S-adenosylmethionine (Novifit) for age-related mental decline in dogs: double-blinded placebo-controlled trial
Thirty-six dogs older than 8 years with at least one month of cognitive dysfunction signs received 18 mg/kg oral SAMe tosylate (n=17) or identical placebo tablets (n=19) for 2 months, with behavior and locomotion scored on a 14-item questionnaire. SAMe-treated dogs improved more than placebo in activity and awareness at 4 and 8 weeks, and 41.2% versus 15.8% had their aggregate mental impairment score reduced by more than half at week 8. The authors conclude SAMe tosylate tablets were safe and effective for signs of age-related mental decline.
Record
| Design | randomized controlled trial |
|---|---|
| Status | completed |
| Intervention | Oral S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) tosylate tablets (Novifit tablets, Virbac) |
| Intervention class | diet or supplement |
| Comparator | Identical placebo tablets |
| Dose regimen | 18 mg/kg SAMe tosylate, oral tablets, for 2 months |
| Duration | 2 months |
| Dogs | 36 |
| Population note | 36 dogs: SAMe n=17, placebo n=19 |
| Age | older than 8 years |
| Other | Signs of cognitive dysfunction for at least 1 month; concurrent behavioral treatment forbidden |
| Primary outcome | 14-item standardized questionnaire evaluating behavior and locomotion difficulties (activity, awareness, aggregate mental impairment score) |
| Result (as reported) | Compared with the placebo group, SAMe-treated dogs showed greater improvement in activity (41.7% versus 2.6% after 4 weeks, P<.0003; 57.1% versus 9.0% after 8 weeks, P<.003) and awareness (33.3% versus 17.9% after 4 weeks, P<.05; 59.5% versus 21.4% after 8 weeks, P<.01). The aggregate mental impairment score was reduced by more than 50% in 41.2% and 15.8% of dogs treated with SAMe and placebo, respectively, at week 8. SAMe tosylate tablets proved safe and effective in improving signs of age-related mental decline in dogs. |
| Tags | cognition, nutraceutical, same, cognitive-dysfunction, placebo-controlled |
Notes: Kind is recorded as randomized_controlled_trial from the title (double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial) and the PubMed publication type; the abstract does not describe the randomization procedure. The product was supplied as Novifit tablets (Virbac); sponsor and setting are not stated.
Sources and verbatim quotes
Effect of S-adenosylmethionine tablets on the reduction of age-related mental decline in dogs: a double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. (2008) PMID 18597245 (results)
Oral S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) tosylate supplementation (Novifit tablets, Virbac) was evaluated as a dietary aid for the management of age-related mental impairment in dogs.
Thirty-six dogs older than 8 years that had displayed signs of cognitive dysfunction for at least 1 month were selected for the study. The dogs were administered 18 mg/kg SAMe tosylate (n=17) or identical placebo tablets (n=19) for 2 months. Concurrent behavioral treatment was forbidden.
A 14-item standardized questionnaire evaluated behavior and locomotion difficulties.
Compared with the placebo group, SAMe-treated dogs showed greater improvement in activity (41.7% versus 2.6% after 4 weeks, P<.0003; 57.1% versus 9.0% after 8 weeks, P<.003) and awareness (33.3% versus 17.9% after 4 weeks, P<.05; 59.5% versus 21.4% after 8 weeks, P<.01).
The aggregate mental impairment score was reduced by more than 50% in 41.2% and 15.8% of dogs treated with SAMe and placebo, respectively, at week 8. SAMe tosylate tablets proved safe and effective in improving signs of age-related mental decline in dogs.
Reproduce: canine_trial_search(trial_id="same-cognitive-decline-rct-2008") in dog-geroscience-mcp; dataset canine-trial-registry.