SAM-E

June 29, 1999

Geoff,

I posted some info a week or so ago from a top psychopharmacologist whom I

have a relationship with (a psychiatrist who specializes in medication for

mood disorders etc).

It is very good for depression when it is mild to moderate; better, in fact,

than St. 's Wort.

I know it is used for osteoarthritis too, but it doesn't have a reputation

for RA.

What it does for OA is prevent cartilege breakdown, I think. Which , of

course, would be great for all of us too.

The brands he recommends are Solgar and Nature Made 200 mg tabs. The first

week take 1 a day. Second week and after 1 tab 2x a day. But this is the

prescription for mood. I don't know re: arthritis.

There is a good new hardcover out on it that I read in B & N, but I don't have

name. It's with new non-fiction.

Hope this helps.

May 14, 2003

Stomach acid destroys the stuff so you actually need to use unbroken

enteric coated tablets.

Andy . . . . . .. . . .

> Who is using this? Results?? Where are you getting it? Dr. C told

> me to get it somewhere locally but all I can find is

> the " enterically-coated " tablets (food coloring, etc. and wouldn't

> be too easy to crush). Since Colin is only 3, he still can't

> swallow pills. I need it in a capsule or crushable tablet (200

> mg.). Any ideas??

>

> Thanks!

> Marl

May 14, 2003

In a message dated 5/14/2003 1:54:05 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

ampoyner@... writes:

>

> Who is using this? Results?? Where are you getting it? Dr. C told

> me to get it somewhere locally but all I can find is

> the " enterically-coated " tablets (food coloring, etc. and wouldn't

> be too easy to crush). Since Colin is only 3, he still can't

> swallow pills. I need it in a capsule or crushable tablet (200

> mg.). Any ideas??

>

they are all coated . some are white coating. maybe that would be ok. I don't

know if it will work as well if you crush. why did the dr suggest using it?

karen

April 13, 2005

> I just wrote about my experience with SAM-e. Was wondering how any

of you

> have taken this supplment and what benifits it helped you with. I

mainly see

> it promoted for depression. Have you noticed anything different

with this

> product than you expected. What dose did you take. How did it

help your

> kids.

>

*********

Liz,

I tried to find your earlier post but was unable to do so. We've not

tried SAMe yet. We're following Dr. Amy Yasko's protocal and have

just had our son tested for COMT status and MTHFr status. Evidently,

(and I'm no expert at this)SAMe is tolerated very well if you are an

undermethylator and in small amounts if you have one mutation for

overmethylation but not two. If you don't tolerate methyl b12 well,

then you probably wouldn't do well with large amounts of SAMe. We've

only been following Dr. Yasko's protocal for 2 months but we've seen

a marked improvement in social & cognitive skills. My son's urine

tests show that he's releasing metals and he hasn't even been using a

chelating agent. We're at the stage where we're using supplements to

correct methylation pathways. So this is exciting for us! Still

using lots of enzymes and modified SCD diet. Here's a post from Dr.

Yasko's website about SAM to a parent who's child was having stimmy

behavior. It may help to decide if SAMe might be of benefit. She

gives her permission to post her responses.-----

The best way to know exactly what is going on

would be to run the genetic tests that I suggest; the COMT test and

the

saliva genetic test. Based on experience I would imagine that your

son may

be able to make the needed methionine through the " back door " for

synthesis via the BHMT enzyme. This would suggest that he may have a

mutation in the MS and or the MSR enzymes for the more direct route

for

methionine synthesis between homocysteine and methionine. In terms of

the reaction to SAMe,

there are several possibilities…the first one that comes to mind is

that

he may be an overmethylator in which case he will have difficulty

tolerating the SAMe. The SAMe is not only supplementing a step in the

methionine pathway, it is also a methyl donor for a wide variety of

reactions in the body. In addition, SAMe is converted to SAH which

helps

to inhibit the breakdown of dopamine. Dopamine is broken down in part

by

the action of COMT. If your son is an overmethylator then he will be

COMT++ and the additional inhibition of COMT by SAH may create

problems

for him. A second possibility is that your son may have a mutation in

the

CBS enzyme that causes an up regulation of its activity. If this is

the

case it will drain homocysteine to its breakdown products including

taurine and cysteine. Children with this CBS mutation have

difficulties

tolerating sulfur donors. As SAMe is a sulfur donor in addition to a

methyl donor this is a second possibility. A third possibility is

that

SAMe serves as a direct methyl donor for the conversion of guanidoAc

to

creatinine. As I posted earlier this week, the level of creatinine is

related to viral excretion. It may be that the stimmy behavior you

see in

response to SAMe is a sign of detox. These are just a few

possibilities,

it will be easier to determine exactly what is occurring with the

results

of a genetic test that tell us about CBS mutations, MS, MSR and

glutathione mutations.

April 16, 2005

I just was researching a friends Sam E product and it had many

ingredients like titaniaum dioxide and iron oxide, I did not feel these

were good things to be comsuming. What are you looking to get from the

SamE.

lyle and diane vrana wrote:

> When and how would I supplement using SAM-e? Is it safe to give even

> before official chelation? Right now I'm just treating my son with

> diet, enzymes, and supplements, including selenium and glutathione. I

> read the SAM-e is somehow linked to glutathione, or would be just as

> useful in the chelation process? Can I add it now, on its own? Is it

> worth it? I hate to just keep adding supplements, as it seems we are

> taking so many right now. BUT--since I've had such great improvements

> in my son with selenium and glutathione, if SAM-e is just as good, I'll

> go out and buy it tomorrow! My son is also on a small amount of

> Zoloft--I wonder if SAM-e would help regulate things for him, so that he

> may not need the Zoloft eventually? I thought I read it can be used to

> treat depression/moods, etc. Thanks for any input . . .

>

> ~Diane

> Mom to Aaren, age 3, ASD

>

> --- http://USFamily.Net/dialup.html - $8.25/mo! --

> http://www.usfamily.net/dsl.html - $19.99/mo! ---

>

April 16, 2005

I'm sure some group members can help you with this question. But

since he is on Zoloft don't you think you should ask your doctor if

it would be safe to give him SAM-e? I don't know if it would collide

with the medication or not. Some amino acids you cannot take along

with an antidepressant and you have to be careful.

Everything I read about SAM-e says it treats depression and mood.

Well not for me. I began taking it to help my memory, and depressed

feeling in my body, lack of energy and tired all the time. I didn't notice

any change. But interestingly enough I felt something going on. I had

this underarm odor that showed up since last year and it smelled like

alcohol. After a few days taking SAM-e in the morning the odor went

away! So it is good for something.

I have to mention too that I found supplementing in the evening with

my amino acids to be helpful. I took my NAC at night for a few

months and I think I built up my system somewhere that now the

SAM-e has the ability to work better.

I have been put on an antidepressant to take during my PMS weeks

and I took SAM-e in the morning and I didn't feel weird. I also

feel like my body is trying to sweat in areas I never felt it before.

Not full sweating yet.

Also I began eating beans everyday. It is a good fiber, mineral and

sulfur sourse. I read it is high in cysteine. Not much to be found on

the food but is also good in some other stuff as I think I mentioned

before. It seems that taking the NAC was hard on my system. But

eating the beans with all the support the body needs has helped my

body. I can't figure out how to correct the depression, if it is

depression?

Two nights ago a search indicated that SAM-e is good for liver function

and also regulate menstrual cycles. I am hoping to find this helps mine!

I'll let you know.

There are different antidepressants and they all work differently.

I hope you can find out if this supplement can help your child.

Liz D.

> [Original Message]

> From: lyle and diane vrana <lv2tch@...>

> CSB-Autism Group <csb-autism-rx >;

Group <autism treatment >

> Date: 4/15/2005 7:44:59 PM

> Subject: [ ] SAM-e

>

> When and how would I supplement using SAM-e? Is it safe to give even

before official chelation? Right now I'm just treating my son with diet,

enzymes, and supplements, including selenium and glutathione. I read the

SAM-e is somehow linked to glutathione, or would be just as useful in the

chelation process? Can I add it now, on its own? Is it worth it? I hate

to just keep adding supplements, as it seems we are taking so many right

now. BUT--since I've had such great improvements in my son with selenium

and glutathione, if SAM-e is just as good, I'll go out and buy it tomorrow!

My son is also on a small amount of Zoloft--I wonder if SAM-e would help

regulate things for him, so that he may not need the Zoloft eventually? I

thought I read it can be used to treat depression/moods, etc. Thanks for

any input . . .

>

> ~Diane

> Mom to Aaren, age 3, ASD

>

> --- http://USFamily.Net/dialup.html - $8.25/mo! --

http://www.usfamily.net/dsl.html - $19.99/mo! ---

>

April 16, 2005

Oh, if you buy SAM-e please add cofactors that suppor the amino acid.

Perhaps you will luck out and find a formula that has it all in there.

I don't know what those ingredients are helpful with in that product.

Cofactors are molybdenum, folic acid, thiamine, A, B complex.

These help break down histimines and serotonin. You don't want

histimines to get out of control.

Liz D.

> [Original Message]

> From: Kindscher (Charter) <morningsunranch@...>

> < >

> Date: 4/15/2005 8:00:31 PM

> Subject: Re: [ ] SAM-e

>

> I just was researching a friends Sam E product and it had many

> ingredients like titaniaum dioxide and iron oxide, I did not feel these

> were good things to be comsuming. What are you looking to get from the

> SamE.

>

May 1, 2005

It helps rid the body of antimony but one needs to supplement b vitamins to keep

homocysteine in check.

S