Top INDEX
• Basics: Enhancement.
• About: Acetylcysteine.
• Benefits of N-acetylcysteine (NAC).
• Cautions of N-acetylcysteine (NAC).
• Enhance: Chelating Glutathione presence.
• Diminish Free Radicals & Reverse Disease.
• Exercise : Optimizing performance by reducing Metabolic Stress.
• Influenza: Direct & Synergistic Protections by NAC.
• Unknown: Low cost, effective life saver.
• Research: Benefits in Psychiatric treatment acknowledged.

  Product Possibilities, NOT Recommendations.

  Product: NAC (N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine), Atrium Biotechnolgies.

  Product: N-Acetyl Cysteine, Immune Support, 60 tabs.

  Product: Liver Support, Milk Thistle & NAC, 90 caps - AOR.

  Product: NAC (n-acetyl-l-cysteine), Pure Encapsulations.

• Insight: Innovation begins when discovery encourages exploration.
• Insight: Absorption ability of an oral dose is crucial to effectiveness.
• Insight: Low presence of glutathione will enable toxic accumulation.
• Insight: NAC can reduce chronic psychological disease symptoms.
• Insight: NAC protects against viral tissue damage & potential fatality.
• Insight: The ability of NAC to reduce inflammation balances thresholds.
• Insight: Perception & Diagnostic assumptions can conceal relevancy.

• -Focus-: Monographs on Toxins and Enhancers.

Basics: Enhancement. INDEX
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylcysteine

LINK 2: https://www.suppwiththat.com/n-acetylcysteine-nac/
By Matt Theis --- Posted on November 7, 2017

Acetylcysteine was initially patented in 1960 and licensed for use in 1968.
It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system. It is available as a generic medication and is inexpensive.

Acetylcysteine is the N-acetyl derivative of the amino acid L-cysteine, and is a precursor in the formation of the antioxidant glutathione in the body.

Intravenous and oral formulations of acetylcysteine are available ....

N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) is a highly bioavailable form of the sulfur-containing amino acid, Cysteine.
Cysteine is one of the two sulfur containing amino acids that make up our genetic code, the other being Methionine.

It supports a wide variety of processes throughout the body, many of which are related to detoxification, reducing inflammation, and fighting oxidation.

... Interestingly, research shows that oral Glutathione supplements have poor bioavailability so NAC is actually a far better supplement for the purposes of boosting Glutathione levels.

Many of the benefits associated with NAC supplementation are simply the result of increased Glutathione levels, but research indicates it has direct free radical scavenging properties as well.

About: Acetylcysteine. INDEX
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylcysteine

Acetylcysteine, also known as N-acetylcysteine (NAC), is a medication that is used for the treatment of paracetamol (acetaminophen) overdose and to loosen thick mucus in individuals with cystic fibrosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

It can be taken intravenously, by mouth, or inhaled as a mist.
Some people use it as a dietary supplement.

It works by increasing glutathione levels and binding with the toxic breakdown products of paracetamol.

Acetylcysteine was initially patented in 1960 and licensed for use in 1968.
It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system.

It is available as a generic medication and is not very expensive.

Benefits of N-acetylcysteine (NAC). INDEX
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylcysteine

LINK 2: https://www.nootropedia.com/nac-n-acetylcysteine/
by Mansal Denton, the founder and editor of Nootropedia.
August 4, 2017 --- Updated: 2017-12-04

LINK 3: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/
ai/ingredientmono-1018/n-acetyl-cysteine
2018-05-02 --- Author (?): Mary Brewer

Found to decrease destructive behaviors:
• nail biting,
• skin picking,
• obsessive compulsive disorder
• chronic brain diseases,
• irritability,
• addictions,
• Alzheimer’s disease,
• TBI (traumatic brain injury),
• heart disease,
• cancer

Some of the above are often medically classified as "psychological".

Healthcare providers often utilize NAC to treat ...
• hay fever,
• chronic bronchitis,
• carbon monoxide poisoning,
• chest pain (unstable angina),
• bile duct blockage in infants,
• schizophrenia,
• radiation treatment;
• Lou Gehrig’s disease),
• Alzheimer’s disease,
• bipolar disorder,
• preventing alcoholic liver damage;
• amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS,
• an eye infection called keratoconjunctivitis,
• a lung condition called fibrosing alveolitis,
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),
• increasing immunity to flu and H1N1 (swine) flu;
• reducing levels of a type of cholesterol called lipoprotein (a),
• reducing homocysteine levels (a possible risk factor for heart disease),
• reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients with serious kidney disease.
• detoxifying heavy metals such as mercury, lead, and cadmium,
• allergic reactions to the anti-seizure drug phenytoin (Dilantin),
• an autoimmune disorder called Sjogren’s syndrome;
• preventing sports injury complications;
• complications of kidney dialysis;
• chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS);
• head and neck cancer,
• ear infections;
• lung cancer,
• epilepsy;
  for protecting against
• chloroform,
• urethanes
• certain herbicides;
• for reducing toxicity of the drugs ifosfamide and doxorubicin,

In the treatment of acetaminophen overdose, acetylcysteine acts to maintain or replenish depleted glutathione reserves in the liver and enhance non-toxic metabolism of acetaminophen. These actions serve to protect liver cells from NAPQI toxicity. It is most effective in preventing or lessening hepatic injury when administered within 8–10 hours after overdose. Research suggests that the rate of liver toxicity is approximately 3% when acetylcysteine is administered within 10 hours of overdose.

Acetylcysteine is used in the treatment of obstructive lung disease as an adjuvant treatment.

Acetylcysteine has bactericidal properties and breaks down bacterial biofilms of clinically relevant pathogens including

• Pseudomonas aeruginosa,
• Staphylococcus aureus,
• Enterococcus faecalis,
• Enterobacter cloacae,
• Staphylococcus epidermidis and
• Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Although N-acetylcysteine prevented liver damage when taken before alcohol, when taken 4 hours after alcohol it actually made liver damage worse in a dose-dependent fashion.

Extensively liver metabolized; CYP450 minimal.

Urine excretion 22-30% with a half-life of 5.6 hours in adults and 11 hours in neonates.

Cautions of N-acetylcysteine (NAC). INDEX
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylcysteine

Common side effects...
• nausea
• vomiting,
• itchiness,
• shortness of breath,
• skin may become red and itchy (rash),
• A non immune type of anaphylaxis may also occur.

It has also been shown capable of negating chemotherapy, (which employs toxins).

Enhance: Chelating Glutathione presence. INDEX
https://www.evenbetterhealth.com/heavy-metal-poisoning-treatment.php

Supplements such as NAC can help your body make more glutathione, but the effect is mild.
This is why intravenous therapy was once considered to be the only therapy that really works.

According to Dr. Marcus Laux, it is important to find an oral glutathione supplement that your body can truly absorb. It survives the trip through your intestines because the glutathione is contained in microscopic little pouches called liposomes. Thus, the glutathione enters your bloodstream intact. According to Dr. Laux, liposomes were recently tested in rigorous scientific studies, and were found to have an amazing 90% absorption rate. That’s comparable to intravenous glutathione therapy, for a fraction of the cost.

Glutathione is a supplement that is extremely difficult to absorb.
Most oral supplements are worthless, because the digestive tract destroys the nutrient before it can be absorbed.

Glutathione is a short string of amino acids called a peptide.
It is composed of three amino acids: glycine, glutamine and cysteine.

Glutathione is a major player in detoxifying the body of many toxic pollutants, including toxic metals and chemicals. Glutathione deficiency impairs the body's ability to get rid of toxins whether they are environmental or the by-products of cellular metabolism.

If we have low glutathione levels we slowly become toxic, storing away poisons in our tissues, organs, muscles and brain.
We simply cannot detoxify effectively if our glutathione levels are too low, no matter what form of detoxification we undertake.

... the heavier the cumulative toxic burden on the body, the greater this depletes supplies of glutathione.
For example: One molecule of mercury uses up one molecule of glutathione.
Since all chronic, degenerative disorders are triggered, in part, by the toxic load, it is small wonder to see why glutathione levels are such an important marker.

Glutathione is made by all the cells in the body, and is the body’s master antioxidant and detoxifying agent.
In one review, almost 80% of people with chronic ailments were found to be deficient in glutathione. In fact, low levels of glutathione are involved in all disease states.

A cell culture study was conducted on glutathione at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School by Gail Zeevalk, PhD. The study showed the neuro-protective nature of the glutathione from damage due to the known neuro-toxicants maneb (fungicide) and paraquat (herbicide).

Diminish Free Radicals & Reverse Disease. INDEX
https://www.nootropedia.com/nac-n-acetylcysteine/
by Mansal Denton, the founder and editor of Nootropedia.
August 4, 2017 --- Updated: 2017-12-04

... Free radicals can harm DNA and cause long-term damage that may result in diseases like Alzheimer’s, cancer etc. Free radicals are the main reason why antioxidants receive so much attention in the health space even though few antioxidant supplements are truly valuable.

Due to the antioxidant effects and boosting of glutathione (presence), NAC has anti-inflammatory effects as well.
In a Japanese study published in the Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine, scientists concluded that NAC alone could reduce inflammation in specific tissues.

The studies on N-acetylcysteine benefits for anxiety and stress have been specific to a range of ailments that are often referred to in psychological terms. For example, people with nail biting, skin picking, or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) are often considered to have some psychological defect. Yet, the NAC studies show that a supplement can reduce these symptoms.

... neuroprotective effects especially against trauma.
In one 2014 study, scientists discovered that NAC could “facilitate recovery after traumatic brain injury”. While many people may not have diagnosed TBI (traumatic brain injury), any kind of concussive blows to the head can cause memory and cognitive decline.

... NAC also has benefits combatting cancer and heart disease.
In a series of cancer studies, NAC was implicated in slowing the spread and in some cases even reversing the cancer growth. In fact, it is so effective as a cancer treatment in some instances, it can protect healthy cells while leading to the death of cancerous ones.

Exercise : Optimizing performance by reducing Metabolic Stress. INDEX
https://www.lifeextension.com/Magazine/2010/5/N-Acetyl-Cysteine/Page-02
May 2010 --- By Julius Goepp, MD
5990 North Federal Highway Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
wellness@lifeextension.com
800 226 2370

LINK 2: https://www.suppwiththat.com/n-acetylcysteine-nac/
By Matt Theis --- Posted on November 7, 2017
founder of SuppWithThat, Momentum Nutrition, and Singular Sport.

Health-conscious people know that regular moderate exercise is vital to maintaining the integrity of the human body.
Of course, everything has its price, and the rapid increase in metabolic activity during exercise produces some unwanted side effects. These include an increase in oxidative stress that can overwhelm the body’s antioxidant defense mechanisms and lead to tissue damage and abnormal activity of certain immune system cells. Exercise also increases plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha and various interleukins. The solution, of course, is not to reduce your exercise regimen, but rather to look for ways to optimize the way your body handles those metabolic challenges.

NAC, with its powerful antioxidant and gene-regulating powers, is an excellent means of maintaining good exercise performance and limiting the damage caused by oxidative stress in the process. Supplementation with NAC (2,000 mg daily for 3 days, followed by 800 mg prior to exercise) in strenuously exercising adults lowered key interleukin levels to undetectable amounts and abolished the exercise-induced TNF-alpha response. And in patients with severe COPD, NAC supplementation improved exercise endurance time by 25% compared with placebo, while significantly reducing levels of oxidative molecules released by stimulated immune cells. NAC supplementation also dramatically curtailed production of oxidized proteins in this group of highly oxidant-stressed chronically ill patients.

In vigorously exercising men, 1,800 mg per day of NAC prevented the expected decline in intracellular antioxidant levels and increased activity of the enzyme responsible for recycling and restoring glutathione to normal levels, protecting cells from oxidative stress. And in mice, NAC supplementation significantly protected brain tissue against exercise-induced oxidative changes. NAC also preserves normal levels of vital lymphocytes, which can decline after vigorous exercise.

Regular supplementation with NAC at up to 1,800-2,000 mg per day may be an effective means of optimizing exercise performance while minimizing the effects of exercise-induced metabolic stress.

Research has confirmed that it can reduce muscular fatigue, but exactly how it works remains a mystery. While NAC does appear to be effective, the dosage required to achieve these benefits is quite high.

In recent years, we’ve seen a few pre-workout supplements use NAC, but due to it’s bitter, sulfuric taste, it’s difficult to make palatable. For that reason, pretty much all pre-workout supplements that contain NAC are extremely under-dosed, so performance enhancement is far from guaranteed.

If it’s better muscular endurance you’re after, it’s probably best to just buy your NAC separately and dose it properly. ...

Influenza: Direct & Synergistic Protections by NAC. INDEX
https://www.lifeextension.com/Magazine/2010/5/N-Acetyl-Cysteine/Page-01
May 2010 --- By Julius Goepp, MD
5990 North Federal Highway Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
wellness@lifeextension.com
800 226 2370

H5N1 influenza, or bird flu, is a lethal and potentially pandemic infection that produces the massive release of inflammatory mediators aptly called the “cytokine storm.” Other more common forms of influenza also act by triggering massive cytokine releases that inflame vulnerable lung tissue. In early 2010, it was discovered that NAC offers dual protection against bird flu. It inhibits both virus replication and expression of pro-inflammatory molecules in cells infected with H5N1 virus, holding out the promise of effective protection in the event of a global avian flu pandemic.

NAC has also proven effective against seasonal influenza and flu-like illnesses.
In a large study of older adults who took 600 mg twice daily for 6 months, only 25% of those experienced influenza-like episodes, compared with 79% in the placebo group. Even those with flu symptoms experienced a significant reduction in illness severity and length of time confined to bed. All subjects tolerated the treatment well. The study’s lead author, Dr. Silvio de Flora, commented that “Administration of N-acetyl cysteine during the winter, thus, appears to provide a significant attenuation of influenza and influenza-like episodes, especially in elderly high-risk individuals.”

Influenza is a complex disease with multiple targets, most notably inflicting damage to lung tissue through extreme oxidative stress and inducing genes for a large variety of inflammatory mediators. At the microscopic level the destruction is vivid. The influenza virus causes such intracellular turmoil that the term “cell boiling” has been used to describe the devastation. But pretreatment of cells with NAC significantly offsets these effects, reducing the oxidative and inflammatory burden within lung tissue through multiple mechanisms.

NAC has now been shown to protect laboratory mice from lethal influenza infection, synergistically enhancing the effects of several common antiviral medications. And a nutrient mixture containing NAC, green tea extract, certain amino acids and micronutrients had powerful antiviral effects in cultured cells, rivaling those of prescription flu drugs such as amantadine and oseltamivir (Tamiflu®). The NAC-based mixture actually affected viral replication for a longer period than did the drugs.

In the words of prolific medical theorist Mark F. McCarty,

“The most foolproof way to promote survival in epidemics of potentially lethal influenza is to target … intracellular signaling pathways which promote viral propagation or lung inflammation.”

McCarty goes on to cite NAC’s benefits as a multitargeted supplement with precisely those attributes.
NAC at doses of 600 mg twice daily may significantly reduce the risk of a devastating bout of influenza.

Unknown: Low cost, effective life saver. INDEX
https://www.lifeextension.com/Magazine/2010/5/N-Acetyl-Cysteine/Page-01
May 2010 --- By Julius Goepp, MD

For more than three decades, a safe, low-cost compound has provided millions of people relief from the coughing, wheezing, and thick phlegm associated with cold and flu. Of course, pharmaceutical companies long ago co-opted it for profit by incorporating it into various patented drugs.

The sad consequence is that most aging individuals have never heard of it.
Even many doctors remain unaware of its potential role as a frontline defense against some of today’s most deadly public health threats, including:

Acetaminophen toxicity and acute liver failure: the #1 cause of acute liver failure in the United States.

Influenza: whose victims are primarily aging individuals -- 3/4 of all flu-related deaths occur in the elderly.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease:
the 4th-leading cause of death in the United States (includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis).

Helicobacter pylori:
the bacterial culprit behind stomach ulcers, and a potentially lethal pathogen closely linked to malignant gastric cancer, the 2nd most frequent cause of cancer death worldwide.

An Underutilized Intervention
NAC is a slightly modified version of the sulfur-containing amino acid cysteine.
When taken internally, NAC replenishes intracellular levels of the natural antioxidant glutathione (GSH), helping to restore cells’ ability to fight damage from reactive oxygen species (ROS).

NAC has been used in conventional medicine for more than 30 years, primarily as a mucolytic (mucous-thinner) inhaled to manage conditions such as cystic fibrosis, in which mucous is abnormally thick and tenacious. While there is little in the scientific literature to support its use as an inhalant, NAC administered in this form remains highly popular among experienced pulmonary speclialists.

NAC given intravenously or orally, on the other hand, saves lives every year as a treatment for acute poisoning with acetaminophen-containing pain-relieving drugs. Acetaminophen is sold as Tylenol® and combined with other drugs to create analgesic compounds, including Vicodin® and Percocet®.6 Overdoses with acetaminophen are the number one cause of acute liver failure in the United States. Too much acetaminophen overwhelms the body’s glutathione reserves, which creates widespread and irreversible liver damage. NAC quickly restores protective levels of glutathione, averting catastrophe.

Beyond this particular application, NAC has remained a relatively obscure and poorly understood compound until quite recently. Scientists all over the world are now beginning to understand just how vital glutathione metabolism really is, and how many disease states involve glutathione deficiency. According to Stanford University’s Dr. Kondala R. Atkuri, “NAC has been used successfully to treat glutathione deficiency in a wide range of infections, genetic defects and metabolic disorders, including HIV infection and COPD. Over 2/3rds of 46 placebo-controlled clinical trials with orally administered NAC have indicated beneficial effects of NAC measured either as trial endpoints or as general measures of improvement in quality of life and well-being of the patients.” ...

The recent explosion of scientific evidence for NAC’s multi-targeted health benefits is matched only by the willful ignorance of the mainstream medical community. Some even question its safety, despite nearly 40 years of use in a variety of clinical conditions, which have established the safety of this compound, even at very high doses and for long-term treatments. One study demonstrated the safety of 1,800 mg per day for 142 days, while another study demonstrated the safety of 2,800 mg per day for 3 months.

Research: Benefits in Psychiatric treatment acknowledged. INDEX
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3044191/
by Olivia Dean, BSc, PhD, Frank Giorlando, MBBS, BMedSc, and
Michael Berk, MBBCh, MMed(Psych), PhD
J Psychiatry Neurosci. --- 2011 Mar; 36(2): 78–86.

There is an expanding field of research investigating the benefits of alternatives to current pharmacological therapies in psychiatry. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is emerging as a useful agent in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Like many therapies, the clinical origins of NAC are far removed from its current use in psychiatry. Whereas the mechanisms of NAC are only beginning to be understood, it is likely that NAC is exerting benefits beyond being a precursor to the antioxidant, glutathione, modulating glutamatergic, neurotropic and inflammatory pathways. This review outlines the current literature regarding the use of NAC in disorders including addiction, compulsive and grooming disorders, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. N-acetylcysteine has shown promising results in populations with these disorders, including those in whom treatment efficacy has previously been limited. The therapeutic potential of this acetylated amino acid is beginning to emerge in the field of psychiatric research.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has been used as an antioxidant precursor to glutathione (?-glutamylcysteinylglycine; GSH) in the treatment of paracetamol overdose for more than 30 years. As more is understood about the actions of NAC, the clinical applications have also broadened. N-acetylcysteine is now widely used as a mucolytic and in the treatment of HIV, and it has reported efficacy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and contrast-induced nephropathy. Specific to brain disorders, NAC has been trialled with some efficacy in patients with Alzheimer disease.

... In addition to providing cysteine for GSH production, NAC has been shown to scavenge oxidants directly, particularly the reduction of the hydroxyl radical, ·OH and hypochlorous acid.

Oral administration of GSH alone does not adequately restore GSH levels.
It is rapidly hydrolyzed by the liver and intestines, and penetration through the blood–brain barrier is poor.
Similarly, oral administration of L-cysteine has also been shown to have little effect on brain GSH levels owing to first-pass metabolism. Oral NAC administration results in increased plasma cysteine levels, ultimately leading to increases in plasma GSH. N-acetylcysteine has been shown to successfully penetrate the blood–brain barrier and raise brain GSH levels in animal models, which may be relevant to psychiatry, where alterations in brain GSH and other redox pathways have been shown.

... N-acetylcysteine has been shown to reduce IL-6 levels in hemodialysis patients, .....

The reductions in inflammatory cytokines by NAC treatment may be a potential mechanism by which NAC modulates the symptoms of psychiatric disorders. This may be directly associated with the inflammatory pathway, or working through oxidative processes associated with inflammation. ...

Dopamine
... NAC has also been shown to alter DA release. ... Glutathione has also been shown to increase glutamate agonist–evoked DA release in mouse striatal neurons.

Addiction
There is an abundance of literature implicating glutamatergic abnormalities in addiction.
... N-acetylcysteine has been shown to reverse the decline in cystine–glutamate exchange through the cystine–glutamate antiporter and thereby assist in the restoration of glutamatergic pathways in addiction. ...

Cocaine addiction
... the NAC group had a significant reduction in cravings, withdrawals and self-reported use compared with baseline, which was not seen in the placebo group. ...

Obsessive–compulsive disorder
Similarities exist among brain regions implicated in addiction and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), including the nucleus accumbens and anterior cingulate cortex.

...oxidative stress in populations with OCD, including

• increased lipid peroxidation;
• decreased vitamin E catalase,
• decreased GPx,
• decreased selenium;
• increased superoxide dismutase; and
• changes in overall oxidative status.

Some of these alterations have been linked to symptom severity. ...

Schizophrenia
Dopaminergic abnormalities have historically been in the foreground as research targets for schizophrenia, ... Increased dopaminergic metabolism in the striatum has been reported. ...

In populations with schizophrenia, dysfunction in glutamate metabolism and decreased glutamate levels in the pre-frontal cortex have been reported. The addition of cysteine has been shown to modulate glutamate levels through glutamate–cystine exchange, and GSH has been shown to modulate the binding of glutamate to N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors. N-acetylcysteine may be beneficial in the treatment of schizophrenia by targeting both oxidative stress and glutamatergic dysfunction, suggesting that the phenotype is a result of interactions of multiple neurotransmitter pathways that interact with oxidative and inflammatory systems, which are additionally implicated in the disorder.

... qualitative analysis of patient reports and clinician observations ... showed that

participants treated with NAC demonstrated improvements in

• insight,
• self-care,
• social interaction,
• motivation,
• volition,
• psychomotor stability and
• stabilization of mood.

... NAC appeared to modulate auditory sensory processing, measured using mismatch negativity, a marker of glutamatergic function and an endophenotype of psychosis. ...

Bipolar disorder
Alterations in oxidative metabolism have also been described in populations with bipolar disorder.
Similar to schizophrenia, changes in antioxidant levels, increased markers of lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation have all been reported. These changes appear to be related to state, particularly in mania, where increased oxidative stress seems to be apparent. This is congruent with reports of hyperdopaminergic states during manic episodes. Furthermore, links between oxidative status and duration of illness have also been found. ...

Discussion
... The apparent lack of specificity of NAC in initial studies is intriguing and suggests that it may be targeting pathways that are common across disorders; oxidative stress appears to be a fairly nonspecific finding in a range of psychopathologies, and dysregulation of glutamate, inflammatory pathways and DA are similarly widely reported.

Given that the current diagnostic systems are phenomenologically based, and that in no other branch of medicine are phenomenology and pathophysiology linearly linked, this may reflect an intrinsic limitation of our classification system. This is highlighted by the fact that there is extensive overlap of other treatments and biomarkers across disorders. As the body of evidence is currently provisional for many disorders, as the evidence base expands, it is possible that the efficacy will appear to be greater in some areas than others.

Additionally, the precise dose of NAC remains to be definitively established.
Dose-finding studies may reveal greater efficacy at higher doses or equal efficacy at lower doses. Whereas the tolerability profile of NAC appears benign, it needs to be stressed that there is no extensive evidence base with longer-term use. ... Whereas NAC appears to be antiepileptic at low doses, seizures are reported with overdose. Vigilance is necessary.

... In disorders such as addiction, glutamate has been the primary candidate for the mechanism of action, whereas in schizophrenia and mood disorders, the GSH hypothesis has been the one postulated as explaining the mechanism of action of NAC. However, given the interaction between glutamate, the most abundant neurotransmitter, and other neurotransmitter pathways, including DA and serotonin, individuals with disorders such as depression and schizophrenia may benefit by indirect modulation of these pathways through changes in glutamatergic function.

A common link in treatment efficacy may be oxidative stress, which has been shown to be altered in most of these disorders. ... Whereas there are similarities across these disorders with alterations to oxidative biology and neurotransmission, and changes in glutamate-dependent long-term potentiation and neuronal plasticity, perhaps the heterogeneity of the underlying pathologies, especially in brain regions implicated, may lead to the revelation of different actions of NAC depending on the disorder.

Similarly, the modulation of inflammatory pathways may also play a role in the benefits seen following NAC treatment. The role of inflammation in depression has received the greatest attention; however, inflammatory pathways are implicated in the etiology of other disorders, such as schizophrenia. ...

Overall this unlikely therapeutic tool is implicating novel pathways as viable therapeutic targets. This opens the way for the development of other rational, hypothesis-based therapies. That NAC appears safe, tolerable and affordable and is readily available adds to its interest.

Product: NAC (N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine), Atrium Biotechnolgies. INDEX
LINK: http://www.atrium-bio.com
$ 12.50, 120, 500 mg Tablets
Suggested Use: 1 tablet up to 3 times daily, by Allergy Research

NAC is an antioxidant that helps increase glutathione synthesis.
May be of potential benefit in cases of extreme oxidative stress, such as chemotherapy or drug overdose.

... L-cysteine is unstable, and can become degraded while being absorbed.
N-Acetyl-L-cysteine, on the other hand, is more stable than L-cysteine and is converted into L-cysteine after being absorbed.

Thus NAC taken orally will raise blood and tissue cysteine levels.

Free form amino acid, high purity, well tolerated.

Product: N-Acetyl Cysteine, Immune Support, 60 tabs. INDEX
https://www.immunesupport.com/shop/product.cfm/Product__Code/PH33
$ US $12.99 --- PH33: 600 mg, 60 small tablets

The primary function of NAC is in the production of glutathione.
Glutathione is a small protein found inside cells that plays an important role in the body’s antioxidant defense system.

NAC is quickly metabolized into glutathione once it enters the body. Glutathione then functions as a powerful antioxidant and cell detoxifier.

As an antioxidant, glutathione effectively scavenges free radicals, neutralizing their harmful effects upon cells.

As a detoxifier, glutathione can alter chemicals so that they become less harmful, as well as aid in the removal of heavy metals such as lead and mercury, to promote liver health.

Glutathione enhances the immune system by aiding the transport of important nutrients to immune cells called lymphocytes and phagocytes, as well as helping to strengthen cell membranes.

Glutathione’s other benefits include promoting the manufacture of new muscle mass and maintenance of RNA and DNA.

Product: Liver Support, Milk Thistle & NAC, 90 caps - AOR. INDEX
https://well.ca/products/aor-liver-support_134188.html
Regular: $44.70, 90 Vegie-Caps,

Benefits:
• Protects and Maintains a Healthy Liver
• Stimulates liver regeneration and detoxification
• Protects liver tissue from damage and toxins
• Clinically researched herbs and nutrients.

Directions:
Take 1 capsule three times daily with meals providing protein, or as directed by a qualified health care practitioner.
Use for a minimum of 3 weeks to see beneficial effects.

Ingredients:
• Milk Thistle dry extract (40% silymarin, calculated as silibinin) 117 mg
• Phyllanthus amarus/niruri (10:1 plant extract) 200 mg
• N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) 200 mg
  Non-medicinal ingredients:
• Broccoli extract (100 mg).
• Capsule: hypromellose.

Caution:
Do not use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Consult a health care practitioner prior to use if you have a liver disease, cystinuria, if you are taking nitroglycerin or antibiotics or if symptoms persist or worsen after use. Hypersensitivity, such as an allergy, is known to occur, in which case, discontinue use.

Consult a health care practitioner for use beyond 1 month.

Gluten Free, non-GMO, Vegan, Contains no wheat, gluten, corn, nuts, peanuts, sesame seeds, sulphites, mustard, soy, dairy eggs, fish, shellfish or any animal byproduct.

Product: NAC (n-acetyl-l-cysteine), Pure Encapsulations. INDEX
https://well.ca/products/pure-encapsulations-nac_109678.html
$37.89 --- 600 mg --- 90 Capsules

N-Acetyl-l-Cysteine (NAC) is a derivative of the dietary amino acid l-cysteine.

NAC has a high affinity for lung tissue, which it supports through mucolytic and antioxidant action.
By disrupting disulfide bonds, NAC thins mucus.

It is a powerful free radical scavenger and thus supports the body's natural defense system.

NAC supports tissue levels of glutathione, a key component of the antioxidant defense system.

It also has the ability to help chelate heavy metals.

Features:

Due to its sulfur content, NAC is able to disrupt disulfide bonds, thinning the mucus so that it, along with the trapped particles and bacteria, are more easily expelled from the lungs.

NAC is a powerful free radical scavenger and thus supports epithelial cell health and healthy cilia activity in the respiratory tract.

Tissues enhanced with glutathione support overall antioxidant protection and help to maintain a healthy immune response.

INDEX