SAM-e -
All about SAM-e Effects
SAM-e or S-adenosylmethionine was discovered in 1952 and its
popularity continues to soar. Its use is relatively new in the
United States but it has been used in Europe for many years to
treat arthritis and depression. SAM-e is involved in the
genetic process of methylation. This process affects a number
of chemical processes in the body including maintaining cells
and healthy nerves, and regulating emotions and moods. SAM-e
can be found in every living cell but has greater
concentrations in the brain and liver.
SAM-e Benefits
SAM-e is used as a natural treatment for a wide
range of ailments including depression, arthritis,
fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s disease, migraine headaches,
atherosclerosis, cirrhosis, attention deficit disorder,
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and Alzheimer’s
disease. The most common uses are to treat osteoarthritis pain
and depression. Many purport that SAM-e works much faster than
traditional medications with fewer side effects.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
(AHRQ), a government agency which develops scientific
information for other organizations conducted a search of
published literature to determine SAM-e’s usefulness in
treating depression, osteoarthritis, and cholestasis of
pregnancy (a condition in which the flow of bile into the
intestines is decreased and bile salts build up in your blood).
While the AHRQ did recommend further, large scale studies, it
concluded that 1) SAM-e is as effective as prescription
anti-depressants; 2) SAM-e may have an impact on intrahepatic
cholestasis of pregnancy; and 3) SAM-e is as effective for
treating osteoarthritis pain as non-steroidal anti inflammatory
drugs (NSAIDS).
SAM-e Effects on Arthritis and
Depression
There are a number of small studies examining
the effectiveness of SAM-e as an anti-depressant. In one such
study, The Aids Community Research Initiative of America
conducted a small-scale study published in November 2004 which
involved HIV positive patients diagnosed with depression. The
patients were treated with SAM-e as an alternative to
traditional prescription medication. The study results
indicated that there was a significant reduction in acute
depression after treatment. The results were evident in as
little as one week.
In another study conducted by the University of
California Irvine Medical Center, SAM-e was compared to
Celebrex in reducing pain associated with Osteoarthritis of the
knee. This study concluded that SAM-e took longer to work but
was as effective as Celebrex. In the study’s discussions the
reviewers noted that “Although this study was not set up to
evaluate the long-term effect of SAMe, the data hints that the
pain relief effect obtained with SAMe persisted even after the
medication was discontinued.”
SAM-e Contraindications and Side
Effects
All SAM-e is not created equal. SAM-e
supplements in its many forms are made with a stabilizing
compound to prevent the product from breaking down. Some brands
do not have as much SAM-e as the label indicates, as they are
combining the weights of the stabilizing compound and the
SAM-e. If you are currently taking medication, you should
consult your physician before taking any supplement, to avoid
any interactions or complications.
Featured Product
Some very high quality products that can
help people feel great are those from Xtend-Life including their natural daily supplement
Total Balance and their highest
quality pure fish oil, and the
arthritis relief product.
We have taken many of their products with
excellent results.
S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine for Treatment of Depression,
Osteoarthritis, and Liver Disease. Summary, Evidence
Report/Technology Assessment: Number 64. AHRQ Publication No.
02-E033, August 2002. Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality, Rockville, MD.
http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcsums/samesum.htm 2 BMC
Psychiatry, 2004, 4:38 3
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2474/5/6 4 Najim, et a.,
S-Adenosyl methionine (SAMe) versus celecoxib for the treatment
of osteoarthritis symptoms: A double-blind cross-over
trial
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