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# S-adenosylmethionine eases functional abdominal pain in children
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/s-adenosylmethionine_chronic_pain_0618141022/
- Published: 2014-06-18T23:21:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:29:25.000Z
- Description: A six-patient pilot study at UC San Diego gave children with functional abdominal pain oral S-adenosylmethionine at 200 to 1,400 mg a day. Self-reported pain improved over two months, liver function stayed normal and no mania or depression appeared; the authors call the results promising.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Supplements, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

Wednesday June 18, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- Currently, clinicians use tricyclic antidepressants to treat functional abdominal pain (FAP). These antidepressants increase risk of suicidal ideation and other side effects. A study suggests that S-adenosylmethionine (SAM-e) a dietary supplement can be as effective as an antidepressant to treat chronic pain.

The current study was conducted with six patients involved to demonstrate the efficacy of S-adenosylmethionine in treating FAP, improving quality of life and inducing no or only minimal toxicity in children with FAP.

For the study, participants were treated with S-adenosylmethionine in an initial dose of 200 mg per day and a maximum dose of 1400 mg per day at the University of California, San Diego, and pain and quality of life were measured at baseline and after 2 weeks, 1 month and 2 months of treatment. The toxicity of the supplement was monitored by measuring the liver toxicity, mania and depression throughout the trial.

During the 2-month treatment, self-reports of pain were improved. The median dose of S-adenosylmethionine at 2 months of treatment was 1400 mg per day. Liver function was normal, and neither mania nor depression was observed.

The study concluded "Oral SAM-e demonstrates promise in reducing abdominal pain among children with FAP, with minimal toxicity." (David Liu, PHD)

Choi LJ, Huang JS. A pilot study of S-adenosylmethionine in treatment of functional abdominal pain in children. Altern Ther Health Med. 2013 Sep-Oct;19(5):61-4.