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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Use of SAMe and antidepressants
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD) , bipolar disorder , dementia , electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) , learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , panic , personality disorders, phobias , post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , schizophrenia , stress , transitions, and work problems.
Use of SAMe and antidepressants
by Judy, Oct 30, 1999 12:00AM
My brother told me about a new suppliment called SAMe wihich is supposed to help depression. In all of the literature I have found it simply says ask you physician about it's use with antidepressants. My health care provider can find no information about it's use with SSRIs or other antidepressants. Is there anything written?
Doctor's Answer
by HFHS MD-JM, Nov 04, 1999 12:00AM
Judy,
SAMe is a naturally occuring molecule found in all living cells. It is synthesized in our bodies utilizing an amino acid methionine. SAMe has been reported to be helpful in treating depression, arthritis and liver disease.
Even though it has been studied in Europe and used for the last 20 years, the Food and Drug Administration has not rigorously studied it(or approved it). It may be a promising agent for treating depression but no studies to date have found SAMe as effective as prescription medications such as Zoloft, Paxil,etc. Further large scale studies need to be completed before physicians in the USA will recommend it as a primary treatment for depression.
There is extensive information on this topic on the internet. I suggest you look at the article in Newsweek July 5, 1999 for a more lengthy discussion.
This information is intended for educational purposes only. Please see your personal physician for specific health concerns.
Sincerely,
HFHS MD-JM
Keywords: SAMe, Depression
SAMe is a naturally occuring molecule found in all living cells. It is synthesized in our bodies utilizing an amino acid methionine. SAMe has been reported to be helpful in treating depression, arthritis and liver disease.
Even though it has been studied in Europe and used for the last 20 years, the Food and Drug Administration has not rigorously studied it(or approved it). It may be a promising agent for treating depression but no studies to date have found SAMe as effective as prescription medications such as Zoloft, Paxil,etc. Further large scale studies need to be completed before physicians in the USA will recommend it as a primary treatment for depression.
There is extensive information on this topic on the internet. I suggest you look at the article in Newsweek July 5, 1999 for a more lengthy discussion.
This information is intended for educational purposes only. Please see your personal physician for specific health concerns.
Sincerely,
HFHS MD-JM
Keywords: SAMe, Depression
