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DDT, CANCER AND SAMe The pesticides DDT, and the PCBs have been linked to the malformation of sex organs in wildlife, and possibly in humans. These chemicals are among the so-called "estrogen-mimickers." They have been associated with breast cancer, testicular cancer, undescended testicles, prostate cancer and other maladies. Although DDT was banned more than 20 years ago, it is still being manufactured and "spilled" into the environment. In addition, it remains in the body indefinitely, and researchers are discovering that the children of women exposed to DDT decades ago can be affected by it years later (for an overview, see the Los Angeles Times, Oct. 2-3, 1994). No one is safe from the pesticide threat: It has been estimated that every person on earth has been exposed to DDT.

In 1982, a study published in Carcinogenesis (3:589), reported that the chronic feeding of DDT to rats reduced SAMe levels by 50 percent. When diets were supplemented with methionine (the precursor to SAMe), the DDT-induced reduction in SAMe was prevented. The authors concluded that the liver tumor-promoting ability of DDT may occur through the depletion of SAMe. (They hypothesize that, without SAMe, methylation would decrease and cancer would eventually result. Studies have since confirmed this theory.)

Health-minded people can reduce exposure to pesticides by buying organic food and never using pesticides on lawns and gardens. But even the best pre cautions cannot keep a person safe from other chemicals, or undo past exposure. Based on the DDT study, and other studies showing SAMe depletion by chemicals, a case can be made that regular supplementation with SAMe may reverse some of the effects of everyday chemical exposure.

Are You Depressed Because You're Growing Old? Or Are You Just Depressed? Either way, SAMe can help you. Depression occurs frequently with aging. It also occurs in young people. But aging occurs in everyone. SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine) is the best-documented natural antidepressant in the world. There have been more than 100 peer-reviewed studies showing that SAMe works. It's faster-acting with fewer side effects than other antidepressants, and SAMe is safe. That's because it isn't a drug concocted in a chemistry lab. It's a natural substance found in virtually every cell of the body. SAMe is indispensable for health and longevity. It's crucial for the synthesis of neurotransmitters, DNA, RNA and phosphatidylcholine, which keep cell membranes in a youthful state. SAMe is the precursor for the free-radical-fighters glutathione and cysteine. It contributes to the synthesis of polyamines which regulate protein synthesis, and may play a key role in energy production.

THE ROLLS ROYCE OF ANTI-AGING THERAPIES We're very excited about SAMe! We've never come across a compound that plays so many important roles in health and longevity, yet has a perfect safety record. SAMe has already been shown to be effective for depression, liver disease, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia. The fact that SAMe levels drop with age suggests that it may be beneficial for other age-related diseases, and perhaps for aging itself. How many conditions of aging can be improved with SAMe? There is evidence that SAMe may have unprecedented across-the-board anti-aging effects. We want to know the full anti-aging potential of SAMe and are setting up research studies to find out.

It will probably be decades before the full story of this marvelous therapy is known, but you can enjoy its benefits right now! Europeans have been using SAMe for years. Now you can be privy to Europe's best kept secret and see for yourself.

For optimal benefits, SAMe should be taken with Vitamin B-6, B-12 and Folic Acid. (A good B-Complex)

S-ADENOSYL-METHIONINE (SAMe) By Ray Sahelian, M.D.
(Author of DHEA: A Practical Guide, Melatonin: Nature's Sleeping Pill, Pregnenelone: Nature's Good Hormone, Creatine: Nature's Muscle Builder and other titles)

It seems that every year several new supplements are introduced to the over the counter market. It becomes difficult to separate the ones that are effective from those that do no live up to their promise. A relatively new supplement is S-adenosyl-methionine, known simply as SAMe. SAMe, a compound made from the amino acid methionine, has been available by prescription in Europe for many years but has been available over the counter in the US only since about 1996. Dr. Ascanio Polimeni, a physician in Rome, Italy, says, "SAMe is a wonderful supplement. Some doctors prescribe it in Europe as therapy for depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, and fibromyalgia."

Studies have shown that SAMe influences the formation of brain chemicals and helping the preservation of glutathione, an important antioxidant. Furthermore, SAMe is involved in the formation of myelin, the white sheath that surrounds nerve cells. Most individuals who take SAMe notice an increase in concentration, energy, alertness, and wellbeing.

SAMe is one of those versatile nutrients that plays a role in a number of clinical conditions. Dr. Bottiglieri, from Baylor Research Institute, in Dallas, Texas, says, "SAMe is required in numerous methylation reactions involving nucleic acids, proteins, phospholipids, amines and other neurotransmitters. The synthesis of SAMe is intimately linked with folate and vitamin B12 metabolism, and deficiencies of both these vitamins have been found to reduce central nervous system SAMe concentrations. Both folate and vitamin B12 deficiency may cause similar neurological and psychiatric disturbances including depression, dementia, and peripheral neuropathy." The influence of SAM on depression has been tested in numerous studies. One, in particular, was done in the Unites States. Back in 1994, researchers at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center, did a double-blind randomized trial involving a total of twenty-six patients. They compared oral SAMe with oral desipramine (a pharmaceutical antidepressant). At the end of the four-week trial, 62 percent of the patients treated with SAMe and 50 percent of the patients treated with desipramine had significantly improved.

AVAILABILITY:
A major drawback to the use of SAMe is that it is a difficult-to-produce natural substance with high manufacturing and packaging costs. The suggested dose of SAMe in the therapy of depression ranges from 100 to 400 mg a day. There are other nutrients that work is a similar fashion to SAMe, particularly dimethylglycine, trimethylglycine, and some of the B vitamins. In fact, B12 and Folate help the body produce SAMe.


CAUTION AND SIDE EFFECTS:
SAMe has been available in Europe by prescription for many years. Dr. Ascanio Polimeni, M.D., has extensive clinical experience with this nutrient. He says, "SAMe is a wonderful supplement. I have not found it to have any toxic effects even when it's used for many months or years although high dosages, such as 400 mg or more, can cause dry mouth, nausea, restlessness, and insomnia."

RECOMMENDATIONS:
SAMe has a good potential in becoming a useful therapeutic agent for depression and possibly age related cognitive decline. Long-term studies are needed with SAMe before making widespread recommendations for its use. However, short-term studies thus far on humans have found it to be safe and effective.

For the initial therapy of depression, my first choice is still St. John's Wort. However, some physicians are now incorporating the addition of 200 mg of SAMe to the daily regimen of patients with depression if St. John's Wort, by itself, is not effective.

There are several nutrients that have a similar function to SAMe, including betaine (also known as trimethylglycine, TMG) and some of the B vitamins such as B6, Folic Acid, and B12. Those who take TMG, B12, and Folic Acid supplements would require a lower dose of SAMe since their effects would be omplimentary.

Bottiglieri, T., Hyland, K., and E.H. Reynolds. The clinical potential of S-adenosylmethionine in brain mapping, cerebrovascular hemodynamics, and immune factors. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 17;777:399-403, 1994. Bell, K.M., Potkin, S.G., Carreon, D., and L. Plon. S-adenosylmethionine blood levels in major depression: changes with drug treatment. Acta. Neurol.Scand. Suppl;154:15-8, 1994.
Contributed by - Georgiana Duncan