Sam-E

SAM-e (S-adenosyl-methionine) has been shown to be efficacious in several health disorders. Although SAM-e, as a methyl donor, participates in a wide variety of biochemical reactions, it can provide important support for the healthy functioning of joints, neurological processes and the liver. SAM-e’s joint support properties lie in its ability to help regulate the body’s normal inflammatory processes, as well as on its putative participation in proteoglycan synthesis and joint cartilage repair. SAM-e is thought to function physiologically as a signal of sulfur availability. Some suggest that supplemental SAM-e may compensate for the decreased SAM-e levels in chondrocytes induced by inflammatory cytokines, and thus upregulate the chondrocyte’s synthesis of joint proteoglycans. As a major source of methyl groups in the brain, SAM-e, in conjunction with other methyl donor metabolites such as betaine, choline, or folate, may optimize the synthetic/degradative rate of neurotransmitters, i.e. serotonin and dopamine, and the brain’s sensitivity to them. With few side effects, SAM-e has been shown in a meta-analysis of multiple studies to offer tangible support for healthy mental functioning.

As a hepatoprotective compound, SAM-e has been shown to be useful to support the body’s response to adverse biochemical alterations induced by lead and/or alcohol exposure. SAM-e can be an integral part of a hepatoprotective therapeutic regimen. Other studies have indicated that SAM-e may decrease cholestasis. By optimizing a healthy flow of bile, SAM-e can support a healthy gastrointestinal tract.