Is DMSO Natural? Where DMSO Really Comes From
You may have encountered DMSO before you even finished breakfast. Coffee? Possibly. Black tea? Yep. Tomatoes, cabbage, corn, raspberries, and a surprising number of other everyday foods? Researchers have found naturally occurring DMSO there, too. That catches people off guard because if you have ever Googled DMSO, you have probably seen another description within about 30 seconds: industrial solvent. That description is not false. It just starts halfway through the story.
Prefer to read? Pull up a chair. We are going all the way back to the ocean to see where DMSO comes from, how it became part of the earth's sulfur cycle, and why something found in rainwater and tomatoes can also show up in a laboratory.
What We'll Cover
- Is DMSO Natural?
- Where Does DMSO Come From in Nature?
- Is DMSO Really Found in Food?
- What Does Sulfur Have to Do With DMSO?
- Natural DMSO vs. Commercial DMSO
- What Makes DMSO Different on the Skin?
- Why We Built DMSO Into Alpha Warrior
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Research References
Is DMSO Natural?
Yes. DMSO occurs naturally in the environment.
Scientists have identified dimethyl sulfoxide in natural waters, the atmosphere, plants, foods, and beverages. It is part of the Earth's much larger sulfur cycle—a system that was doing its thing long before anyone put DMSO in a bottle.
That does not mean “natural” automatically equals safe for every use, nor does it prove every health claim somebody has ever made about DMSO.
It simply answers an important question:
DMSO is not a molecule humans invented in a laboratory.
Nature got there first.
Our straight answer: Calling DMSO an industrial chemical is incomplete. DMSO is a naturally occurring sulfur compound that also happens to be extremely useful in industrial, laboratory, pharmaceutical, and topical applications.
If you want the bigger introduction before we head out to sea, start with What Is DMSO?
Where Does DMSO Come From in Nature?
Some of the biggest players in this story are so tiny you would never notice them.
Marine microorganisms—including phytoplankton and other ocean life—participate in biological processes involving a sulfur-containing compound called dimethylsulfoniopropionate, or DMSP.
Stay with us. We promise there will not be a quiz.
Those processes help produce dimethyl sulfide, or DMS, an important natural sulfur gas released from the ocean into the atmosphere.
Once DMS reaches the atmosphere, sunlight, oxygen, atmospheric radicals, and other chemistry go to work. DMS can follow several oxidation pathways that produce a variety of sulfur-containing compounds—including DMSO.
Researchers have also detected DMSO in seawater, other natural waters, and rain.
So the simple version Todd gives in the podcast—ocean, atmosphere, rain, earth—is directionally right.
The science version just has a few more arrows on the whiteboard.
How Much DMSO Does Nature Produce?
Here is the number that made Todd's eyebrows go up.
A 1997 Federal Register notice cited researchers who estimated that approximately 20 to 60 billion pounds of DMSO may be created in the atmosphere each year from naturally occurring atmospheric dimethyl sulfide.
That is an older estimate, and atmospheric sulfur chemistry is more complicated than simply saying “DMS goes up and DMSO rains back down.” Modern research continues to refine our understanding of those pathways.
But the number still makes an important point:
Naturally occurring DMSO is not some obscure chemical oddity.
It participates in a sulfur system operating on a planetary scale.
Neighbor-to-neighbor version: Humans learned how to manufacture and use DMSO. We did not invent the molecule. The earth had that patent long before we showed up.
Is DMSO Really Found in Food?
Yes—and this isn't just one of those internet facts copied from website to website until nobody remembers where it started.
A 1981 study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry measured naturally occurring DMSO in selected fruits, vegetables, grains, and beverages.
DMSO has been identified in foods and drinks including:
- Tomatoes
- Cabbage
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Onions
- Oats
- Barley
- Swiss chard
- Apples
- Raspberries
- Milk
- Beer
- Coffee
- Tea
The amounts are small and vary from one food or beverage to another.
One especially interesting finding was black tea. In the samples reported in the research cited by the Federal Register, black tea contained about 16 parts per million of DMSO—the highest level among those particular samples.
That is why we would not say black tea is universally “the richest source of DMSO.”
What we can say is that it had the highest concentration measured among the foods and beverages reported in that research.
Small distinction.
Big difference when you care about getting the science right.
What Does Sulfur Have to Do With DMSO?
DMSO is an organosulfur compound, meaning sulfur is built right into its molecular structure.
Sulfur certainly isn't foreign to the human body.
A 2013 review in Nutrition Reviews described sulfur as the seventh most abundant measurable element in the human body. It is found in important amino acids such as methionine and cysteine and participates in numerous biological processes.
But this is where we want to avoid taking a scientific shortcut.
Your body needing sulfur does not automatically mean every sulfur-containing compound has the same effect.
Chemistry does not work like a family reunion where everybody with the same last name behaves alike.
What it does tell us is that DMSO belongs to a much larger natural sulfur story.
The body can also metabolize DMSO into dimethyl sulfone, or DMSO2, commonly known as MSM, while another metabolic pathway can reduce it to dimethyl sulfide.
If MSM sounds familiar, for good reason. It is another sulfur-containing compound commonly found in joint and recovery products. You can learn more in our guide to what MSM is and why it is used.
Natural DMSO vs. Commercial DMSO: What's the Difference?
This is where a lot of the confusion disappears.
DMSO can occur naturally and be manufactured commercially.
Those statements do not contradict each other.
| Natural DMSO | Commercial DMSO |
|---|---|
| Forms through natural biological and chemical sulfur processes | Produced under controlled manufacturing conditions |
| Found in natural waters, plants, foods, and beverages | Made by oxidizing dimethyl sulfide to produce DMSO |
| Usually present in very small naturally occurring amounts | Can be purified and standardized for specific uses |
| Part of the natural sulfur cycle | Used in laboratory, industrial, pharmaceutical, and topical applications |
In other words, the DMSO in a topical product was not squeezed out of a tomato or collected from a rain barrel.
Commercial DMSO is manufactured and purified so its composition and purity can be controlled.
The molecule is still DMSO.
That distinction matters much more than trying to force DMSO into either the “natural” box or the “chemical” box.
Nature is made of chemicals.
So are you.
What Makes DMSO Different on the Skin?
This is where DMSO became especially interesting to us at Herbal Mana.
DMSO is a well-established skin penetration enhancer.
Research shows it can interact with the skin barrier and increase the movement of certain compatible compounds through it. Researchers have studied this property extensively and even used it in pharmaceutical topical formulations.
That is also why DMSO deserves a little more respect than the average body lotion.
Clean skin matters.
Before applying a DMSO topical, wash away lotions, perfume, sunscreen, sweat, dirt, and residue from other topical products, then let your skin dry completely.
You want a thoughtfully made formula joining the ride—not whatever happened to be hanging around from this morning.
Read our complete guide to applying DMSO topically.
And if you have ever wondered why DMSO can cause that famous garlic-like taste or smell, there is some fun sulfur chemistry behind that, too. Read why DMSO can smell or taste like garlic.
Why We Built DMSO Into Alpha Warrior
Todd's interest in DMSO did not begin because “natural” sounded good on a label.
After more than 20 orthopedic surgeries involving his feet, ankles, knees, back, shoulders, and other joints, he was looking for something practical enough to become part of real life.
Because when your knees complain on the stairs, your back interrupts your sleep, or yesterday's workout is still sending strongly worded letters this morning, you do not need another jar collecting dust in the cabinet.
You want something you will actually use.
That thinking helped shape Alpha Warrior DMSO Cream.
Alpha Warrior combines 99.995% pharmaceutical-grade DMSO with magnesium, MSM, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, and essential oils including peppermint, wintergreen, frankincense, and copaiba in a fast-absorbing topical cream.
The 99.995% number refers to the purity of the DMSO ingredient before it is blended into the finished cream. It does not mean the jar contains 99.995% DMSO.
Each part of the formula has a job, but the goal is much simpler than the ingredient list:
Help make everyday movement, recovery, and the activities you care about feel a little more manageable.
The bigger point: You do not have to choose between understanding the science and appreciating nature. DMSO has a foot in both worlds—and that is exactly what makes its story so interesting.
DMSO has been moving through the earth's sulfur cycle since long before any of us knew what to call it.
We simply learned to recognize it, study it, purify it, and put some of its unusual properties to work.
Not exotic. Not magic.
Just a surprisingly fascinating little sulfur compound that has been around us the whole time.
Because at Herbal Mana, the goal has never been to make DMSO sound mysterious.
The goal is much simpler:
Hurt Less—and Live More.
Frequently Asked Questions About DMSO
Is DMSO natural?
Yes. DMSO occurs naturally as part of the earth's sulfur cycle and has been identified in natural waters, plants, foods, and beverages.
It can also be manufactured commercially for laboratory, industrial, pharmaceutical, and topical uses. Natural occurrence and commercial manufacturing are not mutually exclusive.
Where does DMSO come from?
In nature, DMSO can form through biological and atmospheric sulfur processes. Marine organisms help generate dimethyl sulfide, or DMS, which can enter the atmosphere and undergo oxidation pathways that form DMSO and other sulfur compounds.
Commercial DMSO is manufactured by controlled oxidation of dimethyl sulfide.
What foods naturally contain DMSO?
Naturally occurring DMSO has been reported in foods and beverages including tomatoes, cabbage, corn, cucumbers, onions, oats, barley, Swiss chard, apples, raspberries, milk, beer, coffee, and tea.
The amounts are generally small and vary between foods and beverages.
Does black tea contain DMSO?
Yes. In research examining selected foods and beverages, black tea contained about 16 parts per million of DMSO—the highest concentration among the samples reported.
That does not mean black tea always contains more DMSO than every other possible food or beverage. It describes what researchers found in the samples they tested.
Why is DMSO used in topical products?
DMSO is a well-established skin penetration enhancer. Research shows that it can interact with the skin barrier and increase the penetration of certain compatible substances.
That same property is one reason careful formulation and application to clean, dry skin matter when using a DMSO topical.
Want to Learn More About DMSO?
- What Is DMSO?
- DMSO Learning Resources
- How DMSO Works: Exploring the Science Behind It
- How to Apply DMSO Topically
- Why Does DMSO Smell Like Garlic?
- DMSO for Arthritis
- Using DMSO for Nerve Pain
Research References
- Barnes I, Hjorth J, Mihalopoulos N. “Dimethyl Sulfide and Dimethyl Sulfoxide and Their Oxidation in the Atmosphere.” Chemical Reviews. 2006;106(3):940–975. American Chemical Society.
- Pearson TW, Dawson HJ, Lackey HB. “Naturally Occurring Levels of Dimethyl Sulfoxide in Selected Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, and Beverages.” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 1981;29(5):1089–1091. PubMed.
- United States Environmental Protection Agency. “Natural Occurrence of DMSO.” Federal Register. June 25, 1997;62(122):34263. GovInfo.
- Simó R. “Trace Chromatographic Analysis of Dimethyl Sulfoxide and Related Methylated Sulfur Compounds in Natural Waters.” Journal of Chromatography A. 1998;807(2):151–164. DOI.
- Ingenbleek Y, Kimura H. “Nutritional Essentiality of Sulfur in Health and Disease.” Nutrition Reviews. 2013;71(7):413–432. PubMed.
- He X, Slupsky CM. “Metabolic Fingerprint of Dimethyl Sulfone (DMSO2) in Microbial-Mammalian Co-metabolism.” Journal of Proteome Research. 2014;13(12):5281–5292. PubMed.
- Marren K. “Dimethyl Sulfoxide: An Effective Penetration Enhancer for Topical Administration of NSAIDs.” The Physician and Sportsmedicine. 2011;39(3):75–82. PubMed.
- National Center for Biotechnology Information. “PubChem Compound Summary for CID 679, Dimethyl Sulfoxide.” PubChem.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is provided for educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition. Results vary. Consult your healthcare professional before use if pregnant, nursing, taking medications, under medical care, or experiencing new, severe, unexplained, or worsening symptoms.