Posted by Tom on October 2, 1999, at 22:01:29
In reply to Re: SAMe, posted by tgregory on October 1, 1999, at 21:01:14
DJ,
Let me start with this. SAMe is the best oral (don't want to say medicinal) therapy for treating my depression that I've ever taken. In my estimation I've taken about 10 different ADs with no success to speak of. On SAMe I also experience no side effects at all. I would put my depressive symptoms remission at about 40-50%. In my book this counts as a successful treatment.The problem here is the cost/benefit issue. I'm up to (5) 200mgs a day at .75 per pill. I presume I need the full 8 pills a day to get the relief I really want. This would cost upwards of $200 per month. So much for my $8 prescription plan... What I've been trying to do is find a way to get (make it?) SAMe cheaper. I've read quite a bit about SAMe, and come to learn that it is essentially an amino acid. I called Mothernature and spoke to one of their representatives and what I was told wasn't entirely helpful. SAMe is made up of the amino acid L-Methionine and another product called ATP. The representative couldn't help any more than that.
So off to the web I went. I went to a few Methionine sites; one site (www.painstresscenter.com/methionine.html) touted the amino as mood lifter. Here's my question...can SAMe be manufactured cheaper by ourselves? The amino Methionine is fairly cheap to buy. Its the other mystery product I couldn't figure out.
Since you have a pretty good grasp of this subject I wonder if you had anything to add? I would love to make a SAMe on my own, if its possible. I'm also unsure if I can just add the amino Methionine to my SAMe brand for augmentation. I'll talk to my doc about this, but I suspect a nutritionist would know better.
One other thing. Check out this site also. The SAMe is so cheap its almost too good to be true (60 pills for $20); but I'm unsure of the maker of the SAMe. I've tried to call phone number given (on a Saturday) and got no answer. I'll try on Monday and talk to these folks and see if they're for real.
By the way, loved your post...some people think the "natural" route was cooked up by scientology. Not true. Some people have no choice. Regular ADs to me are like jumping into a toxic waste dump...Tom
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> There is plenty of scientific evidence. Anecdotal evidence too. Suggesting a big AD effect can be expected from SAMe supplements. There may be a feedback limiting resistance, or a point of diminished returns. But that level--if there is one-- is much higher than the doses needed to treat depression. Feedback is irrelevant in a discussion of SAMe.
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> SAMe is not a precursor. Unlike precursors, it is not available in food. The body has to make it. It is a catalyst. Among hundreds of other things it encourages dendrite growth, it allows receptors to be more elastic, it tunes-up the entire infrustructure of the brain. It facilitates electrical activity. It lubricates. It activates. It steps up the energy level of just about every chemical reaction at a molecular level. It basically lends a helping hand to everything going on in the brain. Supplemented doses of SAMe can and do have an AD effect. Perhaps a depressed person doesn't have a deficiency of SAMe. Perhaps they do. But a raised level improves the performance of the brain in hundreds of ways. Depression relief is achievable way before a point of dimishing returns. It's too bad SAMe isn't found in McDonalds food, because it would be a whole lot cheaper. :-)
poster:Tom
thread:12407
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19991001/msgs/12458.html