SAMe

MENU

Related Topic

DHEA
Insomnia
Sleep
5-HTP

Fatique Syndrome
Tranquilly
St. John's Wort


SAMe

Related Products

Bath Therapy
Essential Oils
Mood Relief

Kava
St John Wort
Sleeping Aids

Benefits and uses

While no supplement can be the 'magic bullet' cure-all for all the body's ills, SAM-e shows remarkable promise in treating a seemingly-unrelated group of bodily ills and ailments, with comparably few side-effects or cautions for long-term use.

Depression.	SAM-e appears to make brain cells more responsive to the chemicals known as neurotransmitters and key to mood-regulation, such as serotonin and dopamine. Clinical trials in Europe have shown SAM-e to be as effective as prescription drugs imipramine and clomipramine. (In Italy, it's more frequently prescribed than Prozac or Zoloft). Better-tolerated and with a quicker onset of action than tricyclic anti-depressants, it also is free from typical anti-depressant side-effects, including dry mouth, constipation, bladder problems, sexual dysfunction, blurred vision, dizziness, headache, nausea, drowsiness, insomnia or agitation. One of the most effective natural antidepressants, it is also - unlike St. John's wort - a naturally-occurring substance in the human body. In addition to generalized depression, two conditions where SAM-e produces significant effects are post-partum blues and drug rehabilitation. SAM-e's benefits in these conditions probably stem from a combination of its effect on brain chemistry and liver function.
Osteoarthritis.	It appears to manufacture components of cartilage and repair, restore and maintain healthy joint function, to a level comparable to high dosages of NSAIDs but without their potentially debilitating side-effects, such as kidney and liver damage. Liver problems. SAM-e is a precursor molecule for the synthesis of glutathione, the main cellular antioxidant involved in protecting cells from free radical damage and the detoxification of compounds such as alcohol, drugs and environmental toxins from the body. It seems to offer protection against liver cancer in animals exposed to liver carcinogens, and may enhance the elimination of various drugs from the body, including alcohol and environmental toxins. Unfortunately, people with liver damage such as cirrhosis often aren't able to synthesize glutathione, which in turn makes their liver damage worse, by compromising the production of this naturally protective, detoxifying agent.
Fibromyalgia.	Three clinical studies show SAM-e produces excellent benefits for patients suffering from fibromyalgia-subjects demonstrated significant reduction in the number of painful trigger points as well as improvements in mood, with no side effects. In another double-blind study, fibromyalgia sufferers showed improvement in pain, fatigue, and morning stiffness. PMS. SAM-e aids in the removal of excess estrogen from the body, thought to be at issue in PMS.
Migraines	SAM-e has also shown benefit in the treatment of migraines.

Recent Findings

One Columbia University psychiatrist, quoted recently in Newsweek magazine, called SAM-e "the best anti-depressant I've ever prescribed." A current theory, proposed by long-time American SAM-e researcher Teodoro Bottiglieri of Baylor University, is that a defect in the body's methylation process is central to the biochemical basis of certain neuropsychiatric disorders. In other words, SAM-e is necessary to optimal mental health and when the body, for one reason or another, doesn't supply the requisite amount, psychiatric trouble may result. A German double-blind study in patients with osteoarthritis of the hands demonstrated increased cartilage formation as determined by MRI imaging, indicating that SAM-e is capable of producing definite improvements in the structure and function of cartilage in joints affected by osteoarthritis, along with mild pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects.

Do scientists know how it works?

Scientists in Italy first isolated SAM-e in 1952, and most of the thousands of studies on its effectiveness have been done in Europe and the former Soviet Union. SAM-e has been shown to enhance brain dopamine and serotonin neurotransmitter metabolism and receptor function. It may also aid in the repair of myelin that surrounds nerve cells. These mechanisms are likely to be responsible for the antidepressant effects of SAM-e. In relation to osteoarthritis, SAM-e appears to stop and reverse degenerative joint disease by promoting cartilage formation and enhancing repair.

Food Sources

Normally, the body manufactures all the SAM-e it needs from the amino acid methionine, which is found in ordinary dietary sources such as meats, soybeans, eggs, seeds and lentils. However, a deficiency of methionine, choline, vitamin B12, or folic acid can disrupt the body's ability to produce SAM-e. Tissue levels of SAM-e have been found to be low in the elderly and in patients suffering from osteoarthritis, depression, and various liver disorders. However, supplementing directly with methionine does not seem to be the answer: high doses of methionine do not increase bodily levels of SAM-e, nor do they provide the same pharmacologic activity as SAM-e. On the contrary, high dosages of methionine are associated with some degree of toxicity, and care should be exercised by menopausal women supplementing with methionine. (Additionally, supplementing with single amino acids at high dosages and for long periods should only be undertaken with a health practitioner's advice.) [meaning, use them in groups and use them carefully, or not at all.]

Safety

SAM-e has an excellent safety profile and is well suited to long-term use. It has no known significant adverse side-effects, except for occasional nausea or gastrointestinal upset – particularly in high dosages-so it's wise to begin with low dosages and work upwards as needed. Methionine, a biochemical precursor of SAM-e, should be used with caution in menopausal and post-menopausal women, so similar care is indicated with SAM-e.

	Optimal Dosage Ranges
Depression.	400 mg. three to four times daily. Because SAM-e can cause nausea and gastrointestinal disturbances in some people, it should be started at a dosage of 200 mg. twice daily for the first day, increased to 400 mg. twice daily on day three, 400 mg. three times daily on day ten, and finally to the full dosage of 400 mg. four times daily after 20 days if needed.
Osteoarthritis.	Start out as above for depression. After 21 days at a dosage of 1,200 mg. daily, reduce dosage to the maintenance dosage of 200 mg. twice daily.
Fibromyalgia.	200 mg. to 400 mg. twice daily.
Migraines	200 mg. to 400 mg. twice daily.
Liver disorders.	200 mg. to 400 mg. two to three times a day.

Product Recommendations


On Sale Now

SAME Each easy-to-swallow capsule combines 400 mg of stabilized SAMe - the most effective "methyl donor" - with accessory carbon shuttles: .

References
• Bottiglieri, T., "Folate, Vitamin B12, and Neuropsychiatric Disorders," Nutr Rev (1996), 54(12): 382.
• Bressa GM. S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAMe) as antidepressant: meta-analysis of clinical studies. Acta Neurol Scand Suppl. 1994;154:7-14.
• Mindell, E.R., Bland, J.S., Octacosanol, Carnitine & Other "Accessory" Nutrients. Lincolnwood, IL: NTC/Contemporary Publishing (1982).
• Chaitow, L., Thorsons Guide to Amino Acids. London, England: Thorsons (1991).
• Frezza M. [A meta-analysis of therapeutic trials with ademetionine in the treatment of intrahepatic cholestasis]. Ann Ital Med Int. 1993 Oct;8 Suppl:48S-51S. Italian.
• Osman E, et al. Review article: S-adenosyl-L-methionine--a new therapeutic agent in liver disease? Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 1993 Feb;7(1):21-8. Review.
• Polli E, et al. [Pharmacological and clinical aspects of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) in primary degenerative arthropathy]. Minerva Med. 1975 Dec 5;66(83):4443-59. Italian.
• Pizzorno, J. Total Wellness. Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing (1996).
• Murray, M., Pizzorno, J. Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing (1991).