Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC) is a powerful antioxidant that restores glutathione levels in the body and brain, helping maintain oxidative balance in cells.
- NAC has neuroprotective properties, reducing inflammation, oxidative damage, and modulating glutamate levels and dopamine release, positively impacting cognition, memory, and mood.
- NAC shows potential in treating serious cognitive disorders like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe depression, and anxiety by boosting glutathione and dopamine levels in the brain.
- NAC can reduce oxidative stress, eliminate free radicals, rejuvenate dopamine receptors, and enhance cognitive function when taken as a supplement.
- N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC) dosage recommendation is 500 mg, 3-times per day
N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC or N-acetylcysteine) is the N-acetyl derivative of the naturally occurring amino acid L-cysteine. And works primarily by helping restore the body’s natural antioxidant glutathione (γ-glutamylcysteinylglycine; GSH).
As the most abundant antioxidant in your body, GSH is responsible for maintaining oxidative balance in each of your cells.
I have been using 500 mg NAC 3-times per day and every day for the last decade and it is one of my favorite supplements.
Taking glutathione as a nootropic supplement does not adequately restore GSH levels in your brain because it can’t cross the blood-brain barrier. This vastly underrated nootropic, NAC easily penetrates the blood-brain barrier and raises glutathione levels in your brain.[i]
NAC has been used to treat acetaminophen poisoning for decades.[ii] Every year there are 56,000 ER visits from Tylenol overdose, resulting in at least 100 deaths. [iii] NAC provides the glutathione your liver needs to fight off the metabolite NAPQI in Tylenol that does severe liver damage.
Studies show that as a nootropic, NAC helps prevent glutamate toxicity, boosts dopamine, and reduces inflammation, oxidative and free radical damage.
Where to buy: one of the only vendors still selling NAC and I highly recommend them: Life Extension – NAC
N-Acetyl L-Cysteine helps:
- Neuroprotection. NAC as a precursor of glutathione, is a potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and free radical scavenger.[iv] Your brain is especially vulnerable to inflammation, free radical and oxidative damage. Affecting cognition, long-term potentiation, memory and mood.
- Neurotransmitters. NAC modulates glutamate levels and dopamine release in the brain. Excess glutamate in your brain is toxic to brain cells affecting neuron health, cognition, memory and mood. And NAC protects dopamine receptors. Influencing dopamine levels and function in your brain. Even protecting dopaminergic nerve terminals from chronic methamphetamine use.[v]
- Anxiety and depression. NAC reduces irritability, anxiety and depression. NAC increases your body’s antioxidant capacity, and balances excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters in your brain. Resulting in less anxiety and depression.
N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC)
N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC) is the N-acetyl form of the naturally occurring amino acid L-Cysteine.
L-Cysteine is naturally produced in your body using the amino acid methionine. You can also get L-Cysteine from eating ricotta and cottage cheese, yogurt, pork, chicken, turkey, duck, wheat germ, granola and oat flakes.
But acute stress, illness, or a poor diet can deplete L-Cysteine levels in your body and brain. The quickest and most efficient way to boost levels of L-Cysteine is to supplement with N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC).
NAC regulates the amount of glutamate in your brain. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for sending signals between neurons in the brain. This plays an important role in learning and forming memories.
But too much glutamate can be toxic to brain cells. NAC regulates the amount of glutamate and keeps it at safe, healthy levels.
NAC influences the amount of dopamine available in your brain. It works to keep dopamine receptors healthy and able to transmit and receive dopamine. These neurotransmitters are crucial for cognitive energy and drive, motor control, feelings of pleasure, and focus.
NAC is a precursor to the powerful anti-oxidant glutathione (GSH). GSH is a potent anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and free radical scavenger.
Your brain is especially vulnerable to inflammation, free radical and oxidative damage. If left unchecked, inflammation, oxidation and free radicals can negatively affect cognition, long-term potentiation, memory and mood.
As a nootropic, NAC can boost glutathione and dopamine levels in your brain. NAC is also used by medical professionals to treat serious cognitive disorders like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe depression and anxiety.
How does N-Acetyl L-Cysteine work in the Brain?
N-Acetyl L-Cysteine boosts brain health and function in several ways. But two in particular stand out.
- N-Acetyl L-Cysteine reduces oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is caused by free radical damage in brain immune cells. Leading to neurodegeneration and reducing brain health which can lead to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other age-related neuronal disorders. Proteins and DNA are injured, inflammation, tissue damage and cellular apoptosis (cell death) are the result.
And neurohackers are not immune to oxidative stress no matter what your age. Keep this in mind the next time you reach for a Diet Coke. Consumption of the artificial sweetener aspartame induces cortical inflammation and oxidative stress. And negatively affecting brain health.
Researchers did a study with 30 adult male Wistar rats randomly divided into 3 groups. The control group received distilled water. The second group was given aspartame. And the third group was given aspartame and NAC. Oral administration was done in the morning daily for 90 days.
The study found that NAC boosted Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) levels, blocked the COX-2 and PGE2 inflammatory enzymes, and reduced the expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inflammatory cytokines in the rat cerebral cortex. They also found that NAC replenished glutathione levels.
The researchers concluded that NAC prevented neurotoxicity and improved neurological function, suppressed brain inflammation, and oxidative stress response.[vi]
- NAC relieves depression. Major depressive disorder is one of the most common psychiatric disorders. It’s a burden on the individual, family and the community. And the pharmaceutical companies are making literally billions on selling various anti-depressants. Not treating the cause, producing a host of side effects, and in most cases just ‘dumbing down’ the symptoms.
But the pipeline for new anti-depressant drug discovery is at a near stand-still for treating problems like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and common forms of autism.
The good news is that neuroscience continues to work on the problem. And have shown that many of these disorders share immune health issues such as inflammation and oxidative stress as part of their disease physiology.
Neuroscientists also discovered that associated pathways causing these diseases include a reduction in proteins that stimulate neuron growth (neurotrophins), increased apoptosis (cell death), and reduced energy generation in mitochondria.
It turns out that N-Acetyl Cysteine seems to have multiple effects on all these pathways. NAC reduces the core symptoms of schizophrenia, reduces depression, and reduces cravings for a number of addictions including cocaine, cannabis and tobacco.[vii]
How things go bad
As we get older or suffer from chronic illness, our brain and body chemistry and energy metabolism changes.
↑ Oxidative stress in brain cells increase
↓ Free radicals damage neurons
↓ Dopamine receptors stop working
↑ Glutamate toxicity causes cell damage and apoptosis
↓ Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) declines
↓ Mitochondria energy declines
All of these changes are often attributed to chronic illness, lifestyle choices, and aging.
Unchecked, they could lead to neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, major depression, schizophrenia, OCD, addictions, autism, and a drop in quality of life.
N-Acetyl L-Cysteine health benefits
N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC) is a slightly modified version of the sulfur-containing amino acid L-Cysteine. When taken as a supplement, NAC can reduce oxidative stress by replenishing intracellular levels of the natural antioxidant glutathione (GSH). Restoring your cells’ ability to fight damage from reactive oxygen species (ROS).
Conventional medicine has used NAC for decades as an inhaled mucous thinner to treat symptoms of cystic fibrosis. Patients receive intravenous NAC (IV) or orally as a treatment for acute acetaminophen overdose poisoning. NAC quickly restores glutathione levels, averting permanent disability or death.
The nootropics community has recently discovered NAC as a way to suppress inflammation in the brain. NAC prevents oxidative stress on brain cells, eliminates free radicals, restores Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), rejuvenates dopamine receptors, and improves overall cognitive function.
NAC can help boost cognition, Long-Term Potentiation for long-term memory formation, short-term and working memory, improve your mood and quell anxiety.
How does N-Acetyl L-Cysteine feel?
Neurohackers report that supplementing with NAC could be the best nootropic they’ve ever used for their brain and overall health. Comments include:
- Thinking is clearer (less brain fog)
- Memory improves
- Concentration and attention improves
- Less anxiety
- Less depression
- Less irritable
- Mood improves (like a ‘clean high’)
- Symptoms caused by ADHD meds disappear
- Obsessive Compulsive behavior decreases
- Sleep quality improves
- Energy levels increase
- Weight maintenance is easier
- Less flu and colds
- Skin looks better
- Feel younger
- Hangovers are less severe
N-Acetyl L-Cysteine Clinical Research
N-Acetyl L-Cysteine increases dopamine in Parkinson’s Disease
Treatments for Parkinson’s Disease are limited to replacing dopamine in the brain. As well as some medications designed to slow down the disease.
In 2016, researchers at Thomas Jefferson University showed that oxidative stress in the brain could play a critical role in the progression of Parkinson’s. And this stress lowers levels of glutathione, a compound produced in the brain to counteract oxidative stress.
Studies show that N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC) helps reduce oxidative damage to neurons by helping restore the levels of the antioxidant glutathione.
In this study, Parkinson’s patients were placed into two groups. The first group received 50 mg/kg of an intravenous n acetyl cysteine (IV) once per week. And 600 mg of NAC as a supplement twice a day on non-IV days.
The second (control) group received only their standard Parkinson’s treatment. Patients were evaluated at the beginning of the study and again 3 months later.
The evaluation consisted of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), and a SPECT brain scan which measures the amount of dopamine transporter in the brain.
Compared to controls, the patients receiving NAC had significant improvements in their scores. One of the study authors said, “We have not previously seen an intervention for Parkinson’s disease have this kind of effect on the brain”. This study demonstrated for the first time the direct effect of NAC on the brain’s dopamine system. NAC has the unique ability to enable dopamine neurons to recover their function.[viii]
N Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) alleviates symptoms related to Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease
People suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may experience long-term oxidative damage and inflammation of lung tissue. And lack of oxygen to the brain can have a severe impact on memory.
In addition, any chronic lung disease, such as bronchitis, can cause airways to constrict. This inflammation may lead to shortness of breath or coughing. Research suggests that taking the potent antioxidant N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC), dietary supplements can help improve symptoms related to COPD, chronic bronchitis, and its complications, and improve lung function.
N-Acetyl L-Cysteine repairs Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major public health issue affecting 69 million people worldwide each year.[ix] TBI can be caused by sports injuries, work accidents, car and motorcycle accidents, falls, and your wife hitting you over the head with a frying pan.
Many survivors end up with long-term or even permanent neurocognitive dysfunction. Affecting cognition, motor function (movement) and personality. These disabilities are estimated to cost $26 billion in lifetime medical costs and $631 billion in quality of life lost.[x]
A major cause of TBI comes from blast exposure on the battlefield. Symptoms are similar to other causes of TBI; dizziness, hearing loss, headache, memory loss, sleep issues, and neurocognitive dysfunction.
In a brain subjected to TBI there is glutamate toxicity, free-radical injury to brain cells, electrolyte imbalances, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, apoptosis (cell death) and stroke.[xi][xii]
This double blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted with 81 active duty service members at a forward deployed field hospital in Iraq. All service members in this study were exposed to significant ordinance blast and met the criteria for TBI.
Service members were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC) for 7 days. The resolution after 7 days of all the TBI symptoms listed above was the main outcome measure of this study.
The researchers concluded that NAC was a safe pharmaceutical countermeasure of blast-induced TBI. And that further work on long term outcomes and the potential use of NAC in civilian TBI is warranted.[xiii]
N-Acetyl L-Cysteine helps alleviate depression
Both depression and bipolar disorder are complicated by glutathione depletion. The researchers in this double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled study worked with 75 subjects with bipolar disorder.
Subjects received 1 gram of NAC twice daily for 24 weeks. NAC treatment caused a significant improvement with depression with those using NAC.
The researchers concluded, “NAC appears a safe and effective augmentation strategy for depressive symptoms”. In this case with people suffering from bipolar disorder.[xiv]
N-Acetyl L-Cysteine Recommended Dosage
N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC) suggested dosage for cognitive benefit is 500 mg 3-times per day.
Clinical studies have found that doses up to 2,000 mg per day are safe and effective.
And one German study showed the safety of 2,800 mg per day for 3 months in patients with cystic fibrosis.[xv]
NAC has also proven effective against seasonal influenza and flu-like illnesses. One large study of older adults in Italy took 600 mg of NAC twice daily for 6 months. Only 25% of those adults who used NAC experienced flu-like episodes compared to 79% in the placebo group.[xvi]
N-Acetyl L-Cysteine Side Effects
N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC) is the N-acetyl form of one of the naturally occurring amino acids of the body, L-Cysteine.
NAC is a slightly modified version of the sulfur-containing amino acid L-Cysteine. So NAC in powder form can have an unpleasant smell.
Very rarely can NAC cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation. Even more rare are rashes, fever, headache, drowsiness, low blood pressure and liver problems.
Side effects can be a result of very high doses of NAC. And if you have a genetic condition called Cystinuria do not use NAC. This rare condition causes stones to form in the kidneys, ureter and bladder from cysteine. NAC is the N-Acetyl form of Cysteine.
One study has also found that long-term use of high-dose NAC can deplete your body’s stores of zinc. So if you are using NAC everyday you should also supplement with zinc and low dose copper.
Where to buy N-Acetyl L-Cysteine
N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC) is available in powder, tablet and capsule form. NAC capsules and tablets were usually 500 mg.
Where to buy: I highly recommend: Life Extension – NAC
NAC was in short supply because on July 23, 2020, the FDA sent a warning letter to Purple Biosciences LLC about its NAC product. And asserted that NAC was illegally sold as a dietary supplement because it was approved as a drug September 14, 1963. Several other letters were sent to supplement manufacturers. Resulting in NAC being difficult to find on Amazon or many of the other sites that used to sell NAC.
Several lawsuits were filed against the FDA. And NAC has since become easier to find in the supplements sections of online stores.
Nootropics Expert Recommendation
N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC) 500 mg, 3-times per day
I highly recommend using N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC) as a nootropic supplement.
Your body does synthesize some L-Cysteine from methionine. And you can get L-Cysteine from foods such as dairy, poultry, pork, and some grains and nuts.
But most of us don’t get enough N-Acetyl L-Cysteine from our diet. So supplementation will help. And N-Acetyl L-Cysteine is a highly bioavailable form of L-Cysteine. So you should feel its effects faster.
NAC is helpful for most neurohackers to improve mood, memory, cognition, and concentration. And NAC helps alleviate brain fog, anxiety, and irritability.
NAC is especially helpful to those dealing with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. And stacked with ADHD meds, NAC helps alleviate some of the negative side effects associated with stimulants.
If you can still find it, you can safely use up to 1,800 mg of NAC per day. The usual dose for cognitive improvement is 500 mg dosed 3 times throughout your day.
I recommend N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC) from : Life Extension – NAC
Join The Discussion - 522 comments
Ratan
September 30, 2018
Hello David! My 19 year old daughter was diagnosed with Major Depression more than a year ago. The Psychiatrist gave her various combinations of medicines but had started with Fluoxetine from day one. At present she is taking the following medication:
Fluoxetine – 40mg (morning), 40mg (noon).
Buspirone – 10mg (morning), 10mg (noon), 10mg (night).
Amisulpride – 75mg (night)
At present her depression is under control and panic attacks have stopped but with a lot of side effects which have made her life (and our’s too) miserable. She now has very poor concentration & memory which are effecting her studies badly. If she is able to concentrate for some time then she gets frequent headaches. Mood swings & irritability are also major issues. After going through your website I have shortlisted the following supplements for her:
Acetyl L-Carnitine (ALCAR), Alpha GPC, N-Acetyl L-Cysteine, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, Curcumin.
Please advice whether above supplements would be suitable, keeping in view the prescription medicines she is already taking.
Thanks & Regards.
David Tomen
October 1, 2018
Ratan, your daughter will likely continue dealing with these side effects no matter what nootropics you try. It’s like trying to plug a big hole in the bottom of a boat with a wine cork. This is heavy duty medication that has a major impact on how the brain functions.
The best way to check for contraindications with prescription meds and natural nootropic supplements is to first learn the exact mechanism of action of each drug. Wikipedia is good place to find that information because it is usually easy to understand.
Then compare the mechanism of action of each drug with the mechanism of action for each nootropic as described in each review here on Nootropics Expert. The biggest red flag is when a drug and nootropic do the same thing or affect the same part of the brain. That amplifies the effect of the drug and could lead to life threatening problems.
Next, search the contraindications for each drug here > https://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html. That website provides interactions between prescription drugs as well as dietary supplements.
Ratan
October 2, 2018
Thanks for your reply David.
Graeme
September 25, 2018
Hi David, you mentioned that you take NAC daily but its not in your post “What I Take”, have you stopped taking it. And if yes why?
Thanks
Graeme
David Tomen
September 26, 2018
Graeme, I do use NAC daily and guess I forgot to include it in my post on “What I take”. Thanks for the headsup! I appreciate when you guys keep me in line. I’ll add it today.
Trevin
September 23, 2018
Can you explain in more detail how using NAC can “protect dopaminergic nerve terminals from chronic methamphetamine use”? Also, do you have any recommendations of nootropics that can aid in stopping the use of and recovery from meth use? I have read in online forums that Semax and Memantine can be helpful in regards to this issue. Neither, however, are on your list… what are your thoughts on those? Thank you so much for your reply…. and for this website!
David Tomen
September 24, 2018
Trevin, NAC is a potent antioxidant primarily because it’s a precursor to the glutathione which is considered by many to be the master antioxidant in your body.
This study done in Japan with monkeys showed that NAC helped their brains recover from methamphetamine neurotoxicity: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15542721/. So it would make sense that it should work in humans as well.
I’ve been using Ritalin for nearly 12 years and use NAC daily. And have not suffered from any type of dopamine receptor damage normally associated with stimulant use.
Semax and Memantine are considered prescription drugs which is the reason I’ve not reviewed them here on Nootropics Expert. And never will. Because our policy here is to stay as close as possible to natural nootropic supplements that can easily be purchased by most anywhere in the world without a prescription.
John
September 13, 2018
NAC worked great for a few days to boost energy, then it seemed to stop working. Why would that be? Is that a common reaction?
David Tomen
September 14, 2018
John, NAC is not known or used for increasing energy levels. You may have experienced more energy for a short while because higher glutathione levels helps repair dopamine neurons and receptors.
You’ll need much more than a single nootropic to increase energy levels. You need to give your brain more of the nutrients it needs for fueling ATP in mitochondria, increasing neurotransmitters (like dopamine and norepinephrine), increasing blood flow to provide more nutrients and oxygen to brain cells.
John
September 14, 2018
Thanks. I’ve been trying PQQ as well. It seems to be working. I’ve also tried B complex. It doesn’t seem to boost energy at all, but it may have other benefits. I also tried CoQ10, wasn’t a big fan, didn’t seem to do anything.
David Tomen
September 14, 2018
John, the thing with PQQ is you need to dose it high enough. My doc prescribed 20 mg of PQQ per day which seems to have helped. And depending on your age, you may not get anything from regular CoQ10 (ubiquinone) and my find that “ubiquinol” works better for you: https://nootropicsexpert.com/coenzyme-q10/
Another thing to try is the new Performance Lab Energy that contains PQQ, CoQ10, Acetyl L-Carnitine (ALCAR) and R-Lipoic Acid: https://nootropicsexpert.com/performance-lab-energy-review/. One of my favorite new nootropic stacks.
Jim Russell
August 12, 2018
Back again. Are so actually saying NALT and L-Tyrosine replace dopamine?
Do I understand that you would recommend that someone with Parkinson’s should take NAC, NALT,
L-Tyrosine, ALCAR, and either Alpha GPC or CDP-Choline, along with zinc and copper?
David Tomen
August 13, 2018
Jim, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine and L-Tyrosine are precursors to the synthesis of dopamine. So they give your brain the ingredients needed for the production of dopamine and the other catecholamines. You can use one or the other. It’s not necessary to use both.
And yes, your suggested stack would be good for relieving some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s. You may also want to consider Mucuna Pruriens: https://nootropicsexpert.com/l-dopa/
But like with all nootropics, please make sure you are clear on drug interactions and avoid combining certain nootropics with prescription meds where the combo could cause harm.
Gabriel
August 2, 2018
Hello David
I am 39 years old man, i was diagnosed with Adhd, as a kid. I took ritalin from 7 to 11 years old , then i did all my life without going back to my adhd diagnosis! I was able to study and become a computer technician and have my Adhd brain ( Multitask) work well for this job!But i find recently in the last 2 years, that i also struggle with other smal behavior issue that come with adhd, impulsivness, not always listening in a conversation , cutting the person in a conversation, a lot of good and high energy days, but sometime days when i feel off, common thing in a ADHD brain…!
So that has cause me some stability issue ( jobs friends)etc.. in my life as well as sometimes racing taught..! I found out that adhd is a familly issue… 85 % of the people who have ADHD does not know about it, are Add are ADHI, which is the third one, the i stand for impulsivness, as you get older your personality crystalyse..My dad was a Physical Education teacher and he had ADHD all of his life without knowing it… and left untreated to… I have a cousin she is a psychotherapist and has ADHI, SO IT runsns in my familly, my mom has also mild form of adhd, both my parents overcome some of their issue in life and became teacher… But in those days it was a lot undiagnosed and left untreated..
2 years ago i went back to that diagnosis, and recently with all my studies on the case, i went on Omega 3 + i take L-Pheynylaline + l-tyrosine together + i also take lysine for working out but as anti anxiety as well it help me control the boost from l-phenylaline and l-tyrosine! I also take Subnflower Lecithin, because it is known to have a better dha absortion to the brain and is a source of choline! I take b vitamin also! I also take l-proline but it’s for joint and prevention of good heart health etc…I take -l-Citruline also for working out!
I take curcuma also and glocosamine and msm for the joints! I saw all great benefith from all this in my mind and body!
3- My question is :” Why in you ADHD stack do you take Alcar and Nalt instead of NAC ( n-acétylcystéine)?
Which is the better ACEThyl-ltyrosine ?( so i stopp my l-tyrosine) are NAC ( n-acétylcystéine) here ? I heard NAC IS GREAT FOR ADHD ? So why d’ont you take it in your adhd stack but instead have ALCAR AND NALT ?
Thank you in advance
Sincerely Gabriel
P.S I write to you from Quebec Canada here, my first language is french so i might have a few english error 🙂
David Tomen
August 3, 2018
Gabriel, I use N-Acetyl L-Cysteine (NAC) because it helps repair dopamine neurons. But it does not directly boost dopamine like NALT or L-Tyrosine.
And I use ALCAR because it helps boost acetylcholine and the flow of information into and out of brain cells.
Some find that NALT works better and some find that L-Tyrosine works better for dopamine. Try each separately and see which works better for you.
This is a very simplified explanation so …
I suggest going to this post: https://nootropicsexpert.com/best-nootropics-for-adhd-add/ and clicking through to each nootropic. Near the top of the post is a summary of how that supplement works in the brain.
I also suggest you try something like Alpha GPC or CDP-Choline for boosting acetylcholine. Sunflower lecithin is not a good source of choline or DHA.
And you may want to change out your Omega-3 to a supplement that is higher in DHA and provides 1000 mg of DHA per dose.
Uma Grace
June 25, 2018
I have severe osteo arthritis in one hip – dI am now on NAC and have found pain has been eased. 1000mg works best for me. How owuld NAC reduce pain? could you explain?
David Tomen
June 25, 2018
Uma, pain is often a result of inflammation. NAC is a precursor to the powerful anti-oxidant glutathione (GSH) which is a potent anti-inflammatory. It’s possible you have less pain because of reduced inflammation.
G1
July 25, 2018
When is the best time to take NAC, 1/2 hr before food/after food, on an empty stomach?
I’ve only just started taking NAC – this is for neurological damage / bipolar disorder / anxiety / depression. The label on the back of the bottle (1000mg) says take 1-3 daily. So I opted with 3000mg, I don’t know if that’s too much to begin with but that’s what it says on the label… Can you take the 3 all in one go or is it best to take it at different times of the day?
I’m also told to take it in conjunction with vitamin C in equal amount. Someone who knows a lot about this sort of thing told me 5000mg of vit c is the kind of amount that actually helps and does something more overtly positive to your body. So I opted to take 5000mg of it with NAC at the same time.
Do you have any thoughts on this?
Last question, how long does it take to experience any discernible differences, how long does it take to kick in etc?
Any advise would be much appreciated, many thanks 🙂
David Tomen
July 25, 2018
My research shows NAC is safe to use up to 1,800 mg daily. So if they are 1,000 mg tablets I suggest taking one in the morning and one before bed. Research also shows that high dosages of NAC can deplete stores of zinc in your body. So you should be supplementing with additional zinc and low dose copper.
I’ve not seen any research on NAC being more effective with the use of Vitamin C. But it certainly wouldn’t hurt. 1 – 2,000 mg of Vitamin C with each dose of NAC.
Jim Russell
June 23, 2018
Do you recommend 50mg of zinc and 2mg of copper.
David Tomen
June 23, 2018
yes