A follow-up survey commissioned by NOW Foods and performed by Eurofins Labs has found that SAM-e supplements are still falling short on label claims.
Of the 24 supplements assessed, 23 failed potency testing according to their label claims, with 16 containing less than 20% of the advertised potency.
This follows a survey of the market conducted in 2020, which found that all 11 SAM-e supplements tested were of a low potency, with two containing no SAM-e at all.
What is SAM-e?
SAM-e, or S-adenosyl-L-methionine, is a compound found naturally in the body that assists in the maintenance of cell membranes, the immune system and the breakdown of neurotransmitters.
It is often sold as a supplement, and research suggests that SAM-e supplementation can reduce osteoarthritis severity, while also reducing the symptoms of depression.
This particular solution is also expensive, so consumers purchasing these products will ideally expect a high-quality product that exhibits strong efficacy.
As the results of the 2020 market survey revealed label and potency discrepancies, NOW wanted to follow-up to see if brands involved in the survey had corrected these false label claims.
Little progress made in the SAM-e market
To get a better view of what's available in this niche of the market, NOW gathered a new round of samples from different brands, while also looking back to products that were assessed previously.
Supplements exhibiting extremely high potency claims were also tested, as well as products in a gummy format, as SAM-e is an unstable molecule that can degrade when exposed to moisture and heat.
During this survey, testers found that there were five brands identified in the 2020 study that were still selling low-potency products on Amazon.com; this includes aSquared, Healthy Way, Mono Herbs, Nasa B'Ahava and Superior Health.
Notably, NOW has tested 13 different lots of varying products from aSquared, finding that every product up to now has failed potency testing — with its SAM-e supplement measuring in at below 20%.
Of all the brands that failed testing, 48% of them had manufacturing operations based in Florida, with many of these products having highly similar lot numbers.
Eurofins' testing experts also found that the SAM-e products distributed by six brands had zero potency.
Furthermore, Florida Herbal Pharmacy's vegetarian SAM-e capsules contained animal gelatin, and zero SAM-e.
The Spliferkou brand's product, which claimed to have 3,000mg of the active ingredient in each dosage, was found to contain no SAM-e either.
Where to go from here
The results from this follow-up survey reveal the discrepancies between SAM-e supplement product labels and their actual content, which has the potential to damage the reputation of supplement brands as a whole.
With a large range of products failing to meet label claims, nutraceutical providers must find ways to ensure the potency of their SAM-e ingredients are up to scratch, and that they can maintain their potency on the shelf.
By providing quality ingredients, supplement brands can retain their reputation and encourage customers to continue buying their products.
