SAM-e Drys Me Out

ChangingMyMind · Jul 12, 2014, 11:52 PM

Really weird but the 365 brand of SAM-e makes my eyes and throat very dry and gives me a headache. Anybody ever experienced this with SAM-e? Other brands don't do it but they do give me pain in the back of my right rib.

Jul 13, 2014, 08:37 PM

Hello ChangingMyMind!

I have never personally tried SAM-e; but I checked my drug book and it lists headache as a side effect. Unfortunately with herbs and supplements they are not tested very much by the government so an exact list of side effects and/or quality is not established.

Maybe you could try a different brand and see what happens.

Best wishes!

Perna · Jul 14, 2014, 08:30 AM

I would assume my body made enough SAMe and/or did not like the amount/kind/additional incredients. WebMD's article listed side effects:

Quote:

It can sometimes cause gas, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, dry mouth, headache, mild insomnia, anorexia, sweating, dizziness, and nervousness, especially at higher doses. It can make some people with depression feel anxious.

I'd try what blwi3310 suggests and back off on the amount or change brands or just eat more eggs and fish which are high in methionine (the "M" in SAM), more protein in general and see if that helped. It is not magic, if you don't need it you could be hurting your health. Food can get you all the "parts" you need whereas taking bits and pieces of things can throw off balance of the other stuff.

ChangingMyMind · Jul 16, 2014, 08:59 PM

Thanks all. I have already tried all the brands available and they all either cause pain in my right side behind my rib or they cause the dry throat and eyes.

Unfortunately without it I'm too depressed to function. SAM-e doesn't take away the depression but it gets me through.

Thanks again.

metamorphosis12 · Jul 19, 2014, 04:09 AM

S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe) versus escitalopram and placebo in major depression RCT: Efficacy and effects of histamine and carnitine as moderators of response

First question would be: Are you using it with other meds or supplements? Especially those that target serotonin? It may be causing a bout of mild serotonin syndrome. That you do not want at all or to exacerbate. Being a responsible forum member I would have to say stop using it until you consult with your healthcare team, especially doc or pdoc. SAM-e is not considered an antihistamine. That would cause those symptoms. Have you looked at the chart I posted about drug and med. interactions?
Medscape: Medscape Access

Quote:

To put this in context, the only medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for adjunctive treatment in major depression are aripiprazole and quetiapine extended-release. The olanzapine/fluoxetine combination is approved in resistant depression. A recent review and meta-analysis of the 16 trials of adjunctive atypical use in major depressive disorder found that mean pooled response rates with drug and placebo respectively were 44.2% versus 29.2% (2). The risk difference for response rates by meta-analysis (the mean difference in response to drug and placebo) was 0.12 for a number needed to treat of 9. In the adjunctive SAMe trial, the drug-placebo difference in response was 18.5% for a number needed to treat of 6. The magnitude of the drug effect observed in the SAMe trial is quite respectable, although it may in part reflect the careful patient selection and more reliable ratings that can be achieved in a single-site trial compared with the large multi site trials of atypical agents that likely suffer from substantial intersite variability.

In the current trial, SAMe was well tolerated. There was no difference between SAMe and placebo in the number of patients who discontinued treatment because of adverse events (5.1% versus 8.8%, respectively). In fact, the relative lack of side effects helped to insure the double-blind conditions. The slight increase of 1.6 mmHg in supine systolic blood pressure with SAMe versus 0.3 mmHg with placebo seems of questionable importance.

The current study is the first placebo-controlled trial of SAMe for adjunctive use. There is a modest literature exploring the efficacy of SAMe as monotherapy in depression. A systematic review commissioned by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found 11 placebo-controlled trials of SAMe that reported change on a standard scale (3). The trials ranged in size from 15 to 75. The effect size of the difference between SAMe and placebo in these trials was 0.65, a moderate and meaningful effect. The analysis found significant heterogeneity that might reflect differences in route of administration, dose, or other unidentified factors, and an asymmetry test for publication bias was near significant (p=0.07). Six of these trials reported response rates and were examined in another meta-analysis that found a significant advantage for SAMe with an effect size of 0.38 (4). Only four of these placebo-controlled trials employed an oral form of SAMe. Three of these trials found an advantage for SAMe relative to placebo, but two of these studies were small (i.e., less than 20 patients). The two largest oral administration trials differed. Fava et al. (5) selected 55 patients with major depression and found no difference in response to drug and placebo: 67% versus 65%. Salmaggi et al. (6) studied 60 postmenopausal women between the ages of 45 and 55 with major depression or dysthymia and a HAMD ≥17. In these selected patients, SAMe was much more effective than placebo, with CGI response rates of 67% versus 3%, respectively. I have emphasized the oral administration trials, since that route will be the preferred.

SAMe monotherapy has also been compared with other antidepressants in double-blind trials. Hardy et al. (3) found 11 studies reporting response rates and 14 studies in which effect size could be determined from change scores. Almost all studies compared SAMe with a tricyclic antidepressant, and most employed parenteral SAMe. The meta-analysis found no difference in response rates or effect sizes. These findings do not indicate efficacy (placebo effects could account for response in both groups); yet, these data suggest conventional antidepressants are no more effective than SAMe given as monotherapy.

from:
PsychiatryOnline | American Journal of Psychiatry | S-Adenosyl Methionine (SAMe) Augmentation in Major Depressive Disorder

So, IMHO, it may be either a drug interaction or your bodies physiologically reacts to SAM-e in an allergic type of response!. In any case stop using it and talk to your doc or pdoc. Who hopefully have a clue about a very promising supplement. In any rate just stop it for now. The normal lowest therapeutic dose is 200mg a day on an empty stomach. So you need a slow titration up. These are all theoretical concerns. That have no importance until you talk to the experts helping you and your mental health issues!

Are you on SAM-e while you're drinking alcohol?

Also, SAM-e needs to be in stable environment. That means only buy those that are sold with each in a blister pack. If you buy ones that are just lose in a jar, forget it. I will say a few brands in blister packs with very good reputations. That usually come in 200-400 mgs (Jarrow, Doctor's Choice, Source Naturals) in descending order. All three past inspection on ConsumerLab.com in blister packs.
One last link:
SAMe - Drugs and Supplements - Mayo Clinic

When it comes down to it. Talk to your doc or pdoc. The last thing you need is serotonin syndrome. Which can be deadly. It's the basic principle of having too much 5HT in the synapse for reuptake by other neurons. Usually caused by using two drugs or med/supplement combination affecting the brain on serotonin in same or different areas of the brain . A big slip up, unless a very experienced pdoc uses the correct meds at the very lowest and possible doses. Even if that rare situation arises for a very knowledgeable pdoc!
Bottom line is stop the SAM-e until you talk to a pdoc, who knows his/her stuff with a supplement that a knowledgeable pdoc knows about SAM-e because it is a very useful supplement in a naturopathic and pdoc arsenal!

ChangingMyMind · Jul 19, 2014, 08:47 AM

Thanks metamorphosis12,

It's actually only one brand that does it so I did stop taking that brand. It was the 365 brand that did it. I now tale Jarrow without that problem. Although I think it constipates me it's the only option I have right now.

I am not taking and other drug that would interact with SAM-e. Especially Any other antidepressants. I've been taking a very low dose as well 400mg and pdoc is aware. I do appreciate the post and concern.

metamorphosis12 · Jul 19, 2014, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChangingMyMind

Thanks metamorphosis12,

It's actually only one brand that does it so I did stop taking that brand. It was the 365 brand that did it. I now tale Jarrow without that problem. Although I think it constipates me it's the only option I have right now.

I am not taking and other drug that would interact with SAM-e. Especially Any other antidepressants. I've been taking a very low dose as well 400mg and pdoc is aware. I do appreciate the post and concern.

Jarrow is a well respected and affordable brand. I have not seen one of their supplements rejected on consumer labs and other testing facilities. Here's a link to how important it is to have a good brand with blister pac. It's just a basic article put is spot on for the reasons that thee are a lot of brands that fail
How To Choose SAM-e Supplements | Health Supplements

Can't beat well regarded College studies!

Quote:

Available Forms
SAMe is available in tablets or capsules, which are more stable and may be more dependable in terms of the amount of SAMe in the pill. They should be stored in a cool, dry place, but not refrigerated. Tablets should be kept in the blister pack until you take them.
How to Take It
Starting with a low dose (for example, 200 mg per day) and increasing slowly helps avoid stomach upset.
It is important to note that many of the studies of SAMe have tested injectable, not oral, forms. It is not as clear how reliable or effective taking SAMe orally is. Small studies suggest that oral supplementation with SAMe is not well absorbed by the body. Clinicians recommend taking oral SAMe with vitamin B12, folic acid, methionine and trimethylglycine to enhance absorption.

University of Maryland Medical Center
S-adenosylmethionine | University of Maryland Medical Center

dwfieldjr · Aug 30, 2014, 07:05 AM

Vitamins in general never did anything for me. Just upset stomach with the runs.

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