properly function. Sulfur also plays an important role in your body’s electron transport system, thiamine and biotin conversion, synthesizing important metabolic intermediates, detoxification, proper insulin function and glucose metabolism.
Sulfur, cholesterol and vitamin D work in tandem. Sulfur deficiency is quite common and may be a contributing factor in health problems such as obesity, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and chronic fatigue. Sulfur is also helpful for conditions such as skin disorders, arthritis and shingles, according to Stephanie Seneff, Ph.D., and a senior research scientist at MIT.
High LDL is correlated with cardiovascular disease so how can your body produce cholesterol sulfate without having to create harmful LDL? Sun exposure helps to optimize cardiovascular health. Your skin synthesizes vitamin D3 sulfate when exposed to sunlight and this is water-soluble and can travel freely in your blood stream. With sufficient amounts of vitamin D3 sulfate in circulation, your body does not need to produce more LDL to create sulfate-producing plaque.
Fibrous, non-leafy vegetables that are rich in sulfur are cruciferous veggies such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, mustard greens and bok choy. Also alliums such as onions, shallots, garlic and leeks as well as edible stalks and stems such as celery, fennel and asparagus. These cruciferous vegetables have become well known for their anti-cancer properties and the organosulfur compound sulforaphane is one of the primary compounds responsible for this effect.
Other sulfur-rich foods include protein-rich animal products as organic pastured egg yolks, grass-fed beef, organic pastured chicken and wild-caught fish, nuts such as walnuts, almonds and cashews, seeds such as sesame seeds and sunflower seeds, dairy products such as milk, cheese and sour cream and certain fruits such as coconut, bananas, pineapple and watermelon.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for intravesical use in the treatment of interstitial cystitis. DMSO can also be found in creams and oral supplements but are best avoided. You are better off using methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), as it’s far safer and doesn’t appear to have any adverse drug interactions.
MSM’s primary benefits are its ability to reduce inflammation for osteoarthritic knee pain. MSM is widely used in the treatment of pain, especially associated with arthritic conditions.
Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) is made up of magnesium, sulfur and oxygen and most of the benefits associated with Epsom Salt baths relates to magnesium such as improved sleep, stress reduction and reduced pain and muscle cramping. Its sulfur content is also important for health.
Toxicity may cause sulfur food intolerance. Sulfur mobilizes mercury, causing adverse effects. Go on a low-sulfur diet to reduce the amount of phenols you consume and reduce the amount of toxins entering your body by eating organic and avoiding household toxins of all kinds. Sulfur is important for optimal health to detoxify, but if you’re excessively toxic, you will have to go slow. Sulfur is also important for heart and cardiovascular health, mitochondrial health, insulin function and vitamin conversion.
Dr Fredda Branyon