When SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine) became available as a dietary supplement in the United States in 1999, it attracted quite a bit of attention as the American public became privy to a health opportunity that Europeans have had access to for years. This natural supplement, perhaps best known for its antidepressant qualities, also possesses anti-inflammatory activity and may ease certain liver conditions.
Though new to the U.S. market, SAMe (pronounced "Sammy") has been prescribed successfully in 14 countries for over two decades, according to a Newsweek article by Geoffrey Cowley and Anne Underwood. The authors report that SAMe is one of the most widely prescribed antidepressants in Italy. In Germany, it is said to be the preferred treatment for arthritis. And in Russia and China, SAMe is prescribed for cirrhosis and other conditions.
Richard Brown, M.D., Teodoro Bottiglieri, Ph.D., and Carol Colman, authors of Stop Depression Now, state that SAMe is "one of the best antidepressants to date," as well as an "excellent" approach to dealing with arthritis and liver ailments. In addition, they note, it is a valuable treatment for fibromyalgia and may help protect against heart disease by controlling homocysteine. Research also suggests that it may act as a "potent weapon against brain aging."
According to Deborah Mitchell, author of The SAM-e Solution: The Essential Guide to the Revolutionary Antidepression Supplement, in clinical trials, SAMe has been shown to lessen pain from osteoarthritis and possibly restore cartilage, help the liver produce enzymes that attach toxins, protect against primary threats to cardiovascular health, relieve migraine headaches and fibromyalgia symptoms, and enhance memory.
"It may seem odd that one natural substance can do so much, but given the fact that SAMe is involved in three major pathways (trans-sulfuration, transmethylation and transaminopropylation) affecting a vast array of important biological reactions in the body, it is not surprising that it impacts so many different systems," Brown, Bottiglieri and Colman say. They explain that SAMe is a "critical player" in a process called methylation (a term for an essential chemical pathway in the body). "Methylation entails the passing of a methyl group-one carbon and three hydrogen atoms-from one molecule to another. It is a trigger for more than 35 methylation reactions, affecting nearly all of the trillions of cells in the body. SAMe can be a powerful medicine."
Cowley and Underwood point out that SAMe has not been the subject of extensive research in the U.S., yet this does not mean that it is devoid of scientific backing. To the contrary, SAMe has been the subject of "dozens of studies published in world-class scientific journals" since 1978, according to Brown, Bottiglieri, and Colman. They state that SAMe is "as good as or better than other drugs."
"When tested against some of the most commonly used and most powerful antidepressants, patients showed a greater improvement on SAMe in a shorter period of time," say Brown, Bottiglieri and Colman. Further, the authors claim that studies involving SAMe showed that it has a "nearly total lack of side effects" and it is "completely nontoxic, even at high doses."
SAMe seems to be more efficient than its competitors, both natural and synthetic. Many prescription drugs tend to have side effects. Robyn Fontes, writing in Mademoiselle, points out, "Prescription antidepressants like Prozac and Zoloft can rob you of your libido and pad you with extra pounds. St. John's wort, the herbal supplement, sidesteps those side effects but can take six weeks to work."
SAMe tends to take effect more quickly than St. John's wort. According to Brown, Bottiglieri and Colman. "When people start taking SAMe for the first time, two things usually happen. Within days, their mood begins to lift and they have an increased sense of well-being. They also report something quite unique to SAMe. They consistently say that they actually feel more energetic and healthier."
Cowley and Underwood note that SAMe is neither an herb nor a hormone. Rather, they explain, it is a molecule that all living cells produce constantly.
Despite the many reported benefits, supplementation with SAMe is not without caveats. Brown, Bottiglieri and Colman point out that SAMe is a "solid first step on the road to recovery" for people suffering from depression. But, they add, "To stay depression free, you may need to make significant changes in your lifestyle or add counseling or psychotherapy to your SAMe regimen."
Also, SAMe is not recommended for people suffering from bipolar disorder, as it may intensify mania, according to Cowley and Underwood. And, says Dina Roth in a recent Glamour magazine article, always consult a physician before taking a new treatment.