For a review of previous lessons, go to: www.milkandhoneyhealthfoods.com/archive12.html for  review of lessons one through three, www.milkandhoneyhealthfoods.com/archive13.html for  review of lessons four through six,   www.milkandhoneyhealthfoods.com/archive14.html for review of lessons seven through nine,
www.milkandhoneyhealthfoods.com/archive15.html for lesson ten through twelve.
www.milkandhoneyhealthfoods.com/archive16.html for lesson thirteen through fifteen
www.milkandhoneyhealthfoods.com/archieve17.html for lesson sixteen

NUTRITION 101: LESSON SEVENTEEN

       In our last Newsletter, we discussed the micro mineral iron.  This month we will look at the macro mineral sulfur.  Remember, macro minerals are minerals which the body needs in excess of 100 milligrams per day.

SULFUR:

       Sulfur is a non-metallic acidic macromineral usually consumed as part of larger compounds rather than as elemental sulfur. It is the third most abundant mineral in the body based on percentage of total body weight.  Sulfur is found in rather high concentrations in our body tissues. About half of the body's total sulfur is concentrated in the muscles, while the other half is found in the brain, hair, skin and bones. Approximately 10% of the body’s total sulfur content is concentrated in the bones.  Sulfur comprises 0.25 percent of our body weight.  The average human body contains a total of 140 grams of sulfur.  Approximately 850 mg of the body’s total sulfur content is turned over each day.

       Sulfur is generated when phytoplankton in water produce dimetyhylsulfide which is released into the upper atmosphere.  Sunlight catalyzes the oxidation of dimetyhylsulfide to dimethyl sulfoxide which is commonly known as DMSO.   DMSO is further catalyzed by sunlight to form methylsulfonylmethane, commonly known as MSM.  MSM is then concentrated into raindrops which return to the surface of the earth.  Plants absorb and accumulate this MSM and use some of it to build sulfuric compounds.

WHY WE NEED SULFUR:

       Very important sulfuric compounds for human and animal health are the sulfur containing amino acids methionine, cystine, cysteine and taurine. Sulfur is an essential component of glutathione which is critical to our immunity.  Sulfur is also necessary for collagen synthesis. Collagen is an insoluble fibrous protein that virtually holds our bodies together. Sulfur is an important component of connective tissue fiber and bones. Sulfur is an essential component of chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine sulfate which in turn are essential components of joint tissue.

       Sulfur operates as a synthesizer and activator of some  B vitamins and vitamin C.  Sulfur plays an important part in “tissue breathing,” the process whereby oxygen and other substances are used to build cells and release energy. Sulfur also helps to maintain overall body balance between acidity and alkalinity, and works in the liver to excrete bile. Sulfur is a significant component of insulin, the protein hormone secreted by the pancreas that is essential to the metabolism of carbohydrates. A lack of nutritional sulfur in the diet can result in low insulin production. Sulfur in an important component of hair, skin and nails.

       Sulfur is involved in the integrity of cartilage tissue.  The sulfur concentration in damaged cartilage has been found to be only 33% of the level of normal cartilage.  Patients suffering from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are often found to be deficient in sulfur as measured by the cystine content of fingernails.

FORMS OF SULFUR:

       Sulfur is present in nature in combination with other elements.  We already mentioned its presence in amino acids.  It also appears as calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, MSM, potassium sulfate, sodium sulfate and other such compounds.  The compound hydrogen sulfate is responsible for the tears caused when cutting onions. When hydrogen combines with sulfur to form hydrogen sulfate, you get the familiar rotten egg smell. Sulfites (synthetic food preservatives) are manufactured by the food processing industry from salts of sulfurous acid.

       Sulfur dioxide (SO₂), causes a wide variety of health and environmental problems because of the way it reacts with other substances in the air.  Particularly sensitive groups include people with asthma who are active outdoors, children, the elderly, and people with heart or lung disease. SO₂ reacts with other chemicals in the air to form tiny sulfate particles.  When these are inhaled, they gather in the lungs and are associated with increased respiratory symptoms and disease.

ABSORPTION AND DAILY REQUIREMENTS:

        Sulfur is usually absorbed into the body via the intestines in the form of one of the sulfuric amino acids. Sulfur can be absorbed via the skin.  For example, clinical studies have shown that serum sulfur levels rise after having a sulfur bath. Excess sulfur is excreted from the body via the urine and feces in the form of sulfate.  The RDA for Sulfur from dietary sources is 800 mg per day. This amount is usually obtained via the consumption of dietary sulfuric amino acids.  Sulfur is widely present in many vegetables, eggs, garlic, onions and meats. 

 SUPPLEMENTAL SULFUR:

       Most people obtain adequate sulfur in the diet.  Supplemental sulfur is most often obtained through taking additional sulfur containing amino acids or MSM. MSM is a natural organ form of sulfur that has been found to act as a natural anti-inflammatory and to support the health of joint tissue.

       A good source of supplemental sulfur is the sulfur containing nutrient alpha lipoic acid.  Alpha lipoic acid is a vitamin-like substance found in foods (beef and spinach) and also produced by the body. Alpha-lipoic acid plays a key role in energy production and it is an important nutrient in glucose metabolism.  Studies have found that alpha-lipoic acid can lower and stabilize glucose levels in diabetics by as much as 30 percent. It has also been found to reduce nerve pain and numbness in diabetes. Lester Packer, Ph.D., of the University of California, Berkeley, has reported that alpha-lipoic acid can reenergize other important antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E and glutathione.

       Garlic, once it is cut, triggers a cascade of chemical reactions that lead to more than 100 sulfur-rich chemical compounds, including some sulfur-containing amino acids. Garlic boosts antioxidant levels in the body, and studies have found that garlic supplements can lower cholesterol levels in people. John Milner, Ph.D., of Pennsylvania State University, University Park, and other researchers have reported that garlic can block the action of cancer-causing compounds and, in laboratory animals, delay the growth of some cancers.

       Glutathione, which is a tri-peptide composed of the amino acids cysteine, glycine, and glutamic acid, is the most powerful antioxidant made by the human body. Low blood levels of glutathione are associated with heart disease, cancer, and other diseases. In addition, glutathione also helps the liver break down toxic chemicals, whether they are absorbed from the environment or produced by the body. Researchers recently reported that diets high in glutathione protected against lung cancer. Good dietary sources of glutathione include beef, potatoes, winter squash, oranges, and tomatoes. More than 90 percent of the non-protein bound sulfur in cells is found in glutathione.

SULFUR VERSUS SULFA:

        There are several misconceptions about sulfur compounds that lead to anxiety about using sulfur based supplements.  A typical worry is that a person who is allergic to sulfa drugs may have problems with substances that contain sulfur.

        Sulfur is essential to life.  You can’t live without sulfur and it must be obtained from the diet. It is the eighth most prevalent element in the human body. No one is allergic to sulfur itself. Sulfur is not present as an isolated element in the body, but in combination with other elements and, most often, in complex molecules. The primary placement of sulfur in the human body is in the sulfur-containing amino acids as already discussed

        Sulfa drugs (sulfonamides) are usually not allergenic by themselves, but when a sulfonamide molecule is metabolized in the body, it is capable of attaching to proteins, thus forming a larger molecule that could serve as an allergen. Thus, the allergy is not to the original drug, but to a drug-protein complex.

        A sulfonamide does contain sulfur, but the sulfur atoms are imbedded in a complex molecule. The sulfur atom is not the allergenic agent and being allergic to sulfa drugs does not imply having a propensity to have allergy to other sulfur compounds. Rather, it is a unique property of this kind of compound, namely that it can form proteins that are allergenic in some individuals.  Common nutritional supplements such as MSM, glucosamine and chondrotin sulfate are perfectly safe for almost everyone as these are common substances necessary to the health of our bodies.

SULFITES:

       Sulfites, such as sodium sulfate, sodium bi-sulfate and sodium metabisulfate are sulfur based compounds used as food preservatives. While these agents do not generally cause allergic reactions, some individuals are sensitive to these substances and experience digestive and other physiological disturbances.  A sulfite reaction is different from a sulfonamide allergy (a reaction to sulfa drugs) because sulfites and sulfonamides are entirely different chemicals and have unrelated mechanisms of reaction. A person sensitive to sulfites is no more likely to be allergic to sulfonamides than any other individual and vice versa. The FDA estimates that about 1% of the population may have some degree of sulfite sensitivity.  Health risks connected with long term ingestion of sulfites is controversial and has not been scientifically established.