SAM-e Dosage

The safest and most effective SAM-e dosage for any use has not been determined. In studies, researchers used doses of 200 mg three times daily for treating arthritis, 800 mg twice daily for intrahepatic cholestasis, 800 mg daily for fibromyalgia, and 400 to 1600 mg daily for depression. Since the best SAM-e dose has not been established, make sure to use the supplement with caution.

 

SAM-e Dosage: An Overview

Unlike medications, for which the standard doses have been well established, less information is available for determining the best dose for supplements, including S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM-e). However, some information is available about SAM-e dosing, based on clinical studies and on practical experience with the supplement.
 

Oral SAM-e Oral Dosages

In studies, daily doses of 400 mg to 1600 mg of SAM-e have been used for depression treatment. For arthritis, studies have used a SAM-e dose of 200 mg three times daily. For intrahepatic cholestasis, studies used a dose of 800 mg twice daily; for fibromyalgia, studies used a dose of 800 mg per day. It is not known whether these are the best (that is, the most safe and effective) doses for SAM-e. You should follow the dosing instructions on the label of your particular SAM-e product to be safe. Do not exceed the recommended dose without your healthcare provider's approval and supervision.
 

Injected SAM-e Dosages

Almost all early studies of SAM-e used injectable forms that were given intravenously (by IV) or directly into the muscle, since there were no oral forms of SAM-e available at the time.
 SAM-e should not be used in this manner, except by a healthcare professional using special forms of SAM-e designed especially for injection. Injected SAM-e doses used in clinical studies are similar to the oral SAM-e dosages.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;