HOW PRODUCTS WERE EVALUATED:

How Products were Selected:
Products selected represent those commonly sold and/or available nationally in the U.S. ConsumerLab.com purchased products on the open market through retail stores, on-line retailers, and direct sales or multi-level marketing companies. Products were not accepted directly from manufacturers.

Testing Method:
SAMe products were tested for their levels of the S-adenosyl-methionine (SAMe). As the molecule can break down under certain circumstances, products were also tested for levels of breakdown products. Testing was first conducted in an independent laboratory using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Products that did not pass these two tests were re-analyzed using another HPLC method in a second independent laboratory.

Disintegration of enteric-coated formulations were analyzed utilizing USP (United States Pharmacopeia) <701> recommendations.

Analyses were conducted in independent laboratories to which the brand identities of the products were not disclosed. Any product not passing an initial analysis was retested in a second independent laboratory on at least one of the criteria on which it did not initially pass.

Passing Score: *
To pass testing, a product must meet the following criteria:

1. Contain its claimed weight of SAMe and no more than 110% of that weight. The amount of "free" SAMe (i.e., not including stabilizing compounds) had to be clearly and accurately stated in the label. Total SAMe degradation products (combined levels of adenine, S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH) and methylthioadenosine (MTA)) could not exceed 10% of the claimed weight of "free" SAMe.
2. Meet recommended USP parameters for disintegration for enteric-coated tablets and dietary supplements (excluding capsule and chewable products).
3. Meet all FDA labeling requirements.
   
   A product passed if it passed each applicable criterion in any one of the analyses.
   
   
   * ConsumerLab.com reserves the right to disqualify a product at any time from passing its testing if it considers such product to present a safety risk or to provide misleading or inaccurate information in its labeling.