The libraryCalm
SAMe
800 mg a day for 8 weeks, added on top of an antidepressant that had stopped working.
Also called S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine, S-Adenosylmethionine, SAM-e, AdoMet, Ademetionine
Who it's forAny man whose antidepressant took the edge off and then stalled.
The item
Three squares: proven in human trials. Two: a strong signal. One: early human data. Striped: the trials disagree.
Start today
- Message your prescriber that you're adding 800 mg a day, then start.
Why it works
SAMe is the body's main methyl donor. It supplies the small chemical tags used in hundreds of reactions, including making neurotransmitters and maintaining joint cartilage. That breadth explains its results in both depression and osteoarthritis. It also explains why its interaction risk with drugs that raise serotonin is real, not theoretical.
The doses the studies used
| Study / Context | Route | Dose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peng 2024 review, 14 trials in major depressive disorder (1522 people) | Not stated in the review | 200-3200 mg/day across the included trials | 2-12 weeks |
| Sarris 2018 add-on trial, MDD not in remission (107 people) | Not stated in the report | 800 mg/day | 8 weeks |
| Baden 2024 review, 15 liver-disease studies | Best route not yet known | 1000 mg or 1200 mg daily (the two most common doses) | Long-term data still lacking |
| NCT04250259 Phase 2, alcoholic cirrhosis (196 people planned) | Oral (400 mg tablets) | 1,200 mg daily: 2 tablets before breakfast, 1 before dinner | 24 months |
| NCT06026865, primary sclerosing cholangitis (60 people) | Oral (tablets) | 1,200 mg daily (as 2,400 mg SAMe disulfate tosylate): 800 mg morning, 400 mg midday | 6 months |
| NCT06258525 Phase 2, oxaliplatin liver injury (30 people planned) | Oral (400 mg tablets) | 1,200 mg daily: 2 tablets AM, 1 tablet PM | Until surgical resection |
| NCT07582003 Phase 1, preventing colorectal adenomas (18 people planned) | Oral (400 mg tablets) | 1,600-2,400 mg daily in divided doses | Not stated in the registration |
Where it fits
SAMe is a move in 2 protocols. Each one opens the plan it sits in.
What people say
Here is what doctors, influencers and men online say about SAMe, word for word.
Experts
Clinicians, authorities
“deserve further clinical evaluation in adequately sized randomised, parallel-group trials in patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis. Meanwhile, routine use of SAMe should not be advised.”
“The results fail to support an advantage over placebo for either the investigational treatment SAMe or the standard treatment escitalopram for MDD.”
“At least 40 studies in people have evaluated SAMe for depression, and many of them showed evidence of beneficial effects. However, most of these trials lasted only a few weeks”
Gurus
Podcasts, channels, influencers
“SAM-e is the end-product of the methylation cycle, it can thus help compensate for the poor methylation.”
“Studies show that SAM-e is very effective in treating depression without the side effects of prescription antidepressants.”
“Clinical studies show SAMe works well in countering the fatigue, inflammation and pain associated with fibromyalgia, a puzzling and hard to treat condition.”
Regular people
Forums, reviews, comments
“SAMe has an average rating of 4.1 out of 5 from 270 reviews on WebMD.”
“It really helps with moderate depression. Does not help with anxiety. Tried it for several months until I realized it was giving me panic attacks and insomnia.”
“One thing that I was surprised worked well was SAM-E, a supplement that has shown results in treating both ADHD/Depression.”
The studies
Every study behind this page.
- Impact of Supplementation and Nutritional Interventions on Pathogenic Processes of Mood Disorders: A Review of the EvidencePubMed, PMID 33652997
- SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine)PubMed, PMID 10902097
- S-adenosylmethionine and depressionPubMed, PMID 12043126
- Efficacy and acceptability of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) for depressed patients: A systematic review and meta-analysisPubMed, PMID 38423354
- S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) as an adjuvant therapy for patients with depression: An updated systematic review and meta-analysisPubMed, PMID 38199136
- S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) for Liver Health: A Systematic ReviewPubMed, PMID 39519500
- Effects of S-Adenosylmethionine on Cognition in Animals and Humans: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled TrialsPubMed, PMID 36970898
- S-Adenosylmethionine for osteoarthritis of the knee or hipPubMed, PMID 19821403
- Registered trial NCT04250259Trial registry
- Registered trial NCT06026865Trial registry
- Registered trial NCT06258525Trial registry
- Registered trial NCT07582003Trial registry
- Registered trial NCT07367724Trial registry
- Comparative efficacy and tolerability of nutraceuticals for depressive disorder: A systematic review and network meta-analysisPubMed, PMID 40314175
Words on this page
- PMID
- A study's ID number in PubMed, the public index of medical research.
Take SAMe for a low mood. Never stack it on an SSRI without telling your doctor.
Emergency: call 911.
I am not a doctor. This is not medical advice. This is self-education. Talk to a physician who has your history before you change anything.