Supplement
S-adenosylmethionine, or SAMe, is a compound your cells make from the amino acid methionine, and it donates methyl groups that help build brain chemicals and maintain cell membranes. People mostly look at it for depression, and the evidence is moderate: a pooled analysis of six studies with about 1,558 people found depression symptoms improved, though the effect was small. Much of that research tested SAMe alongside antidepressants, and one small trial of 46 people found no clear difference in attention, so the findings say little about it on its own.
Sources: PMID 38199136; PMID 11104210
- Updated
- How we grade
- 23 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade B
- Conditions studied
- 12
- Outcomes
- 30
- Graded outcomes
- 0105
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
Chronic Liver Disease
- Bilirubin
- Depression Symptoms: improves
- Osteoarthritis Symptoms: improves
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
- Bilirubin
- Liver Enzymes: changes; see studies
- Liver Fibrosis: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bilirubin No effect | NoneNo effect | 1 study | 37 people | |||
Studies that measured bilirubin | ||||||
| Liver Enzymes | Changes; see studies | 1 study | 37 people | |||
Studies that measured liver enzymes | ||||||
| Liver Fibrosis | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 37 people | |||
Studies that measured liver fibrosis | ||||||
General Cardiovascular Health
- C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
- Homocysteine: improves
- Liver Enzymes: changes; see studies
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-Reactive Protein (CRP) No effect | NoneNo effect | 52 people | ||||
| Homocysteine | Improves (the measure goes down) | 3 studies | 66 people | |||
Studies that measured homocysteine
| ||||||
| Liver Enzymes | Changes; see studies | 1 study | 52 people | |||
Studies that measured liver enzymes | ||||||
Parkinson's Disease
- Depression Symptoms: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depression Symptoms | Improves (the measure goes down) | 6 studies | 11 people | |||
Studies that measured depression symptoms
| ||||||
Metabolic Health
- Homocysteine: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homocysteine | Improves (the measure goes down) | 3 studies | 29 people | |||
Studies that measured homocysteine
| ||||||
Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP)
- Cholestasis: changes; see studies
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cholestasis | Changes; see studies | 2 studies | 2,085 people | |||
Fibromyalgia
- Fibromyalgia Symptoms: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fibromyalgia Symptoms | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 44 people | |||
Studies that measured fibromyalgia symptoms | ||||||
General Cancer Care and Prevention
- Liver Enzymes: changes; see studies
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liver Enzymes | Changes; see studies | 1 study | 50 people | |||
Studies that measured liver enzymes | ||||||
Chemotherapy Side Effects
- Liver Enzymes: changes; see studies
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liver Enzymes | Changes; see studies | 1 study | 50 people | |||
Studies that measured liver enzymes | ||||||
Hepatitis C
- Early Virologic Response: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Virologic Response | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 21 people | |||
Studies that measured early virologic response | ||||||
Key findings
- Depression SymptomsImproves (the measure goes down)
- Attention
- Bilirubin
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- Grade B
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Studies cited
23 studies from PubMed
- Influence of oral S-adenosylmethionine on plasma 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, S-adenosylhomocysteine, homocysteine and methionine in healthy humans
- Dietary supplement S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) effects on plasma homocysteine levels in healthy human subjects: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial
- Bioavailability and lack of toxicity of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) in humans
- S-Adenosyl-Methionine improves depression in patients with Parkinson's disease in an open-label clinical trial
- Safety and efficacy of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) for osteoarthritis
- Comparative clinical trial of S-adenosylmethionine versus nabumetone for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: an 8-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, Phase IV study in Korean patients
- Italian double-blind multicenter study comparing S-adenosylmethionine, naproxen, and placebo in the treatment of degenerative joint disease
- S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe) versus celecoxib for the treatment of osteoarthritis symptoms: a double-blind cross-over trial. [ISRCTN36233495]
- S-adenosyl-L-methionine for treatment of depression, osteoarthritis, and liver disease.
- S-Adenosylmethionine for osteoarthritis of the knee or hip.
- Oral S-adenosylmethionine in primary fibromyalgia. Double-blind clinical evaluation
- S-adenosyl-L-methionine treatment for alcoholic liver disease: a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial
- Randomized prospective comparative study of ursodeoxycholic acid and S-adenosyl-L-methionine in the treatment of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy
- Pharmacological interventions for treating intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.
- S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe) augmentation of serotonin reuptake inhibitors for antidepressant nonresponders with major depressive disorder: a double-blind, randomized clinical trial
- S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe) versus escitalopram and placebo in major depression RCT: efficacy and effects of histamine and carnitine as moderators of response
- S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe) for depression in adults
- S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) as an adjuvant therapy for patients with depression: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.
- Efficacy and acceptability of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) for depressed patients: A systematic review and meta- analysis.
- Effects of S-adenosylmethionine augmentation of serotonin-reuptake inhibitor antidepressants on cognitive symptoms of major depressive disorder
- S-adenosyl methionine improves early viral responses and interferon-stimulated gene induction in hepatitis C nonresponders
- S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) supplementation for treatment of chemotherapy-induced liver injury
- S-adenosyl-L-methionine for the treatment of chronic liver disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis