• Log in with Facebook Log in with Twitter Log In with Google      Sign In    
  • Create Account
  LongeCity
              Advocacy & Research for Unlimited Lifespans

Photo
- - - - -

Different Brands of SAM-E = big difference


  • Please log in to reply
28 replies to this topic

#1 Imagination

  • Guest
  • 350 posts
  • 10

Posted 29 March 2011 - 05:28 PM


I first tried sam-e a while ago and got the jarrow version that was good, felt and looked great while taking this.

When I ran out I got some doctors best as I found a cheap source for it and couldn't see how it would be much different, but started getting the "manic" symptoms most people describe as a side effect, feeling a bit irritable and stressed with a very short fuse.

Thought it was just me building some sort of tollerance to the sam-e so I stopped taking it for a while. Tried it again every once in a while and immediately got the same syptoms.

When I was clearing out my room I found one of the jarrow tablets still left in the blister pack that I thought I had used up, so tried one of these again and the effects are great compared to the doctors best.

I have just ordered some of the jarrow stuff again to give it a proper try.

Any one else found this from different sam-e products?

#2 nito

  • Guest
  • 996 posts
  • 27

Posted 29 March 2011 - 05:54 PM

I've always wondered same thing. I noticed nada from doctor's best so i'm thinking of giving jarrow formulas a try!

sponsored ad

  • Advert
Click HERE to rent this advertising spot for SUPPLEMENTS (in thread) to support LongeCity (this will replace the google ad above).

#3 Recortes

  • Guest
  • 131 posts
  • 4
  • Location:Madrid, Spain

Posted 29 March 2011 - 07:56 PM

yes, you are right. My wife was suffering from depression a couple of years ago, and the only SAME she found to work for her was an Italian brand whose name I don't remember.
So one has to stick with what works for oneself.

#4 Dorian Grey

  • Guest
  • 2,152 posts
  • 968
  • Location:kalifornia

Posted 30 March 2011 - 04:30 AM

All the SAM-e I've seen seems to come from Italy... Tablets from different sources seem to all look the same too. I figured they all may come from the same source and are re-branded by others, but this was just a casual observation.

Was the dosage the same? I notice I can't take more than 200mg at a time. The 400mg tabs cause side effects.

I wonder if it gets toxic if it spoils? I know it is quite perishable. Were both the good and bad brands in foil blister packs?
  • Good Point x 1

#5 jimmerjammer

  • Guest
  • 5 posts
  • 0
  • Location:Prannet ERF

Posted 30 March 2011 - 04:41 AM

I've found the same. I have good results with Natrol 400mg/day. Tried others(Jarrow and Nature Made and one other)- but "slipped" back into what I was feeling before(excessive fatigue, brain fog- couldn't drag myself outta bed in the morning even with severl alarms, etc...)

Also had problems with adapting- but now I cycle 5 days and take the weekend off with good results. Adding Source Naturals TMG 1.5 grams X 2 per day also helps(although I do not have that part optimized yet).

You may already know about adaptation and TMG- just including those tidbits just in case.... I actually learned about both here anyway..... Good luck

#6 simple_simon

  • Guest
  • 3 posts
  • 2
  • Location:stateside wasteland

Posted 10 April 2011 - 09:28 PM

I've taken SAM-e for 4 years daily at between 800 mg to 1200 mg. The only brands I've found worth a damn so far have been CVS generic and Nature Made. They look almost identical, both yellow oblong enteric coated in blister packs. Any other brand I've bought has been absolute crap, definately don't buy any that aren't in foil blister packs. B1G1 sales are the way to go to save on this expensive supplement, also ebay. I take it with a B-complex vitamin and stay hydrated, otherwise it doesn't work nearly as well.

I've taken this and low dose phenibut daily for major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder and the combo has been a godsend. Not as good as Lexapro for me but without insurance you take what you can get.

#7 Thorsten3

  • Guest
  • 1,123 posts
  • 3
  • Location:Bristol UK
  • NO

Posted 12 April 2011 - 08:29 AM

Obviously make sure your tablets are enteric coated otherwise you're wasting your money anyway. I am assuming here that everyone knows what a unstable compound SAM-e is.

#8 Thorsten3

  • Guest
  • 1,123 posts
  • 3
  • Location:Bristol UK
  • NO

Posted 12 April 2011 - 08:34 AM

I've taken SAM-e for 4 years daily at between 800 mg to 1200 mg. The only brands I've found worth a damn so far have been CVS generic and Nature Made. They look almost identical, both yellow oblong enteric coated in blister packs. Any other brand I've bought has been absolute crap, definately don't buy any that aren't in foil blister packs. B1G1 sales are the way to go to save on this expensive supplement, also ebay. I take it with a B-complex vitamin and stay hydrated, otherwise it doesn't work nearly as well.

I've taken this and low dose phenibut daily for major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder and the combo has been a godsend. Not as good as Lexapro for me but without insurance you take what you can get.


How long have you been on low dose phenibut? You're lucky if tolerance has never been an issue with that one. Most users notice it starts doing nothing and then when they give up they get horrific withdrawals.

Did you ever try source naturals SAM-e? They are metal foiled blister packed... Only reason I ask is because I have some in my draw and never bothered to take them. Might give them a go soon. I still believe I am an undermethylator. I get success with methylfolate and TMG so not sure if SAM would even be neccessary to be honest.

SAM is freaking expensive though. Might give them brands a go which you mention. Thanks Simps.

Edited by Thorsten, 12 April 2011 - 08:44 AM.


#9 Justchill

  • Guest
  • 315 posts
  • 12
  • Location:Belgium

Posted 20 April 2011 - 02:02 PM

I bought the Doctor's best brand, anybody tried that one?

#10 simple_simon

  • Guest
  • 3 posts
  • 2
  • Location:stateside wasteland

Posted 24 April 2011 - 06:37 PM

I've taken SAM-e for 4 years daily at between 800 mg to 1200 mg. The only brands I've found worth a damn so far have been CVS generic and Nature Made. They look almost identical, both yellow oblong enteric coated in blister packs. Any other brand I've bought has been absolute crap, definately don't buy any that aren't in foil blister packs. B1G1 sales are the way to go to save on this expensive supplement, also ebay. I take it with a B-complex vitamin and stay hydrated, otherwise it doesn't work nearly as well.

I've taken this and low dose phenibut daily for major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder and the combo has been a godsend. Not as good as Lexapro for me but without insurance you take what you can get.


How long have you been on low dose phenibut? You're lucky if tolerance has never been an issue with that one. Most users notice it starts doing nothing and then when they give up they get horrific withdrawals.

Did you ever try source naturals SAM-e? They are metal foiled blister packed... Only reason I ask is because I have some in my draw and never bothered to take them. Might give them a go soon. I still believe I am an undermethylator. I get success with methylfolate and TMG so not sure if SAM would even be neccessary to be honest.

SAM is freaking expensive though. Might give them brands a go which you mention. Thanks Simps.



If you keep phenibut under 1 gram a day tolerance does not develop from my experience and others I've recommended it to. I've been taking 350mg (one primaforce scoop spoon) once or twice a day as needed for 4 years. When I took a gram or more a day I would get slight panic attacks when off it. When dosing low this is not a problem. People are way too afraid of this drug, it is extremely weak compared to alcohol, GHB, benzos, etc. and the only worthwhile way to supplement GABA imho. Skullcap, picamilon, valerian, GABA, dan shen, honokiol and every other GABAergic i've tried are ineffective in comparison. (smoked wildegansie was the strongest I came across otherwise). GABA agents are in themselves as addictive as dopamine agents, but low dose supplementation is harmless. Just like chocolate and l-tyrosine is safe compared to meth or coke, benzos or ghb equating with the latter.

The drunken dysphoria people rant about is in doses over 500mg. Less is more.
  • Informative x 1

#11 zm3thod

  • Guest
  • 143 posts
  • 14
  • Location:USA

Posted 25 April 2011 - 04:33 PM

I bought the Doctor's best brand, anybody tried that one?


Read the OP again

#12 Justchill

  • Guest
  • 315 posts
  • 12
  • Location:Belgium

Posted 26 April 2011 - 06:53 AM

OK I see... what is meant by feeling "manic" ?

I think the Doctor's Best brand works, I feel relaxed, confident, chilled...
What do you guys feel on sam-e?

However there is 1 disadvantage I think, if you drink too much beers, you'll get a nasty headache!

#13 Azeroth Girl

  • Guest
  • 14 posts
  • -11
  • Location:London

Posted 27 April 2011 - 07:51 AM

OK I see... what is meant by feeling "manic" ?

I think the Doctor's Best brand works, I feel relaxed, confident, chilled...
What do you guys feel on sam-e?

However there is 1 disadvantage I think, if you drink too much beers, you'll get a nasty headache!


Lol, if you drink too much "beers" SAMe wouln't work. It is very dependent on B vitamins, especially B12 and alcohol depletes B vitamins, fracks up methylation and dehydrates you.
  • dislike x 2

#14 What'sAllThisThen

  • Guest
  • 101 posts
  • 5

Posted 05 July 2011 - 01:38 AM

I've found the same. I have good results with Natrol 400mg/day. Tried others(Jarrow and Nature Made and one other)- but "slipped" back into what I was feeling before(excessive fatigue, brain fog- couldn't drag myself outta bed in the morning even with severl alarms, etc...)

Also had problems with adapting- but now I cycle 5 days and take the weekend off with good results. Adding Source Naturals TMG 1.5 grams X 2 per day also helps(although I do not have that part optimized yet).

You may already know about adaptation and TMG- just including those tidbits just in case.... I actually learned about both here anyway..... Good luck


I can't say I'm familiar with adaptation and TMG; would someone care to inform me? I've searched, but Sam-e is difficult to search on this site and TMG and Adaptation didn't return any threads that I felt would be related.

As for the thread topic, I've tried Doctor's Best, NutraLife, NOW and Source Naturals brands. I can't say I've noticed much difference in any. I started with 100mg from NOW just to titrate and see how it affected me. I noticed no negative effects so moved on to regular 400mg use. After using Doctor's Best I moved to larger doses (800mg) with NutraLife and noticed an anxious energy, but wouldn't have called it anxiety. Dropped back to 400mg and after a few days still felt it, so I switched back to my box of Doctor's Best in case it was the brand. Continued using that without problem and dug back into the box of NutraLife at 400mg and had no problems. So it doesn't seem the brand was the issue earlier, just needed a bit of a break I guess. I generally take 1-3 days off a week.

I'm about to place an order, so maybe I'll throw in another brand for further trial.

#15 Nootr

  • Guest
  • 180 posts
  • -9
  • Location:Spain

Posted 23 July 2011 - 07:57 PM

I tried one phenibut (i bought at chemists' and did not look for the brand name) and had great effect - almost peak experience and all fears disappeared. Then I tried other brands from chemists and they had very weak effect as compared to the first one. After that I bought GABA from Now foods and it does not have any affect at all. So i am looking for a good brand for phenibut. Can anyone give a piece of advice?

#16 Justchill

  • Guest
  • 315 posts
  • 12
  • Location:Belgium

Posted 27 July 2011 - 11:09 PM

I tried one phenibut (i bought at chemists' and did not look for the brand name) and had great effect - almost peak experience and all fears disappeared. Then I tried other brands from chemists and they had very weak effect as compared to the first one. After that I bought GABA from Now foods and it does not have any affect at all. So i am looking for a good brand for phenibut. Can anyone give a piece of advice?


Well I would recommand the Primaforce brand, it's very good as all their other products. I wouldn't recommand the Smartpowders brand...

gl !

#17 Luminosity

  • Guest
  • 2,000 posts
  • 646
  • Location:Gaia

Posted 28 July 2011 - 04:08 AM

I haven't tried their SAMe but I think highly of Jarrow brand. I can say that supplements vary in their quality and sometimes, content.

I tried SAMe years ago but it made me feel worse. Maybe it was the brand, which I don't remember.

#18 tintinet

  • Guest
  • 1,972 posts
  • 503
  • Location:ME

Posted 29 July 2011 - 09:25 PM

The only ones I've tried (Doctor's Best, NOW, Jarrow) either had no effect or made me feel worse also.

#19 riloal

  • Guest
  • 91 posts
  • 24
  • Location:Spain

Posted 29 September 2011 - 12:32 PM

Hi, i,m using SAMe (LEF, NOW,Jarrows) with good results with depression and mood. But i,m noticing hair loss and thinning, and addominal bloating with lot of gas. Anyone here is having hair loss on SAMe? Thanks

#20 gatodelsol

  • Guest
  • 1 posts
  • 0
  • Location:Pacific NW

Posted 16 May 2012 - 02:33 AM

I don't often post in forums, but can so relate to this topic I had to comment. I have spent years on and off of prescription antidepressants (for both depression and anxiety). I have NEVER found one that worked well for me without making me feel completely loopy, or lethargic and indifferent. I.e., OK, so I'm not waking up every morning dreading the day, I simply feel nothing at all.

I had just given up on yet another prescription drug (ridiculously expensive, as well, and no generic available) when I happened to notice at Costco one day NatureMade's Sam-E supplement. Since it was also described as a joint support supplement, and I'd been having some unexplained elbow pain, I thought what the heck, can't hurt to try. I was absolutely amazed at how much this supplement helped me! No feeling "loopy" or drugged, no mid-afternoon battles to keep my eyes open, I simply felt naturally good and mentally/emotionally balanced. I was able to focus at work, found it easier to cope with stress (my job is extremely stressful), slept better, and woke up with energy and ready to face the day.....truly amazing!

Then I ran out. I went for about a week without it because I couldn't make it to Costco. But I was heading out for a stressful business trip, and didn't want to go without any longer, so I picked up a generic brand at the local drugstore. It had absolutely no effect on me (on exactly the same dosage)! And that made me even more depressed, as I thought it just wasn't working for me anymore, and I would have to try yet another prescription drug.

Finally made it to Costco (with a coupon for Sam-E, no less!), and was so relieved to find that it was simply a difference in brand! This is the first time in my life I have experienced such a clear and profound difference from one brand to another in a supplement. SOOOO relieved the supplement is still working for me, as it has made a huge difference in my life (I just have to stick with the brand that works for me!)!

#21 Synaptik

  • Guest
  • 80 posts
  • 13
  • Location:Canada

Posted 16 May 2012 - 02:59 AM

Sam-e is one of my favorite supplements. I've probably taken 4 different brands, and each worked although some were better than others. Initially got awesome mood lifting benefits from this, but nowadays use it more for when I need to be alert. Still amazes me how 5 minutes after I take it, I completely awake and mentally sharp & focused (last all days with 200MG). I'll take 400 MG if I want to be a social butterfly, like at a family function or party. Stuff is fantastic. Never has one side effect from it.

But if low serotonin isn't your problem, you'll probably hate this substance cause it'll make you manic. For the serotonin deficient, it's a brilliant supplement.

Edited by Synaptik, 16 May 2012 - 03:01 AM.


#22 Kevnzworld

  • Guest
  • 885 posts
  • 306
  • Location:Los Angeles

Posted 21 May 2012 - 05:52 AM

I've been taking Jarrow SamE for years. I'm a wine drinker so I take it for liver support. I've read that It raises/ restores glutathione levels in the liver. It also contributes to healthy methylation. I agree that cofactors are important, such as B vitamins, and selenium .
I take 600 mg daily in divided 4 and 200 doses. I've never had a perceivable side effect, but then again I don't take it as a mood enhancer.

#23 Pirate

  • Guest
  • 147 posts
  • 13
  • Location:aus

Posted 13 October 2012 - 08:28 AM

So, if the SAM-E is sold in a bottle and billed as enteric coated - it may be okay. BUT, a brand that sells it in a blister pack is preferred?

#24 Dorian Grey

  • Guest
  • 2,152 posts
  • 968
  • Location:kalifornia

Posted 13 October 2012 - 03:27 PM

From what I gather, SAM-e is damaged by the usual suspects... Heat, light, moisture, and oxygen.

I expect if you keep a small bottle of SAM-e well capped in a cool, dark, dry environment, and consume the entire contents of the bottle within a months time from when it is first opened, it should keep it's potency just fine.

If you have high humidity and open a large bottle daily for a week or so, then cycle off it for a month or so before you start consuming it again, it most likely will have lost some or perhaps much of its potency by the time you finish the product.

SAM-e is one of the more expensive supplements I take, and the foil/blister packed SAM-e is only slightly more expensive than the bottled stuff. It's a small price to pay for the insurance I get that every pill I take is as potent as it can be.

I also try to buy SAM-e from a supplier that moves a lot of product... I don't want something that's been sitting in a hot warehouse for a year and a half before it ships. The expiration for SAM-e is usually two years from its date of manufacture. If your supplement provider is shipping you stuff that has less than a year left before it expires, it most likely is over a year old.

Edited by synesthesia, 13 October 2012 - 03:41 PM.


#25 Bron

  • Guest
  • 103 posts
  • 9
  • Location:CSA- Camellia Sinensis Anonymous

Posted 14 March 2013 - 10:45 PM

Sam-e is one of my favorite supplements. I've probably taken 4 different brands, and each worked although some were better than others. Initially got awesome mood lifting benefits from this, but nowadays use it more for when I need to be alert. Still amazes me how 5 minutes after I take it, I completely awake and mentally sharp & focused (last all days with 200MG). I'll take 400 MG if I want to be a social butterfly, like at a family function or party. Stuff is fantastic. Never has one side effect from it.

But if low serotonin isn't your problem, you'll probably hate this substance cause it'll make you manic. For the serotonin deficient, it's a brilliant supplement.


Which brand do you prefer? I am glad I found this thread, as I want to try SAMe but am unsure what brand to get. The price variances are extreme. I was going to just go with AOR and then I found Swanson for a fraction of the price. http://www.swansonvi...-400-mg-30-tabs

Any input would be appreciated.

#26 Kevnzworld

  • Guest
  • 885 posts
  • 306
  • Location:Los Angeles

Posted 15 March 2013 - 01:54 AM

Which brand do you prefer? I am glad I found this thread, as I want to try SAMe but am unsure what brand to get. The price variances are extreme. I was going to just go with AOR and then I found Swanson for a fraction of the price. http://www.swansonvi...-400-mg-30-tabs

Any input would be appreciated.


I buy Jarrow or Life extension. Make sure that whatever you buy is in blister packs since SAM-E degrades easily.

#27 Bron

  • Guest
  • 103 posts
  • 9
  • Location:CSA- Camellia Sinensis Anonymous

Posted 15 March 2013 - 01:56 AM

Which brand do you prefer? I am glad I found this thread, as I want to try SAMe but am unsure what brand to get. The price variances are extreme. I was going to just go with AOR and then I found Swanson for a fraction of the price. http://www.swansonvi...-400-mg-30-tabs

Any input would be appreciated.


I buy Jarrow or Life extension. Make sure that whatever you buy is in blister packs since SAM-E degrades easily.


Thanks!

This Swanson seems to be blister packed... price seems too good to be true though.

400mg 30 tabs for under 15 dollars? At least I haven't seen that. AOR is 40 for the same.


EDIT
from one of the one star reviews. Starts to make more sense.


"Please, be aware that this product contains twice less SAMe than other brands indicating 400 on the front of the package. Usually, this number stands for the amount of chemically pure SAMe without other elements of the compound/powder contained in the capsule. And this product shows 400 as the total amount of the powder, not SAMe. Just compare the label info with other brands, which mention that 400 mg of SAMe is produced from 800 mg of the powder.

This info has been confirmed with customer support. And from the formal standpoint Swanson's labeling is absolutely accurate, but might confuse many users."

Edited by Bron, 15 March 2013 - 01:58 AM.

  • Good Point x 1

#28 airplanepeanuts

  • Guest
  • 352 posts
  • 15
  • Location:Earth

Posted 05 April 2013 - 12:42 PM

Similar thing happened to me:

I used Sam-e a couple of years ago and in retrospect thought it helped. So I bought Doctor's Best 400mg and have been taking it for 6 months up to 7 a day but mostely 2 or 3.
But now I got the 200mg Nutralife brand of which I took 4 today and yesterday. I feel it is a lot better! Much better than the 7 Dr's Best even though that is more than 3 times as much. So much so that I feel I wasted my time with the Doctor's Best brand SAM-E.

I don't really know why it would be worse. Maybe the enteric coating is too thick?

Well I'll continue taking it and let you guys now if it is just a fluke.

Edited by whitetealeaves, 05 April 2013 - 12:47 PM.


sponsored ad

  • Advert
Click HERE to rent this advertising spot for SUPPLEMENTS (in thread) to support LongeCity (this will replace the google ad above).

#29 airplanepeanuts

  • Guest
  • 352 posts
  • 15
  • Location:Earth

Posted 23 April 2013 - 09:42 PM

So much so that I feel I wasted my time ..


Actually I take that back. Not sure anymore if there is any difference. *sorry Dr's Best;)*

sponsored ad

  • Advert
Click HERE to rent this advertising spot for SUPPLEMENTS (in thread) to support LongeCity (this will replace the google ad above).



0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users