Excess S-adenosylmethionine inhibits methylation via catabolism to adenine

• DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03280-5
• Publication Date: 2022-04-05T10:08:13Z
• Authors: Kazuki Fukumoto; Kakeru Ito; Benjamin Saer; George Taylor; Shiqi Ye; Mayu Yamano; Yuki Toriba; Andrew Hayes; Hitoshi Okamura; Jean-Michel Fustin
• Keywords: Catabolism

The global dietary supplement market is valued at over USD 100 billion. One popular supplement, S-adenosylmethionine, marketed to improve joints, liver health and emotional well-being in the US since 1999, has been a prescription drug Europe treat depression arthritis 1975, but recent studies questioned its efficacy. In our body, S-adenosylmethionine critical for methylation of nucleic acids, proteins many other targets. marketing SAM implies that more better it would stimulate methylations health. Previously, we have shown reactions regulate biological rhythms organisms. Here, using assess effects exogenous reveal excess disrupts and, rather than promoting methylation, catabolized adenine methylthioadenosine, toxic inhibitors. These findings further understanding methyl metabolism question safety as supplement.