Benefits and Uses of SAMe Supplements

SAMe Supplements Promote Good Mood Brain Chemistry

At BrainMD, we see your brain as a sophisticated supercomputer with both hardware and software. For peak efficiency, the machinery (including cells, connections, chemicals, energy, blood flow, and waste processing) needs to work effectively.

When your brain hardware or  “machinery” doesn’t work quite as smoothly, your health practitioner may suggest therapeutic and biological interventions, including exercise, supplements, medication, neurofeedback, sleep apnea evaluations and treatment, hyperbaric oxygen, and more.

Whenever feasible, we recommend the most natural ways to heal and support the brain, such as supplements and lifestyle interventions – nutrition plans and workout prescriptions, for example. While we still use medications when needed, and believe they save lives when used appropriately, we believe that treatment providers should first do no harm, and use the least toxic treatments.

(Note: People who suffer from bipolar disorder should generally avoid SAMe since it may provoke mood swings.)

What is SAMe?

S-AdenosylMethionine (SAMe) can be made naturally in the body or synthetically as a supplement. It powers over 200 enzymes necessary for healthy cell growth, maturation, and specialization.

In the brain, SAMe is required for nerve cells to make energy, maintain connectivity, and generate mood-related neurotransmitters. And your body utilizes SAMe for pain relief, depression, liver disease, and other conditions.

People who don’t make enough SAMe naturally may be helped by taking SAMe as a supplement.

Widely studied for the treatment of osteoarthritis – you may have even seen a bottle of SAMe at your grandmother’s house first. But SAMe is not just for joints.

In fact, over 40 clinical studies have suggested SAMe can potentially help some people battle heart disease, migraines, Parkinson’s disease, depression, PMS and other conditions.

Furthermore, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) which provides scientific evidence ratings for natural supplements, reports that SAMe is effective for treating depression, and may help slow the aging process. 

SAMe Supplement Benefits: May Also Help PMS, Fibromyalgia, Dementia, and Pain

This nutrient has been available by prescription in Europe for many years as an antidepressant and has been available over the counter in the U.S. since the early 90s as a mood lifter and as a supplement for nervous system disorders.

  • SAMe is involved with the production of several other brain neurotransmitters, dopamine and norepinephrine. Maintaining adequate levels of these foundational neurotransmitters is essential in supporting feelings of well-being. Recent controlled trials have demonstrated the efficacy of SAMe in promoting a happy, balanced mood.
  • NIH double-blind research conducted at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital demonstrated that SAMe is beneficial as an additive to those resistant to FDA-approved antidepressants. People taking SAMe in addition to regular antidepressants experienced double response rate and remission rate compared with placebos.
  • One major problem with compliance of prescribed antidepressants is the number of unpleasant side effects, including the 70 percent of patients who experience sexual dysfunction. (This negatively affects adherence to their medication regimen.) Clinical trials have found that SAMe can decrease sexual dysfunction.

Everyone can use a little help sometimes. If you are looking for a safe, natural supplement that can support brain health and joint function all while promoting a positive mood, try the natural route first.

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