SAM-e side effects?

[bigmillz]

I decided to make this week's experiment sam-e...not sure how I feel about it. No issues falling asleep, but I've had trouble staying asleep. And this lack of sleep kind of negates the benefits, leaving me feeling a bit shaky and overdriven. I'm at 1200mg, so I am on the upper end of dosing, but from everything I've read, this is an optimal zone to achieve full benefits (short of going to 1600mg).

I have started to notice that I'm feeling unusually happy and less fatigued, but again, it's being countered by the lack of sleep.

Thinking about lowering the dose if it doesn't smooth out in a few days. Or if the benefits don't prove amazing by then, dropping it (for $40/month, hell with it). Anyone else have a similar experience?

Edit: Looks like insomnia and related nervousness aren't uncommon: http://www.depressionblog.com/archives/000027.shtml

 

[perchance dreamer]

Taking Sam-E, even a small dose first thing in the morning, gives me sleep problems. This happens to me with other supplements, too.

If you are having some good effects from Sam-E, it sounds like lowering the dose to see if your sleep problems clear up would be a good idea.

 

[bigmillz]

Taking Sam-E, even a small dose first thing in the morning, gives me sleep problems. This happens to me with other supplements, too.

If you are having some good effects from Sam-E, it sounds like lowering the dose to see if your sleep problems clear up would be a good idea.

Yea, thinking of giving it a couple more days to see if it's coincidentally something else, and if the positives are worth it (I'd like a little more to justify the cost), I'll try 800mg. Good call.

 

[Chocolove]

@bigmillz From what I've read, they used high dosages in your range in PubMed studies in order to get the humans on a high level quickly to elicit testing results. However, the body doesn't excrete excess in one day, so staying at that high level may quickly cause problems as in headache, insomnia, agitation, irritability, chest pain, trouble breathing, heart palpitations and other issues. You appear to be at your limit of good effects and I would back off immediately.

There is no counterbalance or means to wash out excess that I know of. SAM-e is sold mainly for daily use in the more normal range of 100-200 mg/day. As you have realized, it can quickly build up in your system. You can go cold turkey with this one but you will still suffer as your body deals with the remaining overload.

 

[bigmillz]

@bigmillz From what I've read, they used high dosages in your range in PubMed studies in order to get the humans on a high level quickly to elicit testing results. However, the body doesn't excrete excess in one day, so staying at that high level may quickly cause problems as in headache, insomnia, agitation, irritability, chest pain, trouble breathing, heart palpitations and other issues. You appear to be at your limit of good effects and I would back off immediately.

There is no counterbalance or means to wash out excess that I know of. SAM-e is sold mainly for daily use in the more normal range of 100-200 mg/day. As you have realized, it can quickly build up in your system. You can go cold turkey with this one but you will still suffer as your body deals with the remaining overload.

Yea, I think after today, I'm going to have to drop it down. Definitely feeling a bit manic and out of control. I'll try 800 next and see how it goes.