An Alternative to Celebrex: Can S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe), a dietary supplement, manage arthritis symptoms like Celebrex?
University of California researchers compared S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) to Celebrex (celecoxib) because Celebrex is one of the Non Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) that are mainstay medications used for arthritis symptoms.
Celebrex is the brand name for the prescription medication celecoxib. Celebrex is used for pain. But Celebrex, or its generic celecoxib, has dangerous side effects. The National Institutes for Health Pubmed Health website has a big warning on its celecoxib (Celebrex) information page that begins with:
“People who take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (other than aspirin) such as celecoxib may have a higher risk of having a heart attack or a stroke than people who do not take these medications. These events may happen without warning and may cause death.”
To read the full warning on celecoxib (Celebrex), visit the Pubmed Health website .
S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) Compared to Celebrex
The study from the University of California, Irvine, Medical Center, compared SAMe to Celebrex (celecoxib) a prescription pain medication and (COX-2) inhibitor.
The researchers found that “SAMe has a slower onset of action but is as effective as celecoxib in the management of symptoms of knee osteoarthritis. Longer studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of SAMe and the optimal dose to be used.”
S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) and Side Effects
Although SAMe can be beneficial for some symptoms of osteoarthritis, it has a high frequency of side effects.
SAMe tends to have more side effects than most nutritional supplements. The most frequent side effects of SAMe are abdominal pain and psychiatric side effects. Even though SAMe has antidepressant effects, it may cause depression and not infrequently causes anxiety or nightmares. In this study of 61 patients, 36 experienced side effects while on SAMe and 46 experienced side effects while on celecoxib (Celebrex).
The study also noted that SAMe can lose its strength: "Approximately 75% of the way through the study, a routine quality check of a random sample of the study medicine indicated that the SAMe had lost approximately 51% of its potency.”
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Reference:
BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2004 Feb 26;5:6. “S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe) versus celecoxib for the treatment of osteoarthritis symptoms: a double-blind cross-over trial. [ISRCTN36233495].” Najm WI, Reinsch S, Hoehler F, Tobis JS, Harvey PW.
Department of Family Medicine & Geriatrics, University of California, Irvine, Medical Center, 101 City Drive, Orange, CA 92868, USA.
