Many people have never heard of SAMe, though this compound is very beneficial to our health. SAMe, or S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine, is an amino acid derivative that is present in all of our living cells and is involved with the body’s methyl group transfers. It is important for over 40 metabolic reactions that occur in our body, but it is a compound that many of us are lacking.

One of the primary uses of SAMe is for treatment of mood disorders, primarily depression. The rise in the number of people suffering from depression is alarming, and many cases of depression stem from the increasing amounts of stress that people face daily. In the United States, depression affects between 5 to 12 percent of men and 10-25 percent of women at some point during their life. There are between 10 and 15 million per year that are suffering from clinical depression.

As the annual cost for treating depression is rather large, finding alternative methods to help treat and prevent the problem is becoming more popular. In clinical stuides, using a SAMe supplement daily has proven to be very effective in treating depression by restoring essential nutrients to the body.

A daily dosage of SAMe can help to treat this depression by stabilizing chemical reactions in the body. This amino acid derivative is essential for normal cellular growth and cellular repair, and is necessary for the naturally occurring synthesis of many of the neurotransmitters and hormones that can affect your mood. If there is not an adequate amount of SAMe in the body, these neurotransmitters and hormones are not produces properly and mood conditions such as depression can result.

Unlike some medications that are used to treat mood conditions, SAMe is not a treatment that will produce immediate results. It can take several weeks before the compound is able to reach it’s full effectiveness allowing results to be thoroughly seen. When taking SAMe to treat depression, it is essential to keep this in mind so that you do not give up on the benefits of this supplement too soon.

SAMe should not be taken by just anyone. Women that are pregnant or nursing should consult with their medical caregiver before beginning to take SAMe or any other herbal treatment or medication. The use of SAMe for treating depression in those with bipolar disorder is highly advised against, as there is a very high risk of them developing some manic symptoms. In fact, anyone that is already taking any type of anti-depressant drug like an SSRI or MAOI inhibitor should not take this supplement without first consulting their physician.

SAMe has also proven to be effective at treating other conditions such as osteoarthritis and liver disease. The same considerations listed above should be taken before using this drug to treat these conditions, though it is worth discussing with your doctor as clinical studies have shown empirical evidence of it’s effective treatment. If you decide to take SAMe to treat one of these conditions, purchasing a high quality form of the compound such as the SAMe capsules available by Solgar is highly recommended so that you get the full benefits from a quality product.