Can’t Tolerate Arthritis Pills? – Try SAMe But Give It a Month.

Most NSAID’s (arthrtis pills) have a GI bleed (stomach bleed) rate of 10%. Diclofenac is 7%. Celebrex is 5% but only if they are not taking ASA. I have cases that cannot tolerate any NSAID’s or due to major GI bleeds are ill advised to take any. Now it looks like SAMe (a health food store supplement) might be an alternative.

Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2008 May;48(5):458-63.
Exploring the Mechanisms behind S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis.
Hosea Blewett HJ.

abstract here

• A review of S-adenosylmethionine was done in Edmonton.
• It found “Clinical trials have shown reduced pain and stiffness while in vitro and animal studies have shown SAMe can stimulate the production of cartilage which is critical in reversing the disease process.”

IN 2004, a double blind cross over study compared SAMe to celecoxib (Celebrex) was undertaken.

Article here

Though Celebrex 200 mg/day was better for the first month, afterwards there was no significant difference.

The dose of SAMe was 600 mg BID.

SAMe also has anti-depressant effects which would also benefit chronic pain.
review abstract here

doses for depression treatment range from 200 – 1600 mg though a review mentions doses up to >3000mg/day could be needed. I think 400 mg TID  (3 times a day)might be good for both mood and arthritis.
article here 

The bottles of SAMe I have seen at Cosco would barely last a week at the doses suggested so one would have to buy multiple bottles.

I would be interested in anyone’s experience with such.

Another agent found protentially useful was rosehip:

Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2008 Sep;16(9):965-72. Epub 2008 Apr 14. Does the hip powder of Rosa canina (rosehip) reduce pain in osteoarthritis patients?–a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Christensen R, Bartels EM, Altman RD, Astrup A, Bliddal H.
abstract

“It seemed twice as likely that a patient allocated to rosehip powder would respond to therapy, compared to placebo (OR=2.19; P=0.0009); corresponding to a NNT of six (95% CI: 4-13) patients.” nike thea schwarz nike thea schwarz