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What Is MMS & Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness common in North America and Europe. Deer ticks carry the bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) that cause Lyme disease and transmit it to humans. Treatment with antibiotics in the early stages of the disease usually results in complete recovery. However, in the later stages, recovery may be slower, and some symptoms may not resolve completely. MMS is a mineral supplement marketed for the treatment of Lyme disease. There's no scientific evidence that it's effective (as of June 2010).

  1. Symptoms

    • According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of Lyme disease include: rash, usually a small red bump that gets larger over the course of a few days and resembles a bull’s-eye; flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue, fever, body aches and chills; migratory joint pain; and, less commonly, neurological problems.

    Treatment

    • Treatment for Lyme disease usually involves a course of oral antibiotics. Doxycycline is the most common antibiotic prescribed. If the disease has progressed past the beginning stages, intravenous antibiotics may be necessary, according to the Mayo Clinic.

    MMS Identification

    • MMS stands for "Miracle Mineral Supplement" and has recently been marketed as a cure for Lyme disease symptoms. MMS was developed by Jim Humble and is made from sodium chlorite. The Lyme disease community is currently abuzz over MMS, though no scientific clinical trials have yet been conducted to determine its effectiveness, according to LymeBook.com (a for-profit proponent of MMS). MMS is marketed as a miracle treatment for a variety of diseases for which there is no current medical cure, including terminal cancer, AIDS, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes and Lyme disease.

    Mechanism

    • Proponents of MMS claim that it disinfects the human body in the same manner as traditional antibiotics and eradicates pathogens. The exact mechanism is never explained, however, though the supplement is said to begin working in “a few hours.”

    Warning

    • Sodium chlorite has been traditionally used for the bleaching of textiles and for disinfecting municipal water supplies. Chemically, it's closely related to chlorine and has similar properties, according to Trance-Health. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies sodium chlorite as highly toxic. Sodium chlorite can cause thyroid function impairment, renal failure and neurodevelopmental defects, though no human studies have been made to determine the dosage safety of MMS.

      According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), it's also important to closely evaluate the claims of supplement manufacturers. MMS offers no studies in support of its claims of efficacy. Additionally, MMS is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration or by any other regulatory body. The FTC reminds consumers that “health fraud promoters often target people who have serious conditions for which there are no cures"; long-term, treatment-resistant Lyme disease sufferers fall into this category.

    Controversy

    • A letter from the FDA to Ms. Jenine M. Cohoon, owner and operator of True Renewal, an online supplement store, warned her that her claims of MMS efficacy on her True Renewal website are in violation of FDA regulations against medical fraud. Cohoon’s website advertises various remedies for sale, including MMS. The FDA has accused Cohoon of “unlawful disease treatment and prevention claims.”

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