Scientific journals reported oral administration of SAM-e represents a possible treatment for neurological and metabolic disorders. Also, there may be an anti-depressant effect of SAM-e as well. In a study, scientists compared oral SAM-e with oral desipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) that inhibits the reuptake of norepinephrine. It is sold under the brand names Norpramin^® and Pertofrane^®. The study concluded that 62% of the patients treated with SAM-e and 50% of the patients treated with desipramine had significantly improved. The significant correlation between plasma SAM-e levels and the degree of clinical improvement in depressed patients regardless of the type of treatment suggests indeed that SAM-e may play an important role in regulating mood.

In addition to being quite useful for neurological issues, SAM-e has also exhibits anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain-reducing) effects. The efficacy of 800mg SAM-e was orally administered daily in patients with primary fibromyalgia in double-blind settings. Tender point score, isokinetic muscle strength, disease activity, subjective symptoms (visual analog scale), mood parameters and side effects were evaluated. Scientists found improvements in pain, fatigue, morning stiffness, and mood in the actively treated group. Thus, SAM-e has some beneficial effects on primary fibromyalgia and could be an important option in the treatment hereof.

Another study looked at subjects with osteoarthritis of the knee, the hip, and/or the spine. Patients received a daily oral dose of 1,200mg of SAM-e or 1,200mg of ibuprofen. Morning stiffness, pain at rest, pain on motion, crepitus, swelling, and limitation of motion of the affected joints were assessed before and after treatment. The total score obtained by the evaluation of all the individual clinical parameters improved to the same extent in patients treated with SAM-e or ibuprofen. It was quite amazing that SAM-e was as effective as a popular drug remedy. Also in an overall review of scientific literature, SAM-e appears to be as effective as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) in reducing pain and improving functional limitation in patients with osteoarthritis without the adverse effects often associated with NSAID therapies.

One impressive study involving the efficacy and tolerance of SAM-e were studied in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, hip, and spine. The patients received 600mg of SAM-e daily (equivalent to three tablets of 200mg each) for the first two weeks and thereafter 400mg daily (equivalent to two tablets of 200mg each) until the end of treatment. SAM-e administration showed good clinical effectiveness and was well tolerated. The improvement of the clinical symptoms during therapy with SAM-e was already evident after the first weeks of treatment and continued up to the end of the study. Non-specific side effects occurred in some patients, but in no case did therapy have to be discontinued. Most side effects disappeared during the course of therapy. Moreover, no adverse effect was recorded. Detailed laboratory tests carried out at the start, during and after treatment showed no pathologic changes. SAM-e administration also improved the depressive feelings often associated with osteoarthritis. SAM-e clearly has a plethora of science behind it. Oddly enough, it helps both joint pain and depressive symptoms.