Bupropion vs SAM-E for mood
Short answer: For mood, more users report improvement with SAM-E — 92% of 114 reports, versus 70% of 172 for Bupropion.
Bupropion has 411 meta-analyses and 617 randomized trials on PubMed; SAM-E has 3 and 1.
Based on 444 reports about Bupropion and 284 about SAM-E. Not medical advice.
| Bupropion Medication | SAM-E Supplement | |
|---|---|---|
| Users say it helped | 41%helped271 reports · high confidence | 63%helped131 reports · high confidence |
| Verdict | Mixed | Mostly positive |
| Research | AResearch: Strong | BResearch: Moderate |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 411 / 617 | 3 / 1 |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Mood % reporting improvement | 70% (172) | 92% (114) |
| Energy % reporting improvement | 81% (57) | 87% (23) |
| Focus % reporting improvement | 71% (62) | 100% (13) |
| Anxiety % reporting improvement | 15% (34) | 67% (21) |
| Libido % reporting improvement | 76% (34) | — |
| Common side effects | anxiety, insomnia, irritability, tinnitus | insomnia, jitteriness, stomach issues, anxiety |
| Typical dose reported | Not listed | 200-400 mg / daily |
Our findings represent the most comprehensive available evidence base to inform patients, families, clinicians, guideline developers, and policymakers on the choice of ADHD medications across age groups. Taking into account both efficacy and safety, evidence from this meta-analysis supports methylphenidate in children and adolescents, and amphetamines in adults, as preferred first-choice medications for the short-term treatment of ADHD. New research should be funded urgently to assess long-term effects of these drugs.
Lancet Psychiatry, 2018 ↗“It really helped. I went from being suicidal to having hope and motivation within 3 days of starting the medication.”
Our results showed that robotic surgery contributed positively to some perioperative outcomes but longer operative times remained a shortcoming. Better quality evidence is needed to guide surgical decision making regarding the precise clinical targets of this innovation in the next generation of its use.
Surg Endosc, 2016 ↗“I also take SAM-e in the morning (200mg or 400mg per day depending on how I'm feeling) for my general depression/anxiety.”
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Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate