Not the SAM-e Old Drug

DEPRESSION

Move over, St. John's Wort. There's a new natural antidepressant in
town. It's called SAM-e, and it boosts more than just mood.

S-adenoslymethionine, or SAM-e (pronounced sammy), is a natural
substance our bodies make from the amino acid methionine and the
energy-producing compound adenosine triphosphate. SAM-e's blues-fighting
abilities have been studied since the 1970s, but it has only been
available as a dietary supplement in the U.S. since March.

"There's now an understanding of how the nutritional foundation of
the nerves plays a role in how people will respond to antidepressants,"
says Richard Brown, M.D., associate professor of psychiatry at Columbia
University and co-author of Stop Depression Now (G.P. Putnam and Sons,
1999). "There's a correlation between low levels of SAM-e and
depression."

SAM-e works by increasing levels of feel-good neurotransmitters
like serotonin and dopamine. Researchers say it's stronger than St.
John's Wort and comparable to antidepressant drugs. And SAM-e enhances
the action of conventional antidepressants. In a 1992 study, 20 of 40
patients taking the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine were also given
400 mg of SAM-e daily. The other 20 were given a placebo. "The SAM-e
group was much better in four days," says Brown.

SAM-e works faster than traditional drugs--and without the side
effects. It also relieves arthritis pain and inflammation. Says Brown:
"I'd rather give depressed people something that does good things in
their bodies as they get older."