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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 2 of 2. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by yeltom on September 23, 2003, at 22:09:23
I'm considering adding SAM-e to my antidepressant medications. I'm currently taking prozac, busbar, trazodone, and I am weaning myself off of Strattera (which gives me constipation and seems not to be working anymore.) In some sense, I'm hoping that SAM-e will have some of the stimulant/activating qualities of Strattera, since I can feel a bit drowsy on the other meds. Does it? Also, I've read different things about minimimum effective dosage. And what about the active-ion distinction? I read that a 400 mg tab is really only going to have 200 mgs of the active ions? Is that always true, or does it depend on the manufacturer? And what is the cheapest quality source? I'm willing to buy in bulk to save money. Thanks
Posted by Larry Hoover on September 26, 2003, at 17:14:26
In reply to SAM-e questions (dose, active ions, cheapest, etc), posted by yeltom on September 23, 2003, at 22:09:23
> I'm considering adding SAM-e to my antidepressant medications. I'm currently taking prozac, busbar, trazodone, and I am weaning myself off of Strattera (which gives me constipation and seems not to be working anymore.) In some sense, I'm hoping that SAM-e will have some of the stimulant/activating qualities of Strattera, since I can feel a bit drowsy on the other meds. Does it?
I can't speak to the effect of SAMe, having never tried it, but a SAMe precursor (sort of), known as trimethylglycine (TMG, also known as betaine), is very stimulating in my body.
> Also, I've read different things about minimimum effective dosage.
Probably related to the answer to the next question.
> And what about the active-ion distinction? I read that a 400 mg tab is really only going to have 200 mgs of the active ions? Is that always true, or does it depend on the manufacturer?
That may or may not be true. You really have to be able to interpret the semantics of the presentation on the label. SAMe is most often sold as a salt, such as SAMe tosylate. Some manufacturers include the weight of the tosylate ion in the 400 mg (That's deceptive, and borders on fraud, IMHO.) Others come right out and say that one 400 mg tablet will provide 200 mg SAMe (or whatever). Bottom line is if you can't determine which sort of manufacturer you're dealing with, assume the worst. In other words, if you can't determine the real SAMe content from reading the label, select a brand that makes it clear.
There's another issue about taking a tosylate salt (the anion of toluene sulfonic acid), but I'm too tired to go into that right now.
>And what is the cheapest quality source? I'm willing to buy in bulk to save money. Thanks
Don't know, but I'll see if I can find my old links.
Lar
This is the end of the thread.
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