New Dietary Supplement for the Treatment of Arthritis and Depression

The chief criticism leveled at the research supporting SAM-e has been that the studies were short-term, lasting only about four to six weeks. Ironically, that matches the duration of the majority of antidepressant drug trials (see HealthFacts, 7/99). The SAM-e studies also had far fewer participants than drug trials.

"Doctors have been complaining for years that depression is the number one health problem, it's underdiagnosed and undertreated and why dont patients take their medicine," said Dr. Brown. "My feeling is that when you give people something that makes them feel better and works fast, they'll take it. Also there are a lot of people who don't want to go to doctors, who don't have health insurance. Or they have coverage but their plan make it hard to get renewals of the newer, more expensive drugs [like Prozac]. Not getting treated properly leads to chronicity."

Suggested Reading

Stop Depression Now (New York: Putnam, 1999) also contains information about SAM-e's potential for other conditions, such as fibromyalgia, Parkinson's disease, Sjogrens syndrome, and some liver diseases. There are chapters on the importance of good nutrition and exercise to mental health.

COPYRIGHT 1999 Center for Medical Consumers, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group