SAMe Supplements Tested

Dietary supplements with SAMe (S-adenosyl-methionine) are used to treat osteoarthritis as well as depression, but only seven out of 10 SAMe supplements recently selected for testing by ConsumerLab.com, White Plains, NY, met all quality criteria. No SAMe was found in one supplement and another provided only 75% of its listed amount of the ingredient. The enteric coating on a SAMe product for dogs and cats did not last long enough to properly protect the contents of the pill. In 2010, $122 million of SAMe supplements were sold in the U.S., according to Nutrition Business Journal. SAMe is among the more expensive supplements and prices range widely, ConsumerLab.com noted. The best price among products that passed testing was 53 cents for a 400 mg dose, while a similar dose cost more than $2.50 from two products and more than $3 from the product that contained only 75% of its claimed amount.