N-acetylcysteine is the supplement form of the amino acid cysteine. It is a precursor to the body’s primary antioxidant, glutathione. It has been used for many years in acetaminophen toxicity. Recently, it has been used to decrease symptoms and increase survivability in COVID. That result was shown in a study of 82 hospitalized patients with moderate or severe COVID-19 pneumonia. These patients received standard care alone or 1,200 mg of NAC daily for 14 days. Taking NAC significantly lowered the rate of progression to severe respiratory failure and the need for mechanical ventilation.
And most importantly, NAC also significantly lowered mortality. Only 2 of 42 patients getting NAC died. In contrast, 12 of 40 patients in the control group died.
Currently, the FDA is deciding whether to take this supplement off of the market and turn it into a prescription drug. The only basis for this is that it was approved by the FDA in 1963 for treatment in acetaminophen toxicity and to loosen mucus in chronic respiratory issues. It has been sold as a supplement since 1994. If the status of NAC is changed, it will be impossible to get anywhere other than through a doctor, and it will be much more expensive as a result. I have just found out that this decision will be made by March 31, so there is only a week left. Hopefully, the FDA will make the right choice, but in case they do not, we are stocking up. It has helped our daughter with her asthma symptoms, as well as other patients with similar issues. I would encourage anyone who wants to be able to continue taking it to stock up as well. I will go over the health benefits that have been studied for NAC in the article below. To purchase NAC, you can go to us.fullscript.com/welcome/shroutchiro and create an account if you haven’t already. You can search for NAC on that website. If you have any questions or would like more specific recommendations, contact us at drshroutdc@gmail.com and I will send you a list of our preferred brands.
NAC has numerous health benefits, especially for chronic respiratory conditions, brain health, fertility, and inflammatory conditions. We will go over a few of these below and then discuss dosing.
Replenishes Glutathione
Glutathione is the primary antioxidant in the human body. It protects the cells against damage and keeps the immune system functioning at its best. As a key component of phase 2 liver detox, it helps remove heavy metals, environmental toxins, and internal toxins that the body produces as part of metabolism. It is made up of glutamine, glycine, and cysteine. NAC helps replenish glutathione, which can be used up quickly in our current environment. For people with methylation issues, glutathione may be produced less quickly because the precursors to cysteine are needed in the methylation cycle.
Having an effective antioxidant system protects against cell damage, heart disease, mental health issues, and chronic disease, which is commonly caused by increased inflammation. NAC is one of the most effective ways to raise glutathione levels and keep the antioxidant system strong.
Detoxification
NAC helps the kidneys and liver detox things like drugs, environmental toxins, and heavy metals. Much of this is due to the glutathione replenishment mentioned above. I also mentioned earlier that NAC has been used for many years in acetaminophen, or Tylenol, toxicity. These effects can help reduce the burden on the liver and kidneys and thus increase the health of those important organs.
Respiratory Conditions
It should be no surprise by now that NAC acts as and helps form antioxidants. This is especially important in the lungs and bronchioles. In addition to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which are the basis of most lung diseases, it also acts as an expectorant to loosen and thin mucus. This helps with conditions like COPD, bronchitis, asthma, and allergies. 600 mg of NAC two times a day was shown to improve lung function in patients with COPD and chronic bronchitis. It also helps alleviate asthma symptoms, reducing the need for nebulizers and inhalers. We have noticed huge benefits in this area with our own daughter and her asthma issues. It helps break up the mucus and gets her through any asthma flare-ups much quicker, and also prevents them from needing additional intervention. NAC can also be a great help for people who suffer from allergy symptoms. Remember, this is what NAC was initially FDA-approved to treat.
Fertility
Again, due to its strong antioxidant function, NAC can also help with fertility issues. Studies have shown around a 22 percent increase in pregnancies in couples who were struggling with conventional treatments. It can help with both male and female fertility issues. It is also shown to help in women who are experiencing a condition called PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). A main symptom of PCOS is infertility, and NAC produced a similar 22 percent increase in pregnancy compared to control groups.
Cardiovascular Health
NAC decreases free radicals and can also increase Nitric Oxide, both of which protect the heart and blood vessels. It can also prevent damage to insulin receptors, which helps decrease the risk for diabetes. All of this combines to decrease the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetic nerve and vessel damage.
Brain Health
One of the actions of NAC is that it helps regulate an amino acid called glutamate. If you have too much glutamate and not enough glutathione then damage to the brain can occur. There are also numerous studies that link mental health issues like depression, anxiety, bipolar disease, OCD, and even Alzheimers to inflammation and oxidative stress.
Immune Function
NAC has been shown to restore natural killer T cells in diseases like HIV that severely deplete them. Natural killer T cells are crucial components of a healthy immune system. They are the first line of defense against viruses and other illnesses. They also help remove malfunctioning cells, which helps your body fight cancer. NAC has also been shown to help prevent viral replication, which keeps the viral load levels down during infection. We already mentioned how effective this was when used for Covid, but it is also effective against many of the other viruses we face each day. One study on the flu showed that in a group of exposed patients, only 25% of the NAC group developed symptoms of the flu, compared to 75% of the control group. The infections rates were similar in both groups, so the NAC group showed significantly less symptomatic disease than the control group.
The dosage of NAC in most of these studies was 600 mg two times per day. For adults that is an appropriate daily dose. For children, 600 mg to 900 mg is probably sufficient. It can be taken daily, or as needed for the issues mentioned above. You should always discuss any supplementation with your doctor especially if you are taking prescription drugs. The only caution with NAC is if you are taking blood thinners, you should not take it. There are no major side effects to NAC, but if taken in very large doses it has caused nausea and upset stomach. It is extremely safe and effective.
I have my fingers crossed that the FDA will make the right decision and allow everyone access to this do it all supplement. However, due to the track record of the FDA on these matters, we are going to stock up as much as we can before the decision is made.
Let us know if you have any questions about NAC or any other supplement on our Fullscript page. You can reach us at drshroutdc@gmail.com. Again, contact us at that email if you would like a list of our favorite brands of NAC. I can send them to you once you have created a free Fullscript account. Keep in mind that with this new information, NAC is likely to sell out very quickly, so stock up today!