Sammy Baby

For anyone battling depression, just getting up in the morning can be an overwhelming chore. The thought that there could be a natural solution with no side effects and that its as easy as taking a pill is almost too good to be true. But it is. Thirty years of studies show that SAM-e – the user-friendly name for S-adenosylmethionine – is as effective, and maybe even more effective, than some antidepressant medications in relieving the symptoms of depression.

SAM-e – (pronounced “sammy”) isn’t a hormone, herb, vitamin or nutrient. It’s made naturally in the body from an amino acid called methionine, which you get from protein-rich foods, along with the assembly-line workers folic acid and vitamin B12.

Sometimes the body doesn’t make enough. This can cause all kinds of problems, since SAM-e acts as the “on” switch for a wide variety of processes. It helps make new cells and repair damaged ones, aids immunity, builds cartilage in joints, helps form the genetic code within cells, makes nerve chemicals like serotonin and dopamine and regulates moods and emotions. This translates into happier moods, quicker thinking, reduce arthritis pain and possibly fewer symptoms of fibromyalgia.

It is with mood that SAM-e works its best magic. Low SAM-e levels are seen in people who are depressed. Raise those levels by supplementing with SAM-e and despair, anxiety and irritability improve, if not vanish.

Numerous studies show that SAM-e works when all else fails. One study found that 400 milligrams a day of SAM-e was even more effective at eliminating depression than mood-altering medications. This supplement bests antidepressant drugs because it starts working within a few days to two weeks, while prescription drugs take much longer. SAM-e also appears to have few, if any, side effects, other than the occasional rare case of indigestion.

SAM-e also might be a smart pill, helping you concentrate and think faster. In one study, a combination of nutrients, including folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin E and SAM-e, improved quick thinking by 10% in just three months and by 20% at the end of a six-month study. Preliminary evidence also suggests this little pill might help curb Alzheimer’s risk.

Are there any downsides to SAM-e? Yes, but they are few:

While up to 61% of depressed people get relief with this supplement, there is no evidence that it has any effect on mood in people who are already happy. It shouldn’t be taken as a tonic unless you really are blue.

SAM-e is off-limits for anyone with bipolar disorder, since it can escalate manic episodes.

Other than the fact that SAM-e has been used safely in Europe for more than 30 years as an antidepressant, there are few long-term studies, so no one knows for sure whether there might be any serious health hazards from taking it for decades.

It’s expensive, and analyses have found that what is promised on the label is not always what is inside the jar. Some brands have little or no SAM-e in their products, others have too much. To make sure you are getting what you paid for, choose a major brand to ensure quality.