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ConsumerLab.com reports improvement in quality of SAM-e supplements used for osteoarthritis and depression — But a high priced product found to contain only 30% of label claim
WHITE PLAINS, NY — November 18, 2003 — ConsumerLab.com announced that the quality of supplements made with SAMe (S-adenosyl-methionine), which is used to treat a range of conditions including joint pain and depression — seems to have improved in recent years. In 2000, ConsumerLab.com found that nearly half of the SAMe products it tested contained less ingredient than claimed. SAMe supplements first became popular in the U.S. in 1999 and, according to Nutrition Business Journal (San Diego, CA) accounted for $77 million in sales last year. In the recent testing, only one of eight products failed to meet its label claim. The product, which had only 30% of the claimed amount, was among the most expensive — costing $2.93 per day versus an average price of $1.45 for other products.
This finding is similar to ConsumerLab.com's report earlier this month that chondroitin supplements — also used for osteoarthritis — had improved in quality but that one product costing about twice as much as the others contained only 18% of the expected chondroitin.
Tod Cooperman, M.D., ConsumerLab.com's President, cautioned consumers that a particularly high price means does not necessarily mean high quality. He remarked, "We have seen more problems over the years among very high priced products than among average or low priced products. Perhaps the thinking of some manufacturers is 'If you are going to cheat, cheat big.' "
The SAMe Review can be found at www.consumerlab.com/results/same.asp and includes results for 11 products. Eight of the products were selected by ConsumerLab.com and three others are included for having passed the same evaluation through ConsumerLab.com's Voluntary Certification Program. The Review also provides information on how to best choose and use these supplements. Subscription is required for the full report. Reviews of other popular types of supplements are also available online. New Reviews soon to be released include lutein, CoQ10, echinacea, zinc, and multivitamins/multiminerals. The recently published paperback, ConsumerLab.com's Guide to Buying Vitamins and Supplements: What's really in the bottle? is available in bookstores, online from www.consumerlab.com or through 800-431-1579.
ConsumerLab.com is a leading provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition. The company is privately held and based in White Plains, New York. It has no ownership from, or interest in, companies that manufacture, distribute, or sell consumer products. ConsumerLab.com is affiliated with PharmacyChecker.com (www.pharmacychecker.com), an evaluator of online pharmacies. Subscription to Consumerlab.com is available online. For group subscriptions, Technical Reports, or product testing contact Lisa Sabin, Vice President for Business Development, at lisa.sabin@consumerlab.com.
Copyright ConsumerLab.com, LLC, 2003. All rights reserved.
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This finding is similar to ConsumerLab.com's report earlier this month that chondroitin supplements — also used for osteoarthritis — had improved in quality but that one product costing about twice as much as the others contained only 18% of the expected chondroitin.
Tod Cooperman, M.D., ConsumerLab.com's President, cautioned consumers that a particularly high price means does not necessarily mean high quality. He remarked, "We have seen more problems over the years among very high priced products than among average or low priced products. Perhaps the thinking of some manufacturers is 'If you are going to cheat, cheat big.' "
The SAMe Review can be found at www.consumerlab.com/results/same.asp and includes results for 11 products. Eight of the products were selected by ConsumerLab.com and three others are included for having passed the same evaluation through ConsumerLab.com's Voluntary Certification Program. The Review also provides information on how to best choose and use these supplements. Subscription is required for the full report. Reviews of other popular types of supplements are also available online. New Reviews soon to be released include lutein, CoQ10, echinacea, zinc, and multivitamins/multiminerals. The recently published paperback, ConsumerLab.com's Guide to Buying Vitamins and Supplements: What's really in the bottle? is available in bookstores, online from www.consumerlab.com or through 800-431-1579.
ConsumerLab.com is a leading provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition. The company is privately held and based in White Plains, New York. It has no ownership from, or interest in, companies that manufacture, distribute, or sell consumer products. ConsumerLab.com is affiliated with PharmacyChecker.com (www.pharmacychecker.com), an evaluator of online pharmacies. Subscription to Consumerlab.com is available online. For group subscriptions, Technical Reports, or product testing contact Lisa Sabin, Vice President for Business Development, at lisa.sabin@consumerlab.com.
Copyright ConsumerLab.com, LLC, 2003. All rights reserved.
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