Heart Disease 8. The mineral sulfur is needed for the manufacture of many proteins, including those forming hair, muscles, and skin. Sulfur contributes to fat digestion and absorption, because it is needed to make bile acids. As a component of insulin , sulfur is needed to regulate blood sugar. To date, none of these claims have been substantiated in clinical research published in medical journals.
Most dietary sulfur is consumed as part of certain amino acids in protein-rich foods.
Meat and poultry , organ meats, fish , eggs , beans , and dairy products are all good sources of sulfur-containing amino acids. Sulfur also occurs in garlic and onions and may be partially responsible for the health benefits associated with these items. 1 Sulfur in organic forms, such as certain amino acids or in the compound MSM, may be more readily absorbed and used. 2 Supplements of MSM are available. Most of the body's sulfur is found in the sulfur-containing amino acids methionine , cystine, and cysteine .