PlainPill

Does SAM-E help with anxiety?

Often, yes. 67% of 21 people who reported on SAM-E for anxiety say it improved. 10% noticed no change and 24% say it got worse. That is below the typical result for anxiety (85% across 95 options).

Anxiety: what users report
67%better21 reports · medium confidence
14 better2 no change5 worse

Ranked #77 of 95 for anxiety.

What people say about SAM-E and anxiety

“I also take SAM-e in the morning (200mg or 400mg per day depending on how I'm feeling) for my general depression/anxiety.”
Read the discussion ↗
“I just started taking Sam-e and it’s helped with my ADHD and depression tremendously.”
Read the discussion ↗
“It helped mood and motivation, had more of a desire to get out and do things like be social. Felt like a weaker Wellbutrin to me.”
Read the discussion ↗
“I've had some success with SAM-e and Agmatine for anxiety, though these are not ssris.”
Read the discussion ↗

What the research says

BResearch: Moderate3 meta-analyses · 1 trials on PubMed
Can J Psychiatry · 2016
Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) 2016 Clinical Guidelines for the Management of Adults with Major Depressive Disorder: Section 5. Complementary and Alternative Medicine Treatments

Conclusion: For MDD of mild to moderate severity, exercise, light therapy, St. John's wort, omega-3 fatty acids, SAM-e, and yoga are recommended as first- or second-line treatments. Adjunctive exercise and adjunctive St. John's wort are second-line recommendations for moderate to severe MDD. Other physical treatments and natural health products have less evidence but may be considered as third-line treatments. CAM treatments are generally well tolerated. Caveats include methodological limitations of studies and paucity of data on long-term outcomes and drug interactions.

Side effects people mention

insomnia 8jitteriness 8stomach issues 5anxiety 4drowsiness 2

What else is SAM-E used for?

Information only — not medical advice. How we count

Does SAM-E help with anxiety? 67% of 21 users say yes — PlainPill