Why does your body need sulphur?
The ancient Greeks already knew and used it as a disinfectant against infectious diseases: the mineral sulphur. It is essential, i.e. vital, and our body cannot produce it itself. Sulphur belongs to the bulk elements, i.e. to the elements of which our body needs more than 50 milligrams daily. But unlike the other minerals, there is no guideline for the recommended daily intake, because we take in sufficient amounts of sulphur through our food.
Sulphur in our body
Our body contains about 0.2 percent sulphur, which is about 150 grams for an adult. What seems little at first glance is quickly put into perspective, because compared to the better-known mineral iron, the value is about 40 times higher. After calcium and phosphorus, sulphur is the third most abundant element in our body.
When we speak of sulphur, we mean inorganic sulphur. It is found in nature in pure form or bound as sulphate, sulphite or sulphide. Sulphate is the salt of sulphuric acid, sulphite the salt of sulphurous acid, and sulphide the salt of hydrogen sulphide. Organic sulphur is the name given to chemical compounds that contain an organic part and sulphur. Methylsulfonylmethane, or MSM for short, is of importance to us. You can find more about MSM here
Functions of sulphur in our body
Our body contains two sulphur-containing amino acids: the essential amino acid methionine and the non-essential amino acid cysteine.
Amino acids are chemical compounds that are vital for every organism. They join together to form chains from which proteins are made, which is why they are also called the building blocks of proteins. Depending on their structure, proteins have different functions in our organism. If there is a deficiency of one or more amino acids, the chains can no longer be formed correctly and the function of the proteins in the body is restricted.
The essential amino acid methionine must be taken in with food. Methionine is important for various metabolic processes and for the formation of certain protein molecules. It acts as an antioxidant and neutralises free radicals, thus protecting us from oxidative stress. In addition, your body needs methionine to produce the non-essential amino acid cysteine. Methionine is also needed to transport the trace element selenium to where it is needed. Methionine also plays a role in the formation of L-carnitine. L-carnitine is crucially involved in energy metabolism in human cells by transporting fatty acids to the mitochondria, the power plants in our cells.
Cysteine is a non-essential sulphur-containing amino acid. It is an important component of various fibre proteins, which are grouped together as keratin. Thus, cysteine is the basis of skin, hair and nails and gives them stability. Cysteine is the immediate precursor of glutathione, one of the most powerful cellular antioxidants. It protects our cells from damage caused by oxidative stress.
Sulphur contributes to the detoxification of the body. In the body, sulphuric acid forms from sulphur and water. The salts of sulphuric acid, the sulphates, bind harmful substances such as alcohol, nicotine, or the heavy metals arsenic and cadmium and transport them out of the body with the urine.
Sulphur is a component of various enzymes, antioxidants and hormones, and is thus involved in many different functions. An important hormone containing sulphur is insulin; it has a blood sugar-lowering effect and plays an essential role in the therapy of diabetes mellitus. A sulphur deficit can cause a disturbance in insulin production.
Sulphur promotes metabolism and strengthens the immune system.
Sulphur is a component of the important vitamins B1 and B7, also known as vitamin H or biotin.
Sulphur for intestinal rehabilitation
The physician and naturopath Dr. Karl J. Probst is an advocate of intestinal rehabilitation with inorganic sulphur. It is to be used in cases of parasite infestation or Lyme disease, or as a gut cleanse to fight bad gut bacteria and make room for healthy gut bacteria. Probst recommends taking one teaspoon of pharmaceutically pure sulphur three times a day with meals. This stimulates intestinal activity. At the beginning of the cure, unpleasant-smelling flatulence and evaporation through the skin indicate that the intestines are undergoing cleansing. Only when there are no more unpleasant odours can the cure be ended. A good general condition, a high energy level and vitality indicate that the therapy goal has been reached. There is no scientific proof of the effect of intestinal cleansing.
For impure skin, acne and skin inflammations, sulphur is used as an additive in creams and ointments. Inorganic sulphur was already used in the past as an additive to pastes and tinctures for external application. Women expected it to give them radiant, smooth skin, men treated psoriasis.
In inflammatory rheumatic diseases, sulphur can alleviate the course of the disease through its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect as a component of bath additives.
The body also needs sulphur to build up joint cartilage tissue. If you have a persistent sulphur deficit, you will not notice anything for a long time as a healthy person. However, if you suffer from osteoarthritis, a sulphur deficiency can quickly have a negative effect on the healing process of the damaged cartilage tissue. Healthy cartilage contains about three times as much sulphur as the cartilage of an osteoarthritis patient. If you consume plenty of sulphur in the form of the amino acid methionine, your body, in combination with the B vitamins, can produce numerous sulphur-containing compounds that have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects and stimulate the formation of cartilage tissue.
Sulphur is a building block of the enzymes responsible for enabling haemoglobin in red blood cells to bind oxygen.
Conclusion
Sulphur is diverse in its function and effect. In the human body, it is involved in metabolic processes and is a component of amino acids, enzymes, hormones, antioxidants and vitamins. It gives stability and protection to skin, hair and nails. It is important for cartilage formation and, when applied externally, has an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect.
