# Sam E , 5htp or Rhodiola rosea?



## sleepysmurf (Jun 22, 2006)

Which one of these supplemets help fight depression best? or is it best to just use all three... anyone have any first hand experience and thoughts about the three of them? I am using 5htp now and I feel it has helped my mood a bit, I was wondering if Rhodiola rosea and samE would add any more help to my mood / anxiety?


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## Caedmon (Dec 14, 2003)

I've tried 5htp and Sam-E, not the herb though. Neither one had any appreciable effects.

I actually don't know, but recently I've been really unsure about ever using Sam-E. The response rate is not great, probably higher than placebo but not by much. I am nervous about how it can convert to homocysteine. E.g.:










Another concern is the possibility - I suppose it is not too likely, but possible - that Sam-E would work, but that the things it is fixing is actually originally caused by a nutritional deficiency such as a B12 deficiency. It's often recommended to take Sam-E with B vitamins to prevent this kind of problem, but then you wouldn't know if you *did* have a deficiency in the first place, nor which supplement you were taking was actually helping.

I guess the way I see it, since it's a good idea to be taking B vitamins anyway, one might as well stick with trying that first. I mean, maybe Sam-E really is a good idea, but for now it just worries me and I'll stick with my folate/B12/B6 combo. My view.

Rhodiola is dopaminergic, as i understand it.


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