SAMe is a chemical that is found naturally in the body. It can
also be made in the laboratory. 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. Researchers discovered the potential
usefulness of SAMe for treating osteoarthritis by accident. They
were studying SAMe’s effect on depression when the patients they
were following reported an unexpected improvement in their
osteoarthritis symptoms. SAMe is used for depression, anxiety,
heart disease, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, bursitis,
tendonitis, chronic lower back pain, dementia, Alzheimer's
disease, slowing the aging process, chronic fatigue syndrome
(CFS), improving intellectual performance, liver disease, and
Parkinson's disease. It is also used for attention deficit-
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), multiple sclerosis, spinal cord
injury, seizures, migraineheadache, and lead poisoning. Some
women use SAMe for premenstrual syndr