Remedy · supplement
SAM-e
Also: S-adenosylmethionine, SAMe
A naturally occurring molecule sold as a supplement for joint pain and mood, with inconclusive OA evidence.
Evidence by condition
Each grade reflects the research for SAM-e and that condition specifically.
- CDepression
Genuinely mixed: one 2024 meta-analysis found SAMe monotherapy beat placebo, another found no benefit as monotherapy or add-on; trials are small with widely varied doses and routes.
2 citation s
- Efficacy and acceptability of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) for depressed patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Meta-analysis 2024 · n=2,234 · European Psychiatry · DOI 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2024.680
- S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) as an adjuvant therapy for patients with depression: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis Meta-analysis 2024 · n=1,522 · General Hospital Psychiatry · PMID 38199136 · DOI 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2023.12.009
- Efficacy and acceptability of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) for depressed patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
- —Knee osteoarthritis
Some small trials suggest pain relief comparable to NSAIDs, but the evidence is too low-quality to confirm a benefit.
1 citation
- S-Adenosylmethionine for osteoarthritis of the knee or hip Systematic review 2009 · n=656 · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · DOI 10.1002/14651858.CD007321.pub2
- S-Adenosylmethionine for osteoarthritis of the knee or hip