S-adenosyl-methionine and betaine improve early virological response

[kaffiend]

This paper appears in PLoS, which is an open-access journal. Anyone interested should be able to read it. The study is conducted with hepatitis patients undergoing interferon alpha treatment who previously failed to respond to such treatment; The supplementation potentiates interferon alpha signaling which may act to inhibit viral replication. This may be of interest to some ME/CFS patients with infections. I recently added TMG to my pile of supplements and seem to be experiencing positive results beyond methyl B12 and SAMe supplementation.

S-adenosyl-methionine and betaine improve early virological response in chronic hepatitis C patients with previous nonresponse.
Filipowicz M, Bernsmeier C, Terracciano L, Duong FH, Heim MH.
Source
Hepatology Laboratory, Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Erratum in
PLoS One. 2010;5(11). doi: 10.1371/annotation/14d47e6a-400a-429e-a487-6dd375e04632.

Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS:
Treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) with pegylated interferon ? (pegIFN?) and ribavirin results in a sustained response in approximately half of patients. Viral interference with IFN? signal transduction through the Jak-STAT pathway might be an important factor underlying treatment failure. S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) and betaine potentiate IFN? signaling in cultured cells that express hepatitis C virus (HCV) proteins, and enhance the inhibitory effect of IFN? on HCV replicons. We have performed a clinical study with the aim to evaluate efficacy and safety of the addition of SAMe and betaine to treatment of CHC with pegIFN?/ribavirin.

METHODS:
In this open-label pilot study, 29 patients with CHC who failed previous therapy with (peg)IFN?/ribavirin were treated with SAMe, betaine, pegIFN?2b and ribavirin. Treatment duration was 6 or 12 months, depending on genotype, and the protocol comprised a stopping rule at week 12 if early virological response (EVR) was not achieved. Virological and biochemical response and safety were assessed throughout the treatment.

RESULTS:
29 patients were enrolled and treated according to the study protocol. 79% of the patients were infected with genotype 1, 72% had advanced fibrosis, 76% had previously received pegIFN?/ribavirin, and only 14% achieved EVR to the previous treatment. When treated with the study medications, 17 patients (59%) showed an EVR, only 3 (10%) however achieved a sustained virological response (SVR). SAMe and betaine were found to be safe when used with pegIFN?/ribavirin.

CONCLUSION:
The addition of SAMe and betaine to pegIFN?/ribavirin improves early virological response in CHC.

TRIAL REGISTRATION:
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00310336.

 

[L'engle]

I ran out of TMG a week ago and wasn't sure if it was doing anything. Now that I've been off it for a few days I think maybe it was! So I will be ordering it again.

 

[kaffiend]

I ran out of TMG a week ago and wasn't sure if it was doing anything. Now that I've been off it for a few days I think maybe it was! So I will be ordering it again.

I tried it a while back with other methylation cycle supplements but didn't notice a difference beyond methyl b12 and SAMe. I was having severe food sensitivities at the time which made it difficult to tell subtle effects from supplements. I stop and restart supplements at various times to see if they have any effect.

My heavy metal levels are very low and I've never had a cavity (so no fillings ever). High doses of SAMe can cause me to feel overstimulated but otherwise my system seems to chew through methylation supplements. However, I almost feel as if lowering the amount of folates is helping my focus and concentration levels. Maybe someone can comment on that.

 

[Jenny]

I tried it a while back with other methylation cycle supplements but didn't notice a difference beyond methyl b12 and SAMe. I was having severe food sensitivities at the time which made it difficult to tell subtle effects from supplements. I stop and restart supplements at various times to see if they have any effect.

My heavy metal levels are very low and I've never had a cavity (so no fillings ever). High doses of SAMe can cause me to feel overstimulated but otherwise my system seems to chew through methylation supplements. However, I almost feel as if lowering the amount of folates is helping my focus and concentration levels. Maybe someone can comment on that.

Hi kaffiend

Are you saying that TMG isn't helping after all? Just two days ago on another thread you reported that you felt it was doing some good, particularly in raising body temp? I'm interested because it's something I've been meaning to try for a while.

Jenny

 

[ty98]

I have had some benefits from SAMe and neurotransmitter supplement therapy. It makes sense when you look at methylation.

 

[SaraM]

I have had no benefits from TMG, too.

 

[kaffiend]

Hi kaffiend

Are you saying that TMG isn't helping after all? Just two days ago on another thread you reported that you felt it was doing some good, particularly in raising body temp? I'm interested because it's something I've been meaning to try for a while.

Jenny

No, sorry if I wasn't clear. Since using TMG for the last two weeks, I am noticing improvement with regard to concentration and recovery from exertion. I didn't notice any effect when I tried it in the past. I might account for this by the fact that my symptoms today are less severe (helped in large part by hydrocortisone) than they were six months ago when I first tried it. I was also having severe food sensitivities at the time (in addition to PENE) and these may have masked any benefit I'm seeing now.

The whole thing just evolves over time too.