Any experiences with Sam-e for knee pain?

[Raul_SJ]

S-Adenosyl Methionine

SAMe is a molecule that is formed naturally in the body. It can also be made in the laboratory. SAMe is involved in the formation, activation, or breakdown of other chemicals in the body, including hormones, proteins, phospholipids, and certain drugs.

SAMe has been available as a dietary supplement in the US since 1999, but it has been used as a prescription drug in Italy since 1979, in Spain since 1985, and in Germany since 1989.​

Osteoarthritis
A number of well-designed studies show that SAMe may reduce pain and inflammation in the joints, and researchers think it may promote cartilage repair. In several short-term studies (ranging from 4 to 12 weeks), SAMe supplements were as effective as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen and naproxen) in adults with knee, hip, or spine osteoarthritis, in lessening morning stiffness, reducing pain and swelling, improving range of motion, and increasing walking pace. Several studies also suggest that SAMe has fewer side effects than NSAIDs. Another study compared SAMe to celecoxib (Celebrex), a type of NSAID called a COX-2 inhibitor, and found that over time SAMe was as effective as celecoxib in relieving pain. Other studies show no differences in pain relief or tolerability between treatment with SAMe or habumetone over 8 weeks in people with knee osteoporosis.

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-suppl...iveingredientid=786&activeingredientname=same
http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/sadenosylmethionine
​

I wonder if Sam-E might be preferable to NSAIDS like Advil.

 

[LeeD]

Have you tried eating fish/shell fish at least 4 times a week?
What about glucosomine/chontrotin?

 

[Raul_SJ]

Have you tried eating fish/shell fish at least 4 times a week?
What about glucosomine/chontrotin?

Lots of people report improvement from glucosamine, and my doctor recommended it, but I did not experience any improvement. (1500 mg a day for 6 months)

I will try eating more fish.

 

[LeeD]

Yeah, first two times I consumed the whole bottle, it did nothing but move pain from one body part to another.
But this year, pain is in at least 4 different locations, so I'm giving it another try.
So far, second bottle, a month, main pain of left medial collateral is totally gone, ankle is what it is, right ankle pain only comes back after windsurfing, and both shoulder's still very bad. Doesn't sound like much, one improvement area out of 4, but getting rid of the left medial pain allows me to move along the baseline to within 3' of either alley (cover that distance, not me getting there), and tennis is just fine again.
When I had left medial and left ankle pain, tennis was basically impossible, even 4.0 doubles.

 

[ollinger]

One of the OP's references notes that many of the favorable studies used INJECTABLE sam-e since the oral form is not absorbed very well from the GI tract after ingestion.

 

[Raul_SJ]

One of the OP's references notes that many of the favorable studies used INJECTABLE sam-e since the oral form is not absorbed very well from the GI tract after ingestion.

Supplements are not covered by insurance. Is there something similar to Sam-e, available in prescription form here as in Europe?

A synthesized form of SAM-e is considered a supplement in the U.S., but SAM-e has been sold as a prescription drug in parts of Europe for decades. Its scientific name is S-adenosylmethionine. SAM-e is also known as ademetionine and SAMe.

 

[Mr.Lob]

Lots of people report improvement from glucosamine, and my doctor recommended it, but I did not experience any improvement. (1500 mg a day for 6 months)

I will try eating more fish.

What brand of glucosamine you take? My understanding is that they are not manufactured in same way. So one brand may work while another may not. I just started Dona, I believe it is the only glucosamine sulfate proven effective in 2 clinical studies over a 3 year span.

 

[mmk]

My wife tried glucosamine and it did nothing for her knee pain, but she was already bone-on-bone, no cartilage left. Same thing with injected Synvisc, so she ended up having her knee replaced, and six years later revised with the other knee due for replacement next month.
After having my ACL replaced and my meniscus trimmed I had a lot of crunching in my knee, so I started taking glucosamine, and within a month the crunching went away. Obviously these are just two data points, but the efficacy of glucosamine is likely dependent on the level of deterioration of the joint.

 

[Raul_SJ]

What brand of glucosamine you take? My understanding is that they are not manufactured in same way. So one brand may work while another may not. I just started Dona, I believe it is the only glucosamine sulfate proven effective in 2 clinical studies over a 3 year span.

I wondered the same thing but my Doctor, who recommended glucosamine, was adamant that the brand did not matter. Some of his patients were getting results from Kirkland Glucosamine hydrochloride form , and that's what I got from Costco. A few players I've met also reported results with that brand.

OTOH, the Dona Glucosamine sulphate form was the one used in many of the clinical studies, I think in Europe, so I might try that.

I think there is very limited oversight by the FDA on the quality and ingredients of dietary supplements vs drugs. It might be better for consumers if there was better regulation of supplements. Also note that supplements like Sam-e are considered drugs in Europe, so the distinction between supplement and drug can be blurry.