Raj I respect yur thoroughness and I remember you saying that you read an article that implied that SAMe was not good for PD. Haas my memory tricked me again or do you have a reference that you can share. Thanks Bob ----- Original Message ----- From: "ask dietitian" <[log in to unmask]> To: "Ask the Parkinson Dietitian" <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Saturday, July 13, 2002 4:50 PM Subject: News Bite: Sam-e and Parkinson's > --- Begin Message --- > ***** > Information in this forum is intended as general information. It is not intended to provide medical nutrition therapy, nor to substitute for > medical services. Readers are encouraged to seek personal medical advice from a professional for their health needs. > ***** > > ****************************************************** > Help support the NPF! Your donations are needed to help find a cure for parkinson disease and to support valuable service such as "Ask the Parkinson Dietitian". Donate online at http://www.parkinson.org/reqform.htm, or call 1-800-327-4545 . > **************************************************** > > > What is SAMe? > In the past few years, there has been increasing interest in a substance > called S-adenosylmethionine, or SAMe ("sammy") for short. SAMe is a > molecule present in cells throughout the human body. It contains a group > of atoms called a "methyl group." It's importance lies in the fact that > it can donate this methyl group to another molecule, to form a new > substance, often an enzyme. This donation is called "methylation," and it > is vitally important to human life. So, SAMe is necessary for good > health. Supplement manufacturers claim that it can improve arthritis, > liver health, depression, and other conditions. > > SAMe itself must be manufactured by our bodies, and to do this, the B > vitamins folate and B12 are needed. When SAMe is used by the body, it > results in an increased level of "homocysteine" in the blood. > Homocysteine is a compound that has been associated with cardiovascular > disease. The body normally uses the vitamins B6, B12, and folate, > along with more SAMe, to eliminate homocysteine from the blood. > > SAMe is an antioxidant, and animal studies have demonstrated that it > reduced oxidative stress in the brains of rats. Decreased levels of SAMe > have been found in persons with a number of diseases, including > depression > and Parkinson's disease (PD). Also, people with PD who use levodopa for > a prolonged time have been found to have increased levels of > homocysteine in the blood and decreased levels of SAMe in the brain. > Given this information, researchers would like to know whether > taking supplements of SAMe could benefit people with depression, PD, and > other diseases. > > In a small study of 13 people who had both PD and depression, study > subjects were given supplements of SAMe for 30 days. Two subjects dropped > out of the study. There were no benefits seen on PD symptoms, nor was > there any reduction in need for levodopa. However, the study > subjects' depression was improved significantly. Although this study is > encouraging, it did not contain a control group, and was too small to > offer strong evidence that SAMe was effective. > > Is it safe for people with Parkinson's disease to take SAMe? > There's no good answer at this time, because no long-term studies have > been performed. In the studies done so far, there are few reported side > effects, but no one knows what the long-term effects, if any, might be. > > Should you try SAMe? > People with PD should consult their physician before trying SAMe, > particularly if using levodopa, tricyclic antidepressants, SSRIs, or MAO > inhibitors. > > Some neurologists advise their patients against use of SAMe; it is > expensive, and there is little research to provide guidance. Other > neurologists are willing for their patients to give SAMe a try, under > their supervision. This is especially important for those using levodopa, > because it's possible that SAMe could interfere with levodopa with > long-term use. General recommendations range from 200-400 mg per day; > however, research studies have used as much as 800-3600 mg per day. It may > take several weeks to see results. > > Anecdotally, some people state that they feel better upon taking SAMe, or > have less depression. Some report an improvement in other symptoms, such > as constipation. Others find little or no benefit. > > The bottom line: It's too soon to make recommendations for or against use > of SAMe by people with Parkinson's disease. If you would like to try it, > be aware that it's expensive; and consult your physician first. > --Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD > For this, and other Parkinson Tips of the Day, visit: > http://www.nutritionucanlivewith.com/ > > --- End Message --- > You are currently subscribed to dietitian as: [log in to unmask] > To unsubscribe send a blank email to [log in to unmask] > ************************************ > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn