Summary
S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) is the amino acid methionine bound to an ATP molecule; this molecule circulates in the blood naturally and acts as a 'methyl donor'. A methyl group in chemistry is simply a carbon molecule (bound to some hydrogens), and donating a methyl group to other molecules can accelerate or preserve reactions in the body as a form of metabolic 'maintenance'. Choline is another prominent methyl donor in the body, but due to selectivity of some reactions the two are not necessarily interchangeable.
Some body states appear to be associated with lower circulating levels of SAMe, including osteoarthritis and depression where SAMe appears to hold potent therapeutic potential; after a build-up period of 1-2 months, supplemental SAMe at 800-1600mg daily appears to be as potent as some pharmaceutical options for both osteoarthritis and depression and appears to enhance some anti-depressants. Although lower circulating levels of SAMe are also seen in diabetes, the benefits of SAMe and glucose control are not as well established as depression and osteoarthritis.
SAMe appears to follow many nutrient-like motifs in the body, being regulated within a certain serum range and being associated with adverse effects when that range is perturbed. It potentially holds a lot of benefit in body states where circulating SAMe levels decline.
Although side-effects are not commonly reported with SAMe, numerous studies note a small set of participants who experience mania after supplementing SAMe. It is not common, but it does appear to be related to SAMe supplementation for unknown reasons; it has been reported in some persons without history of mania as well and does not appear to be related to any pathological condition per se.
What are other names for S-adenosylmethionine
- SAME
- SAMe
- Ademethionine
- S-adenosyl-L-methionine
- Adomet
- Methionine (the isolated amino acid)
Dosage information
Supplementation of S-adenosylmethionine tends to be in the 600-1,200mg range over the course of a day, divided into two or three separated doses with meals. The higher dosage (1,200mg) tends to be used more often, with the lower dosage (600mg) being used to cut costs.
For S-adenosylmethionine to benefit osteoarthritis, it appears to require a few weeks or up to a month of continual usage for benefits to show. Benefits to depressive symptoms may be much more rapid.
Examine Database: S-adenosylmethionine
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In this randomized controlled trial, a product containing natural bioactive compounds decreased liver fat in adult participants with severe fatty liver. However, because of some methodological issues with the trial, the findings should be considered exploratory.
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Examine Database References
- Homocysteine - F M Loehrer, R Schwab, C P Angst, W E Haefeli, B FowlerInfluence of oral S-adenosylmethionine on plasma 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, S-adenosylhomocysteine, homocysteine and methionine in healthy humansJ Pharmacol Exp Ther.(1997 Aug)
- Homocysteine - Thompson MA, Bauer BA, Loehrer LL, Cha SS, Mandrekar JN, Sood A, Wahner-Roedler DLDietary supplement S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) effects on plasma homocysteine levels in healthy human subjects: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trialJ Altern Complement Med.(2009 May)
- Homocysteine - Gören JL, Stoll AL, Damico KE, Sarmiento IA, Cohen BMBioavailability and lack of toxicity of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) in humansPharmacotherapy.(2004 Nov)
- Depression Symptoms - A Di Rocco, J D Rogers, R Brown, P Werner, T BottiglieriS-Adenosyl-Methionine improves depression in patients with Parkinson's disease in an open-label clinical trialMov Disord.(2000 Nov)
- Osteoarthritis Symptoms - Soeken KL, Lee WL, Bausell RB, Agelli M, Berman BMSafety and efficacy of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) for osteoarthritisJ Fam Pract.(2002 May)
- Osteoarthritis Symptoms - Kim J, Lee EY, Koh EM, Cha HS, Yoo B, Lee CK, Lee YJ, Ryu H, Lee KH, Song YWComparative clinical trial of S-adenosylmethionine versus nabumetone for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: an 8-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, Phase IV study in Korean patientsClin Ther.(2009 Dec)
- Osteoarthritis Symptoms - Caruso I, Pietrogrande VItalian double-blind multicenter study comparing S-adenosylmethionine, naproxen, and placebo in the treatment of degenerative joint diseaseAm J Med.(1987 Nov 20)
- Osteoarthritis Symptoms - Wadie I Najm, Sibylle Reinsch, Fred Hoehler, Jerome S Tobis, Phillip W HarveyS-adenosyl methionine (SAMe) versus celecoxib for the treatment of osteoarthritis symptoms: a double-blind cross-over trial. [ISRCTN36233495]BMC Musculoskelet Disord.(2004 Feb 26)
- Fibromyalgia Symptoms - Jacobsen S, Danneskiold-Samsøe B, Andersen RBOral S-adenosylmethionine in primary fibromyalgia. Double-blind clinical evaluationScand J Rheumatol.(1991)
- Liver Fibrosis - Medici V, Virata MC, Peerson JM, Stabler SP, French SW, Gregory JF 3rd, Albanese A, Bowlus CL, Devaraj S, Panacek EA, Richards JR, Halsted CHS-adenosyl-L-methionine treatment for alcoholic liver disease: a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trialAlcohol Clin Exp Res.(2011 Nov)
- Numerical Memory - Arnold O, Saletu B, Anderer P, Assandri A, di Padova C, Corrado M, Saletu-Zyhlarz GMDouble-blind, placebo-controlled pharmacodynamic studies with a nutraceutical and a pharmaceutical dose of ademetionine (SAMe) in elderly subjects, utilizing EEG mapping and psychometryEur Neuropsychopharmacol.(2005 Oct)
- Cholestasis - Binder T, Salaj P, Zima T, Vítek LRandomized prospective comparative study of ursodeoxycholic acid and S-adenosyl-L-methionine in the treatment of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancyJ Perinat Med.(2006)
- Depression Symptoms - Papakostas GI, Mischoulon D, Shyu I, Alpert JE, Fava MS-adenosyl methionine (SAMe) augmentation of serotonin reuptake inhibitors for antidepressant nonresponders with major depressive disorder: a double-blind, randomized clinical trialAm J Psychiatry.(2010 Aug)
- Depression Symptoms - Sarris J, Papakostas GI, Vitolo O, Fava M, Mischoulon DS-adenosyl methionine (SAMe) versus escitalopram and placebo in major depression RCT: efficacy and effects of histamine and carnitine as moderators of responseJ Affect Disord.(2014 Aug)
- Attention - Levkovitz Y, Alpert JE, Brintz CE, Mischoulon D, Papakostas GIEffects of S-adenosylmethionine augmentation of serotonin-reuptake inhibitor antidepressants on cognitive symptoms of major depressive disorderJ Affect Disord.(2012 Feb)
- Early Virologic Response - Jordan J Feld, Apurva A Modi, Ramy El-Diwany, Yaron Rotman, Emmanuel Thomas, Golo Ahlenstiel, Rachel Titerence, Christopher Koh, Vera Cherepanov, Theo Heller, Marc G Ghany, Yoon Park, Jay H Hoofnagle, T Jake LiangS-adenosyl methionine improves early viral responses and interferon-stimulated gene induction in hepatitis C nonrespondersGastroenterology.(2011 Mar)
- Liver Enzymes - Santini D, Vincenzi B, Massacesi C, Picardi A, Gentilucci UV, Esposito V, Liuzzi G, La Cesa A, Rocci L, Marcucci F, Montesarchio V, Groeger AM, Bonsignori M, Tonini GS-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) supplementation for treatment of chemotherapy-induced liver injuryAnticancer Res.(2003 Nov-Dec)