Skip to content
Wellness Blog
SAMe and Betaine TMG – The Mood Enhancing Power Couple
When your brain gets sick or ages, it is never just one biological mechanism, such as blood flow, that fails us, it is generally multiple mechanisms, such as blood flow, toxic buildup, nutrient depletion and inflammation. This gives us the blueprint on how to help overall brain health – in multiple mechanisms that support healthy blood sugar, gut health, blood flow, antioxidant status and decreased inflammation. Single mechanism interventions, such as just taking ginkgo or vitamin E by themselves, have not consistently worked in large scale studies. But when we use smart combinations, in a multiple mechanism approach, their effectiveness significantly improves. Best Nutrients for a Healthy Brain For example, with my patients, I often use: Omega 3 fatty acids to support decreased overall inflammation Ginkgo and vinpocetine to boost cerebral blood flow Probiotics to support gut health … because the health of your gut affects the health of your brain Alpha lipoic acid to help stabilize blood sugar levels and protect against nerve cell damage Huperzine A and choline to boost acetylcholine levels, one of the main amino acids involved with learning and memory Phosphatidylserine to support nerve cell membrane fluidity N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) for antioxidant support and detoxification The science behind using natural supplements grows stronger every year, but we must stop looking for single bullet treatments, and instead help the brain in all of the ways it struggles. This multiple-mechanism approach is what we used in our published brain rehabilitation study with football players where 80% of the players experienced significant improvement…and it’s what we use to help the people who come to our clinics. The Power Couple Another area that can benefit from this multiple mechanism approach is your mood. One of my favorite supplement combinations to help support a positive mood is betaine (trimethylglycine) and SAMe (S-AdenosylMethionine). SAMe is a small, naturally occurring molecule which powers over 200 enzymes necessary for healthy cell growth, maturation, and specialization. In the brain, SAMe is required for nerve cells to make energy, maintain connectivity, and generate mood-related neurotransmitters. Taken alone, data from numerous clinical trials indicate SAMe strongly promotes positive mood. In fact, this nutrient has been so effective that it has been available by prescription in Europe for many years as an antidepressant. And now it can work even better! The Science Recent research demonstrated that taking betaine at the same time as SAMe potentiated the effects of the SAMe on mood. In the clinical trial, subjects who received SAMe (750 mg/day) plus betaine (375 mg/day) performed better than SAMe alone (800 mg/day) on measures of worry, helplessness and worthlessness, agitation, and physical efficiency. In yet another study, the efficacy of the combination of betaine and SAMe was tested against an antidepressant medication. After 6 and 12 months, both treated groups showed a noticeable improvement, although the group treated with SAMe plus betaine showed better results in terms of score on a depression rating scale, a number of individuals in remission, and side effects. If you are looking for a natural, safe, and effective way to promote a positive mood, give betaine and SAMe a try!
Learn more
Improve Mood and Movement with SAMe
Do you ever feel: Short on energy? That your body isn't working the way you'd like it to? Less than fully positive about life? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may consider trying SAMe. SAMe (S-Adenosyl-Methionine. Pronounced “sammy”) is a naturally-occurring, hard-working molecule that is found in almost every tissue and fluid in the body. It is organically produced in our bodies from the amino acid methionine in the presence of the cofactors B12 and folate, and is critical to brain and body health. Healthy levels of SAMe support both mental well-being and healthy joints as SAMe plays a role in the synthesis of: Neurotransmitters, critical to proper brain function Melatonin, important to healthy sleep rhythms and outlook Phospholipids, a major component of cell membranes Polyamines, a manager of cellular growth Additionally, it plays a key role in the biological process called methylation. Methylation is a key process that is essential for almost all of your body systems and it occurs billions of times every second. It helps repair your DNA on a daily basis, controls unhealthy compounds that can damage blood vessels, helps recycle molecules that are needed for detoxification, helps maintain your mood, and keeps inflammation in check. And without SAMe, there could be no methylation as we know it. Normal aging, certain medications, toxins, daily stress, and various nutritional inadequacies in your diet (like poor protein intake) can deplete the body’s SAMe reserves and diminish the body’s production of SAMe. Watch this short video featuring Dr. Amen and BrainMD Health’s Chief Science Officer, Dr. Parris Kidd, to learn more about the ways in which BrainMD Health’s SAMe Mood and Movement 400 promotes positive mood and emotional balance, enhances energy levels, and supports joint health and movement. SAMe has been intensively researched for over half a century. Numerous controlled clinical trials support its benefits for mood, cognition, the joints, the liver, the gastrointestinal system, and the other organs. Supplementing with the blister-packed tablets in SAMe Mood & Movement provides the S,S form of SAMe preferred by our enzymes, and helps ensure the body will have adequate SAMe for its needs.
Learn more