BOSTON -- A new study is looking into whether a natural chemical can act as an antidepressant.

Video

Watch Liz Brunner's Report SAM-E SAM-e is the common name for S-adenosyl-methionine. It has been available in Europe for 20 years. After it was introduced in the United States in February 1999, SAM-e became the hottest-selling dietary supplement that year. No FDA-sanctioned studies have been performed testing its effectiveness as an antidepressant. Although SAM-e is available over the counter, it should not be taken without consulting a physician. RESOURCES WebMD Article Questions SAM-e Claims Depression Central Technical Information On SAM-e SAM-e Product Information DEPRESSION STUDIES For information on other depression studies at MGH, call 1-877-55-BLUES.

NewsCenter 5's Liz Brunner reported that the study is looking at SAM-e, a dietary supplement that has been sold in the United States for the last few years. While it has been billed as an antidepressant, supplements are not tested by the Food and Drug Administration.

Giovanni Gasparotto, 58, agreed to participate in the study because his standard antidepressants stopped working.

"I got to a point where it was really very difficult to work," Gasparotto said. "I would describe it as extreme procrastination."

Researchers are trying to determine whether SAM-e can enhance traditional antidepressants.

"The purpose of doing the study is to determine whether adding SAM-e to conventional prescribed antidepressants will allow somebody to get a more effective antidepressant effect," said Dr. Jonathan Alpert of Massachusetts General Hospital.

SAM-e is a natural chemical found in every living cell of the body. It has been sold in drugstores and nutrition stores in the United States since 1999, but it has been sold in Europe for 20 years.

"In the brain, it appears to play a crucial role in producing neurotransmitters or chemical messengers, like seratonin," Alpert said.

It has been five weeks since Gasparotto started taking SAM-e, and he said that he feels renewed.

"When I started with SAM-e, a very interesting thing happened. All of a sudden I started feeling much better," Gasparotto said. "So now the only thing I'm faced with is just garden-variety laziness."

Pharmavite, a distributor of SAM-e, is funding the study. Other natural remedies for depression under investigation at Massachusetts General Hospital are omega-3 fatty acids and St. John's wort.