A natural mood-booster that really works: a group of noted researchers found that the supplement SAMe works as well as antidepressant drugs - Natural Medicine - S-adenosylmethionine - Brief Article

ANTIDEPRESSANTS like Prozac and Elavil aren't your only options for treating depression. The supplement SAMe works as well as many prescription medications without side effects like stomach upset and decreased libido, according to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A team of 12 physicians and therapists came to this conclusion after reviewing more than 100 clinical trials.

If you're taking a prescription antidepressant medication, check with your doctor before switching to SAMe. If he approves the change, you can safely start taking SAMe using the following dosages, says Mary Hardy, M.D., the lead investigator of the study: 400 mg a day for mild depression and 800 mg per day for moderate depression. In either case, your mood should improve within two weeks, she says. You can buy SAMe in most natural food and supplement stores; a bottle of 20 to 30 pills costs between $19 and $30.

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