SAMe was not different from placebo and established antidepressants .
The exception was that compared to imipramine , fewer participants experienced troublesome adverse effects when treated with parenteral SAMe .
BACKGROUND Depression is a recurrent illness with high rates of chronicity , treatment-resistance and significant economic impact .
There is evidence in the literature that S-adenosyl methionine ( SAMe ) , a naturally occurring compound in the human body , has antidepressant efficacy .
This product may be an important addition to the armamentarium of antidepressant agents .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of SAMe in comparison with placebo or antidepressants for the treatment of depression in adults .
S-Adenosyl-Methionine improves depression in patients with Parkinson's disease in an open-label clinical trial.
We report a pilot study of S-adenosyl-methionine ( SAM ) in 13 depressed patients with Parkinson 's disease . All patients had been previously treated with other antidepressant agents and had no significant benefit or had intolerable side effects .  SAM was administered in doses of 800 to 3600 mg per day for a period of 10 weeks . Eleven patients completed the study , and 10 had at least a 50 % improvement on the 17-point Hamilton Depression Scale ( HDS ) . One patient did not improve . Two patients prematurely terminated participation in the study because of increased anxiety . One patient experienced mild nausea , and another two patients developed mild diarrhea , which resolved spontaneously . The mean HDS score before treatment was 27.09 + /- 6.04 ( mean + /- st and ard deviation ) and was 9.55 + /- 7.29 after SAM treatment ( p < 0.0001 ) . Although uncontrolled and preliminary , this study suggests that SAM is well tolerated and may be a safe and effective alternative to the antidepressant agents currently used in patients with Parkinson 's disease
SAMe was not different from placebo and established antidepressants .
The exception was that compared to imipramine , fewer participants experienced troublesome adverse effects when treated with parenteral SAMe .
BACKGROUND Depression is a recurrent illness with high rates of chronicity , treatment-resistance and significant economic impact .
There is evidence in the literature that S-adenosyl methionine ( SAMe ) , a naturally occurring compound in the human body , has antidepressant efficacy .
This product may be an important addition to the armamentarium of antidepressant agents .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of SAMe in comparison with placebo or antidepressants for the treatment of depression in adults .