S-Adenosyl-L-Methione (SAMe)

In recent years, researchers have focused on changes within the body that may set the stage for the downward spiral we have long associated with normal aging. The age-related decline in the production of key hormones such as estrogen, DHEA, and testosterone has received a great deal of attention. So has the age-related decline in important antioxidants produced by the body to defend against free radicals. To compensate for these losses, many people take supplemental hormones and antioxidants to restore them back to their youthful protective levels. Now, a growing number of researchers say there is yet another group of compounds we need to replenish as we age: methyl groups.

Methyl groups promote methylation, a process whereby homocysteine, a potentially dangerous amino acid, is converted into methionine, a beneficial compound. At any age, high blood levels of homocysteine have been associated with an increased risk of heart disease, cancer, depression, arthritis, birth defects, and other diseases. Only a handful of compounds can promote methylation, including the B vitamins folic acid and vitamin B12, and trimethylglycine (TMG). One of the beneficial byproducts of methylation is an increase in the levels of SAMe, a metabolite of methionine that also declines with age. SAMe is essential for the synthesis of melatonin, the anti-aging hormone that regulates the sleep/wake cycles. It also helps to protect DNA from mutations that could promote cancer, prevents peripheral nerve damage due to lack of oxygen, and may play a role in deactivating harmful homocysteine.

SAMe is also gaining fame as an excellent treatment for the aches and pains associated with osteoarthritis, and it is as effective an anti-inflammatory agent as ibuprofen. In a two-year German study, 108 patients with osteoporosis of the knee, hip, and spine were given 600 mg. of SAMe daily. By the second week of treatment, researchers noted improvement in joint pain, notably in morning stiffness and pain on rest and moving. A small number of patients experienced only minor side effects, none serious enough to warrant discontinuation of treatment. Other European studies suggest that SAMe may help control the joint pain and depression associated with fibromyalgia, a mysterious disorder characterized by unspecified aches, pains, and fatigue. Since there is no cure for fibromyalgia, many patients have turned to natural remedies, including coenzyme-Q10, and grape seed and green tea extracts in combination tablets.