Depression Treatments

Like one in 20 people living in the UK, James, a 50 year old scientist from Edinburgh was diagnosed as suffering from mild depression a few years ago. This meant that he regularly experienced feelings of low self-esteem, accompanied by a lack of concentration and motivation, and disturbed sleeping patterns.

However, James was reluctant to take the commonly prescribed antidepressant, Prozac, which his doctor recommended, as he was well aware of its many side effects. These include nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, dry mouth, dizziness, tiredness and impotence.

'I am convinced that more people should be using it [SAMe] to treat their depression'

Understandably, James wanted to avoid these unpleasant side effects, which is why he opted for a natural treatment approach instead. Having heard about a natural remedy called S-Adenosyl-Methionine (SAMe), that is more popular than Prozac in Germany and Italy for treating depression, he decided to give it a try.

After just a few days of taking SAMe James began to feel less depressed and noticed that his concentration levels had also considerably improved; 'I am glad I decided to experiment with SAMe as a natural treatment for my depression... I am convinced that more people should be using it to treat their depression', he says.

Several scientific studies confirm that James' experience is not unique, and that SAMe can successfully reverse the symptoms of depression (De Vanna et al. Curr Therap Res 1992;52:478-485).

What is SAMe and how does it help to alleviate depression?
SAMe is a naturally occurring chemical that is produced in your body from the amino acid methionine. One way it works against depression is by increasing the action of several neurotransmitters - brain chemicals which carry information from one part of your brain to another - including dopamine, serotonine and norepinephrine.

Serotonin is a natural 'feel-good' chemical in the brain, while dopamine and norepinephrine help improve mental clarity and general well-being. SAMe helps these neurotransmitters bind to cells in your brain and stimulate them, which helps to alleviate depression and improve memory (Cohen BM et al. Eur J Pharmacol 1989;170(3):210-217).

It also helps fuel a process called methylation - acting as a carrier of methyl groups (beneficial chemicals that help maintain the efficient functioning of your metabolism and also replenish lost reserves of energy) from one part of your body to another.
For example, if you are carrying out a mentally demanding task, it transports extra supplies of methyl groups from the rest of your body to your brain, where they are needed to help boost your concentration and mental clarity.

One problem is that, with age, this process of methylation naturally starts to slow down. The exact reason why this should happen is not known but what is known is that this slows down metabolism which, in turn, can result in problems like depression, tiredness, loss of energy and memory problems occurring (European J Pharmacol 1993;241(1):1-6). Taking SAMe in supplement form can help overcome these symptoms, including depression.

All the benefits of conventional drugs but without the risks
Better still, SAMe has been shown to be equal in effectiveness to many prescription-only antidepressants but without the side effects. In fact, when scientists conducted a review of all the available published findings on SAMe, they found that it was actually superior to the actions of certain conventional antidepressants, including imipramine, amitriptyline, clomipramine and desipramine (Rudoref MV et al. Drugs 1989;7(5):713-738).

Not only that, but its effects may be seen sooner, in as little as seven to ten days, instead of the four to six weeks that is typical for standard antidepressants or St John's Wort.

In another study, American scientists compared SAMe to placebo (dummy treatment). The patients involved in the study were unaware of whether they were taking SAMe or the placebo, so as not to influence the results in any way. The findings were staggering, with up to 72 per cent of the patients taking SAMe reporting significant improvements in their symptoms, compared to those taking placebo (Kegan B et al. Am J Psychiatry 1990;147:591-595).

More recently, the effectiveness of SAMe in overcoming symptoms of depression has been confirmed yet again. Researchers working at the Psychiatric Clinic of the University of Rome, in Italy, gave it to three hundred patients suffering from depression. They found that up to 50 per cent reported remarkable improvements in their depression, without any side effects (Delle Chiaie R et al. Am J Clin Nutr 2002;76(5):1172S-6S).

What to take for best results
Not only is SAMe an effective natural antidepressant, but it also helps keep your hormones and genetic material (DNA) in peak condition. It is linked to preventing and alleviating a range of age-related disorders, including the menopause, heart disease, arthritis, liver dysfunction and Parkinson's disease (De La Cruz Et Al. Nayun Arch Pharmacol 2000;361(1):47-52).

The recommended dose is 200mg of SAMe a day. It is best to take it on an empty stomach and use enteric-coated tablets, which help ensure that it is absorbed at a slow but steady rate in your body. There are no known contraindications.

Warning: SAMe should only be used on your doctor's advice in cases of bipolar disorder (manic depression), where periods of depression alternate with episodes of excessive elation and bizarre behaviour. It is possible that SAMe might trigger a switch to the 'manic' phase in some people so it must be used with extreme caution.