SAM-e (S-adenosyl-L-methionine) was originally developed by an Italian firm as a pharmaceutical in the early 70’s but the company lacked the resources to apply for a drug approval in the United States. SAM-e has now been extremely popular in over a dozen countries for more than 20 years. It has been touted as the most potent, multi-purpose, anti-aging, anti-disease therapy ever introduced! Until now, SAM-e was only available in a tablet or capsule form, but today we can boast of a new delivery system for this excellent product: we have been able to engineer SAM-e into a stabilized liquid form, creating a unique proprietary blend. SAM-e is held in a liquid suspension and this delivery system increases the fantastic properties of SAM-e: the product provides maximum benefit in this form because of its greater absorption, or bioavailability. SAM-e is currently used to treat five principal conditions: Depression Osteoarthritis Fibromyalgia Liver disease Migraine headaches Time, Newsweek, and USA Today were uniform in their praise of SAM-e in 1999 articles saying unequivocally that it was “comparable to state-of-the-art treatments for both depression and arthritis”, and performed as well as conventional treatments, helping about 70% of patients in controlled studies. One doctor lauded SAM-e as “the best antidepressant I’ve ever prescribed.” The articles, in common with others, warned that SAM-e is not appropriate for the treatment of bipolar disorder, as it can exacerbate mania in some cases. Antidepressant drugs are part of a billion dollar psychopharmacology industry that, according to many physicians, churns out some dangerous, addictive products. While antidepressants work in most patients, there are drawbacks. According to statistics from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), 53% of drug-related admissions to emergency rooms are due to overdose. People frequently overdose on tricyclic antidepressants during the lag time between the time the drug is prescribed, and when it starts working. In 1994, 90% of the emergency room visits were related to tricyclic antidepressants for overdosing (both intentionally and unintentionally). The brain of a healthy person manufactures all the SAM-e it needs from methionine, but SAM-e production is impaired in people who are depressed. Supplementation with SAM-e increases levels of serotonin, dopamine and phosphatides, and improves serotonin and dopamine receptor site binding. Interestingly, treatment with antidepressant drugs that resulted in improved mood (as determined by a 50% improvement in the Hamilton Depression Inventory) usually also results in increased SAM-e regardless of the drug used. SAM-e occurs naturally in every living cell and is a co-factor in a process called methylation that affects more than 100 complex biochemical reactions in the human body. SAM-e helps our bodies make and regulate hormones, cell membranes and the neurotransmitters that affect mood. It promotes “emotional well-being” as well as “joint health”, contributes to the building blocks for cartilage, and is involved in making glutathione, which the liver uses to remove poisons such as alcohol. SAM-e is a “methyl donor”, meaning that when it reacts with vitamin B12 and folic acid, it gives away units of carbon (a methyl group) to other molecules in the body. That process is critical in the production of “feel good” brain chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. How might taking SAM-e improve a person’s mood? Researchers have identified several possibilities. Normal brain function involves the passage of chemical messengers between cells. SAM-e may enhance the impact of mood-boosting messengers such as serotonin (the neurotransmitter that is elevated by drugs like Prozac), norepinephrine, and dopamine; it does this either by regulating their breakdown, or by speeding up production of the receptor molecules they latch on to. SAM-e may also make existing receptors more responsive. These molecules float in the outer membranes of brain cells like swimmers treading water in a pool. If the membranes get thick and glutinous, due to age or other assaults, the receptors lose their ability to move and change in response to chemical signals. By methylating fats called phospholipids, SAM-e keeps the membranes fluid and the receptors mobile. In a recent US government study of the effects of SAM-e on depression, arthritis, and liver disease, SAM-e was found to work effectively for all three conditions. For depression, SAM-e was shown to be as good as standard antidepressant therapy; for liver disease, SAM-e improved intrahepatic cholestasis (cholesterol deposits in the liver, including intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy) and reduced serum bilirubin levels, itching associated with intrahepatic cholestasis and jaundice; and for osteoarthritis, SAM-e was shown as effective at relieving joint pain as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). In the studies on liver disease, researchers felt that a larger sample was needed to determine accurately the benefits of the SAM-e, and that overall, more studies were needed to determine optimum doses for each of the disease conditions, but they stated that SAM-e research was clearly worth pursuing. Over 40 million Americans with chronic pain use drugs like Aspirin, Ibuprofen, and Acetaminophen. In arthritis-strength dosages, these NSAID’s have devastating side effects. Over 100,000 Americans are hospitalized annually from NSAID induced ulcers and more than 16,000 die. In a dozen clinical trials with more than 22,000 patients, researchers found SAM-e as effective as pharmaceutical treatments for pain and inflammation, without any signs of digestive tract damage, sexual dysfunction, dry mouth, or nausea. And instead of speeding the breakdown of cartilage, SAM-e may actually help to restore it. Medical experts from The Arthritis Foundation recently stated that they were satisfied that SAM-e “provides pain relief”. Also, SAM-e has shown no signs of drug interaction and can be taken along with most, if not all prescription drugs, under a doctor’s supervision. SAM-e plays an important role in cartilage formation and repair. In in-vitro studies, SAM-e has been shown to increase the blood levels of proteoglycans, the starting point of cartilage formation. SAM-e has been shown, in a number of additional studies, to bring arthritis pain relief comparable to that of the oft-prescribed NSAID’s Naproxin and Piroxicam, without their undesirable side effects. Over the last two decades, multiple clinical trials involving thousands of people have shown SAM-e to improve joint health and treat osteoarthritis. It has been found to be equal to NSAIDs in clinical studies. Most of this research has been done in Europe, where SAM-e is sold as a drug. Fibromyalgia is one of those mysterious syndromes that can either occur alone, or accompany other diseases such as lupus and chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome. The main feature of fibromyalgia is persistent pain but not necessarily in the joints: pain can occur for no apparent reason, deep within the muscles. The symptoms of fibromyalgia include tenderness at several points of the body. In addition, people with fibromyalgia frequently have fatigue, sleep disturbances, numbness, joint swelling, and other symptoms. It is often treated with tricyclic antidepressants. It has been suggested by several researchers that SAM-e might be a good substitute for tricyclic antidepressants in the treatment of fibromyalgia, and a number of clinical studies have proven them right. Life Choice SAM-e Liquid is a pleasant-tasting, easy-to-take formula that delivers maximum benefit because of its excellent bioavailability. Cautions: Avoid if you have bipolar disorder (manic depression). SAM-e may interact with antidepressant medication. Avoid if you are taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI). SAM-e may worsen Parkinson’s disease. Symptom relief from SAM-e may take up to twice as long as from NSAIDs, but benefits last longer, continuing after supplementation ends. “Loading” doses, initially starting out with a high dose, and then dropping to lower doses later, may work as maintenance. SAM-e works closely with the B vitamins, B12, B6 and folate, so it is important to get enough of the B vitamins when taking this supplement. It is also a good idea to store the liquid SAM-e in the refrigerator to prolong its shelf-life and reduce oxidation.