ConsumerLab.com, White Plains, NY, has revealed that all eight SAMe supplements that it recently selected for review passed quality testing—an improvement over tests in previous years. SAMe
(S-adenosyl-methionine) is used to treat depression and joint pain. It is a prescription medication in European countries, but sold as a supplement in the U.S. where sales have steadily grown to reach $96 million in 2005, according to Nutrition Business Journal.

In 2000, ConsumerLab.com found that nearly half of 13 SAMe products selected for testing contained less ingredient than claimed. In 2003, the situation had improved to where one product had only 30% of its SAMe but seven others met their claims. All products passed the recent testing.

“It is nice to see steady improvement in the quality of SAMe supplements and I hope that it will persist,” said Tod Cooperman, MD, ConsumerLab.com’s president. “This is not always the case. We recently reported that another popular ingredient used for osteoarthritis—chondroitin—was missing in many of the supplements tested.”

The SAMe Review includes results for 10 products. Eight of the products were selected by ConsumerLab.com and two others are included for having passed the same evaluation through ConsumerLab.com’s Voluntary Certification Program. Also listed is one product similar to one that passed but sold under different a brand name. The review provides information on how to choose and use these supplements. Brands included in report are Baywood, Jarrow, Kal, Life Extension, Natrol, Nature Made, Nature’s Bounty, NutraLife, Olympian Labs, Vitaline and Vitamin Depot.