N-Acetyl Cysteine Health Benefits: A Powerful Support for Antioxidant Protection, Detoxification, Respiratory Function, and More
N-acetyl cysteine is a
multidimensional nutritional tool that has shown impressive efficacy in supporting a variety of organs and systems.
Here we will explore all of the many N-acetyl cysteine health benefits and why it can be useful for an array of health and healing purposes.
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What Is N-Acetyl Cysteine?
N-acetyl cysteine, also often referred to as “NAC,” is the nutritional supplemental form of the sulfur containing amino acid L-cysteine.
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and play key roles in the growth and functioning of the human body.
Cysteine is an important amino acid that acts as a precursor for the creation and replenishment of the body’s most powerful antioxidant, glutathione.
Cysteine is considered a “semi-essential” amino acid because our body can make moderate amounts of it from other amino acids including L-methionine and L-serine. Essential amino acids are those that aren’t made by the body at all and must be obtained entirely through our diet.
Cysteine can be found in high protein foods including eggs, poultry, seeds, and beans.
NAC can be used when dietary cysteine consumption is insufficient and/or if one’s health needs require increased antioxidant protection, liver detox support, and more.
NAC is available as an over the counter nutritional supplement and also as a prescription, which is usually a liquid injection form.
It is used in many healthcare settings including hospitals and doctor’s offices.
NAC is high in sulfur, which accounts for much of its healing properties. As a note, however, if you have an expressive CBS gene variant, you may need to utilize lower sulfur containing supports, as this gene variant can cause marked sulfur sensitivity.
NAC Promotes Antioxidant Protection
Glutathione is a tripeptide that is made of the amino acids glycine, cysteine, and glutamate. It is often referred to as the body’s “master antioxidant” and is hugely important for our health.
Not only is glutathione a potent antioxidant, but it is also essential for liver detoxification, immune function, nutrient metabolism, gene expression, DNA and protein synthesis, and much more. It is a big player in the overall functioning of the human body.
Also known as “free radical scavengers,” antioxidants are molecules/substances that help to stabilize free radicals, thereby protecting your cells from the effects/potential damage they can cause.
Antioxidants essentially neutralize the adverse impacts of free radicals.
Free radicals are “unstable” atoms that can cause various types of cell damage (including DNA damage), which are produced as a result of a process called oxidation.
Oxidation is the result of many normal physiological processes that occur:
- As part of phase 1 of the liver detoxification process when your body is cleansing itself from various pollutants and toxins such as smoke, pesticides, etc
- As you breathe and your body metabolizes oxygen to be utilized for energy by your cells
- When your cells use glucose to produce energy
- When your immune system is fighting off a pathogen such as bacteria, fungus, or parasites
- As part of your stress response
- When metabolizing glucose/sugar
- And more
Free radicals are also produced at high levels by exposure to x-rays, heavy metals, pesticides, and environmental toxins such as smoke, industrial chemicals, air pollution, mold, and more.
A balance between antioxidants and free radicals is required so as to maintain health and the proper physiological function of the body.
If there is an imbalance between the amount of free radicals present in relation to the amount of antioxidants present, with fewer antioxidants to free radicals, an increase in “oxidative stress” can occur.
Oxidative stress refers to stress and damage that can be done to our cells as a result of being exposed to too many free radicals.
An increase in oxidative stress can contribute to the development of a variety of different medical conditions including neurodegenerative conditions (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, etc), diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, cataracts, lung conditions, skin conditions, and many others.
Additional symptoms of increased oxidative stress can include chronic fatigue, migraines, anxiety, and many more.
Furthermore, an increase in oxidative stress makes overall healing more challenging for the body. Making sure you are including plenty of antioxidants in your healing protocol is a wonderful way of helping your body to heal more efficiently.
By helping to produce the body’s main and most powerful antioxidant, N-acetyl cysteine can help reduce oxidative stress and the damage and illness that it can cause.
N-Acetyl Cysteine Health Benefits
NAC is a useful healing tool for both acute and chronic illnesses. The following are some of the main ways that NAC can be used to support health and healing. Most of these benefits relate back to NAC’s ability to provide antioxidant protection by helping to create glutathione, as discussed above.
- Liver and Kidney Support/Detoxification Support
NAC has long been used to treat overdoses from various drugs/medications due to its ability to support liver detoxification and prevent organ damage to the liver and kidneys.
Because of its key role in the production of glutathione, which helps encourage liver detox overall, NAC can also help to eliminate other toxins in the body such as heavy metals, environmental toxins, biotoxins, excess hormones, and more.
- Respiratory Support
Increased oxidative stress is particularly harmful to the respiratory system. NAC helps to protect the lungs from the effects of free radicals and helps to reduce inflammation in the airways.
It also acts as an expectorant, meaning it helps to loosen and clear mucus from the airways.
For these reasons, it helps to improve lung function and reduce flare-ups and exacerbations of lung conditions such as bronchitis and asthma.
- Increases Insulin Sensitivity and Helps Alleviate Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance occurs when the cells become less sensitive to the hormone insulin, which helps glucose, or sugar, enter our cells to be utilized by the body. If sugar doesn’t enter the cell as it is supposed to, it will build up in the blood, causing high blood sugar. When this happens chronically, it can lead to diabetes and many other health complications.
Glutathione can help to increase insulin sensitivity and alleviate insulin resistance.
By helping to produce and replenish more glutathione in the body, NAC is helpful in increasing insulin sensitivity, alleviating insulin resistance, and balancing blood sugar.
- Neuroprotective Properties
Glutamate is an amino acid that also acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter. It is important for healthy brain function when it is present in balanced amounts, but “excitotoxicity” and its coinciding symptoms can result if glutamate rises to excess levels.
High glutamate levels can result in anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, addictions, and more.
Glutathione helps to keep glutamate balanced, so NAC can support balanced glutamate levels by way of increasing glutathione.
Many studies now show that NAC can be helpful in reducing or eliminating the symptoms and conditions that can result from high glutamate levels.
NAC has also shown to be helpful in the treatment of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. This is largely due to its antioxidant protective properties, as increased oxidative stress have shown to contribute to the development of both of these conditions.
The Best NAC Supplement I’ve Ever Used
NAC has been a staple in my healing protocols for various purposes including healing from Biotoxin Illness/Mold Toxicity, balancing my copper levels, and detoxifying excess estrogen as part of my endometriosis healing plan.
Supporting liver detoxification, respiratory function, reducing inflammation, and protecting against oxidative stress are fundamental components of healing from all of the conditions I’ve had so NAC has been very helpful.
By far the best N-acetyl cysteine supplement I’ve ever used is Thorne NAC.
Thorne is a superior line of nutritional supplements that have always impressed me with how well-formulated and effective they are. All products utilize only the most pure, bioavailable ingredients and they are free from common allergens such as gluten and soy. They are powerful yet gentle and well-tolerated.
Out of the number of NAC supplements that I’ve tried, this one stands out. About 2 weeks after incorporating it into my protocol, I noticed a marked improvement in brain fog and a very noticeable improvement in respiratory symptoms.
Dosing is completely individualized and should be determined with one’s healthcare practitioner. The standard recommended dose for this product is one 500mg capsule 2 to 3 times per day.
There are 90 capsules per bottle, which usually lasts me about a month and a half.
I take NAC with food, but it can be taken with or without food depending on one’s unique case.
Click here to check out Thorne NAC.
⭐️When you use the above purple links, you will automatically receive a 5% discount on your order at Thorne 🙂⭐️
In Closing…
As we’ve explored here, NAC helps provide powerful antioxidant protection that has a very positive influence on our health and wellness. It also supports the respiratory system, liver, kidneys, and brain.
It is a multidimensional nutritional tool that can be used for a variety of health and healing purposes.
I wish you all the best in your journey, and may optimal health and wellness be yours now and always 💜.
REFERENCES
I’ve been researching a lot about N-Acetyl Cysteine or NAC and its health benefits to help my niece in her Health and Fitness school report. In this regard, I found your post very helpful and informative because almost everything needed for the report is here.
I know that NAC is one of the best anti-oxidants but I wasn’t aware of its neuroprotective properties. Thus, it helps in the management of depression and anxiety.
By the way, you mentioned that we can use NAC as a nutritional supplement and it can be bought with or without a subscription. But when do we know we need to take NAC supplements? I mean, are there symptoms for a lack thereof?
Hi Alice! Thank you for your comment 🙂
I’m so glad this article could help with your niece’s school report!
There are lots of various circumstances where NAC would be a helpful addition to one’s protocol.
Any imbalance or illness that involves the need for additional liver detox support, anti-inflammatory support, kidney support, blood sugar balancing/increasing insulin sensitivity, respiratory support, calming neuroinflammation or the need to balance glutamate levels, extra antioxidant support (such as after toxic exposures to chemicals or environmental toxins), to increase glutathione levels, and more.
It’s all about using what is best for each unique case because we are all unique biochemically.
NAC is a great tool because it can be used for so many different health and healing needs.
The specifics of when to use it would be determined with your healthcare practitioner, who should consider all factors of your bioindividuality in accordance with your unique case.
Thank you and I wish you all of the best on your journey!! 🙂
Thanks for all the details on NAC. I personally take it because without it I find my blood sugar levels aren’t as stable and naturally as low as when I have higher levels of glutathione. Of course, the other health benefits are icing on the cake — the fact that it is neuroprotective is another big draw.
You mentioned you use NAC to help recover from some of your health issues. I see that it does have a function in relation to biotoxicity (liver/kidney support). How did it help you with endometriosis and balancing copper levels?
Hi Ryan! Thank you for your comment 🙂 You are most welcome!
I’m glad to hear NAC has benefitted your health, it can be a powerful blood sugar stabilizer for sure.
Estrogen dominance, which can involve excess estrogen levels, is a primary underlying cause of endometriosis, so a big part of my healing efforts are geared toward detoxifying excess estrogen. Excess hormones, especially estrogen, are detoxed primarily via the bile so supporting liver detox with NAC is helpful.
Excess copper is also largely detoxed via the liver so NAC helps to encourage further copper elimination.
Copper Toxicity also increases oxidative stress so extra antioxidant support is needed.
Both endometriosis and Copper Toxicity involve chronic inflammation and so NAC helps with that as well.
Thank you and all the best to you!! 🙂
Wow, what a great informative article I’ve just read! I am really impressed. I haven’t heard of NAC until now and want to say I am intrigued! Antioxidant protection and its positive influence on health and wellness really speaks to me. Alzheimer’s runs in my family and supporting a healthy brain is a must!
You thoroughly explained NAC and how it is a an amazing tool that can be used for a variety of health and healing purposes. I definitely want to check this out. Can this be used to help with IBS and other gut health issues? How long does it take when you take this supplement to notice changes in how you feel, mental sharpness, anxiety?
Hi Jenny! Thank you so much for your comment and your kind words :).
NAC can be helpful for gut healing in terms of helping to reduce inflammation, although other supports such as probiotics are specifically helpful for gut healing. This article covers probiotics more in depth.
My Gut Health Guide is also all about gut health and what steps we can take to nurture and balance our gut :).
In terms of how long it takes to notice positive effects from NAC, everyone is different. It really depends on the unique case. For me personally, I noticed positive effects after about 2 weeks taking the supplement included in this article.
Thank you and I wish you all of the best on your journey! 🙂
Hey there, I just came across this great article on N-acetyl cysteine and I thought I’d chime in with my two cents!
First of all, I’ve got to say that I’m a big fan of antioxidants and their potential health benefits. So, when I saw that N-acetyl cysteine is a powerful support for antioxidant protection, I was definitely intrigued.
From what I can see in this article, N-acetyl cysteine is a pretty impressive supplement. It seems like it can help with detoxification, respiratory function, and more. That’s a lot of potential benefits packed into one little supplement!
One thing I’m curious about is the research behind N-acetyl cysteine. Are there any studies that have been done on its effects in humans? How long have people been taking N-acetyl cysteine and what have the results been so far?
I also wonder about the dosage. How much N-acetyl cysteine should someone take in order to reap its benefits? Are there any side effects to watch out for?
Overall, I’m pretty impressed by the potential benefits of N-acetyl cysteine. It sounds like a promising supplement that could support our health in a variety of ways. Of course, I always like to do my own research before taking any new supplements, but this article has certainly piqued my interest.
In conclusion, I’d say that N-acetyl cysteine is definitely worth considering if you’re looking for a way to support your health and boost your antioxidant protection. Just be sure to do your own research and talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement regimen!
Hi Bob! Thank you for your comment 🙂 I agree, NAC is for sure an impressive supplement!
NAC is a heavily studied supplement and has been used for several decades as a therapeutic tool for human health. Its early use was primarily as a support for overdoses of acetaminophen to aid in liver detox and to prevent liver and kidney damage. It was also originally used as a mucolytic to break up and thin mucus in the lungs to clear airways and reduce the risk of infection.
The more recent studies on NAC have been regarding its ability to help balance glutamate levels and henceforth aid in the treatment of some psychiatric conditions. Studies have also been geared toward discovering its role in supporting heart health, and its star role as a glutathione precursor and powerful antioxidant.
New studies are continuously being published supporting its multidimensional uses for supporting our health and wellness.
The References section at the bottom of this article includes a number of studies that demonstrate these many uses :).
Dosing is always individualized and determined with one’s healthcare practitioner. In general, the “standard” dose for NAC is about 500 -1,500mg per day, but again it is different from person to person.
Any adverse reactions would have to do with an individual’s unique case, and the high sulfur level of NAC would have to be considered for those with a sulfur sensitivity such as those with an expressive CBS gene variant. In general, however, NAC has shown to be well tolerated.
Indeed, it is always best to discuss all medications and supplements with your healthcare practitioner so that all bioindividual components of your unique case can be considered.
Thank you and I wish you all the best on your journey! 🙂
I came across your article while researching for building blocks of our body – the amino acid.
It is interesting o note that our body is limited in it’s capability to produce amino acid. The N-Acetyl Cystine or NAC comes in here to play a role.
Are there any special dietary recommendation for creation of anti-bodies like glutathione in our body.
Regards,
Rohit
Hi Rohit! Thank you for your comment 🙂
Some ways to help encourage glutathione production are to include foods that are rich in vitamin C such as brussels sprouts, bell peppers, and rutabagas. Vitamin C helps to maintain optimal glutathione levels.
Also, foods rich in selenium such as brazil nuts and good quality proteins are helpful, as selenium is a cofactor in the production of glutathione.
Foods high in vitamin E such as beet greens, almonds, and collard greens help to enhance glutathione levels.
Avocado, okra, and asparagus contain glutathione as well.
Each of our eating plans should cater to our own unique bioindividuality, but in general, the above are some ways to support glutathione levels via diet.
All the best to you on your journey! 🙂