
© Comstock/Thinkstock
© Comstock/Thinkstock
Research has evaluated several potential uses of SAMe, and a substantial number of studies on depression and liver diseases have been completed. However, some of the studies used injected SAMe, which may not have the same effects as SAMe taken as a dietary supplement.
SAMe has been studied primarily for depression, osteoarthritis, and liver diseases. Although there are hints that it might be helpful for these conditions, the evidence is not conclusive.
S-Adenosyl-L-methionine (also called S-adenosyl methionine, S-adenosylmethionine, SAMe, or SAM-e in the United States or ademetionine in Europe, and also often abbreviated as SAM and AdoMet) is a chemical that is found naturally in the body. SAMe is sold in the United States as a dietary supplement.
SAMe was discovered in the early 1950s. It’s made in the body from methionine, an amino acid found in foods. It has been found to regulate key functions in living cells.
Abnormal levels of SAMe in the body have been reported in liver diseases and depression. This prompted researchers to investigate whether SAMe might be helpful in treating these conditions. The idea that SAMe might be helpful for osteoarthritis came from studies of SAMe for depression. Some of the participants in the depression studies who also had osteoarthritis said their joint symptoms improved when they took SAMe.
SAMe has been investigated most extensively for depression, osteoarthritis, and liver diseases. For all three conditions, research has not conclusively shown that SAMe is helpful.
Overall, the evidence that oral SAMe may be helpful for depression is not conclusive.
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, included a small number of participants, and were not of the highest scientific quality. Also, some studies used injected SAMe rather than an oral form (taken by mouth).
The results of research on SAMe for osteoarthritis are mixed.
Studies in people have compared oral SAMe with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs; medicines used to relieve osteoarthritis pain) or placebos (inactive substances) in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip.
There’s some evidence linking decreased levels of SAMe in the body with the development of liver diseases, and animal studies have suggested that SAMe may be of value for liver problems. However, whether SAMe is beneficial for liver diseases in people has not been established.
SAMe has also been studied for other conditions, including fibromyalgia, migraine, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, but there isn’t enough evidence to reach conclusions about its effects in these conditions. A trial of SAMe as a quit-smoking aid showed that it didn’t increase the quit rate or reduce withdrawal symptoms.
Current studies supported by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) are investigating:
The NCCIH Clearinghouse provides information on NCCIH and complementary and integrative health approaches, including publications and searches of Federal databases of scientific and medical literature. The Clearinghouse does not provide medical advice, treatment recommendations, or referrals to practitioners.
A service of the National Library of Medicine, PubMed® contains publication information and (in most cases) brief summaries of articles from scientific and medical journals. For guidance from NCCIH on using PubMed, see How To Find Information About Complementary Health Approaches on PubMed.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has created a Web site, NIH Clinical Research Trials and You, to help people learn about clinical trials, why they matter, and how to participate. The site includes questions and answers about clinical trials, guidance on how to find clinical trials through ClinicalTrials.gov and other resources, and stories about the personal experiences of clinical trial participants. Clinical trials are necessary to find better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases.
To provide resources that help answer health questions, MedlinePlus (a service of the National Library of Medicine) brings together authoritative information from the National Institutes of Health as well as other Government agencies and health-related organizations.
NCCIH thanks Craig Hopp, Ph.D., and David Shurtleff, Ph.D., NCCIH, for reviewing the 2015 update of this fact sheet.
This page last modified September 24, 2017