SAM-e May Boost Effects of Antidepressants
SAM-e May Boost Effects of Antidepressants
SAM-e May Work as an Add-On Therapy in Treating Major Depression
Sept. 3, 2010 --SAM-e plus prescription antidepressants may spell relief for hard-to-treat depression, according to a new study published in the August 2010 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry. Short for S-adenosyl methionine, SAM-e is a dietary supplement that is often used in the treatment of depression.
"This is the first study that examines the use of oral SAM-e as an adjunctive therapy in patients with major depressive disorder who don't get better on standard antidepressants," says study author George Papakostas, MD, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and director of treatment-resistant depression studies in the department of psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
That said, "I would not recommend self-medicating with SAM-e or any other compound," he says. "The most important thing is to talk to your doctor if your antidepressant is not working and your doctor can recommend switching to another drug or adding another therapy."
Exactly how -- or even if -- SAM-e affects depression on its own or in combination with prescribed antidepressants is not known, but several theories exist. For example, SAM-e may target some of the same brain chemicals as certain prescription antidepressants, he says.
Will Supplements Help You Reach Your Goals?
In the new six-week study of 73 adults with major depression who were not responding to treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), those who added oral SAM-e twice a day to their usual daily dose of SSRI showed improvements in their depression and were more likely to achieve remission, compared to their counterparts who received placebo along with their antidepressant medications.
Participants took one, 400 milligram Nature Made SAM-e Complete supplement twice daily provided free of cost by the manufacturer, Pharmavite LLC, for the first two weeks of the study. The dose of SAM-e was then increased to two 400 milligram pills twice daily for the remainder of the study. The SSRI dosing stayed constant during the study.
The number needed to treat (which refers to the number of people who must be treated with SAM-e to achieve response or remission in one person) is one in six and one in seven, respectively, the study showed.
SAM-e May Boost Effects of Antidepressants
SAM-e May Work as an Add-On Therapy in Treating Major Depression
Sept. 3, 2010 --SAM-e plus prescription antidepressants may spell relief for hard-to-treat depression, according to a new study published in the August 2010 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry. Short for S-adenosyl methionine, SAM-e is a dietary supplement that is often used in the treatment of depression.
"This is the first study that examines the use of oral SAM-e as an adjunctive therapy in patients with major depressive disorder who don't get better on standard antidepressants," says study author George Papakostas, MD, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and director of treatment-resistant depression studies in the department of psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
That said, "I would not recommend self-medicating with SAM-e or any other compound," he says. "The most important thing is to talk to your doctor if your antidepressant is not working and your doctor can recommend switching to another drug or adding another therapy."
Exactly how -- or even if -- SAM-e affects depression on its own or in combination with prescribed antidepressants is not known, but several theories exist. For example, SAM-e may target some of the same brain chemicals as certain prescription antidepressants, he says.
Will Supplements Help You Reach Your Goals?
SAM-e Plus SSRI Equals Depression Relief, Remission
In the new six-week study of 73 adults with major depression who were not responding to treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), those who added oral SAM-e twice a day to their usual daily dose of SSRI showed improvements in their depression and were more likely to achieve remission, compared to their counterparts who received placebo along with their antidepressant medications.
Participants took one, 400 milligram Nature Made SAM-e Complete supplement twice daily provided free of cost by the manufacturer, Pharmavite LLC, for the first two weeks of the study. The dose of SAM-e was then increased to two 400 milligram pills twice daily for the remainder of the study. The SSRI dosing stayed constant during the study.
The number needed to treat (which refers to the number of people who must be treated with SAM-e to achieve response or remission in one person) is one in six and one in seven, respectively, the study showed.
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