US-based Balchem has recently announced that its brand of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), OptiMSM® has been granted Food with Functional Claims (FFC) approval by the Japanese Consumer Affairs Agency.
This recognition also marks the first-ever approval to a MSM in Japan confirming its proven safety, efficacy and reliability. Companies using OptiMSM® can now feature joint health-related claims on their product packaging.
Jessica Arnaly, Senior Marketing & Business Development Manager, Human Nutrition & Health said, “As a source of sulfur, MSM is a critical component in the building blocks of joints and connective tissues,1 providing cartilage with much-needed nutrients2 and helping maintain joint comfort,3,4,5,6,7,8.”
Balchem OptiMSMis also the only form of MSM to have received a GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) letter of non-objection in the US.
The ‘Food with Functional Claims’ system enables brands to label foods or supplements with scientifically supported health benefits, grounded in evidence from systematic literature reviews or clinical trials.
A recent clinical study conducted on 88 healthy individuals showed that a dose of 2000mg/day of OptiMSM® helps to improve overall joint health and comfort in individuals experiencing mild pain in knee joints.9
Supporting mobility and healthy ageing has become an increasingly important focus in new product innovations within the health and dietary supplement space in Japan where the elderly population (above 65 years old) represents almost 30% of the population.
1 Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, 2005
2 Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, 2005
3 Debbi EM, et al., BMC Comp Alt Med 2011; 11:50
4 Lubis AMT, et al., Acta Med Indones 2017; 49(2): 105-111
5 Kim LS, et al., Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2006; 14(3): 286-294
6 Pagonis TA, et al., Int J Orthopaed 2014; 23(1): 19-24
7 Usha PR & Naidu MUR. Clin Drug Invest 2004; 24(6): 353-363
8 Toguchi A, et al., Nutrients 2023; 15: 2995.
9 Toguchi A, et al., Nutrients 2023; 15: 2995
