The Benefits of N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)
NAC is one of my personal can’t-do-without supplements and I’ll tell you why. As a chronic asthmatic and sinus sufferer of note my entire life, I decided to use this about 8 years ago to thin the mucous (asthmatics have very thick mucous in the lungs making it difficult to breathe) in my lungs – but my main reason was to thin the mucous in the sinuses as I’d virtually beaten asthma 25 years ago. Little did I realise the other benefits I’d experience.
I’d only really recommended it to Cystic Fibrosis victims prior to this time as I knew it had powerful mucolytic properties. After I started taking it, and finding out it worked so well, I decided to increase my dose substantially and I have to say the results I experienced were profound. Remember I take it for a specific purpose however when I found I felt so good, I decided to delve a little more deeply to find out how this could be and ever since then I’ve been hooked. I even take it on holiday with me and never run out.
I particularly love the way it protects the liver from damage. Anyone who knows my story knows I was overdosed for decades with drugs to control my asthma. I was on 17 scripted drugs and more OTC drugs for a long time. Heaven knows how my liver survived this, but it did, and for this reason I now nurture it. In fact, just look at some of your cough mixtures – you’ll find the active ingredient in there with all the sugar and chemicals is actually NAC! You don’t need all the other nasties – you only need NAC. So here’s a little about this really amazing amino acid, and why I adore it.
NAC may help with:
- Mood disorders
- Thins mucus in the respiratory tract
- Lung problems
- Sinus issues
- Brain issues
- Sleep disorders
- Infections
- Oxidative stress
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) by replenishing glutathione in the lungs
- Protection against damage from alcohol
- Protection against paracetamol poisoning
- Treatment of chronic bronchitis
- Reduction of Insulin Resistance, assisting with weight loss
- May protect against cancer
- May prevent addictive behaviour
- Helpful in bi-polar, depression, and even schizophrenia (as a powerful antioxidant)
- May help prevent against OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder)
- Even help to protect you from getting ‘flu
- Enhances bone regeneration
- Helps with sleep disorders (again, the glutathione connection)
- Increase survival rate in heart attack victims, and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease
- May improve fertility
- Used in PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) as it stimulates ovulation
- Improves intestinal barrier function
- May improve sleep apnea
- In addition (and another fabulous reason for taking it) it is a glutathione precursor. Glutathione is our master antioxidant, it reduces inflammation and damage to tissues
- Due to the protection from oxidative stress, it is said it protects from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease
Dosage:
You won’t find this little gem in food in this form (it is found in eggs as cysteine), so generally 600mg is enough for the average person. There doesn’t seem to be a maximum dose. I far exceed any ‘maximum’ and have daily for 8 years – and I’m still here!
However, I don’t recommend this to anyone else, I clearly have a very high need/threshold where this is concerned so please don’t be too gung-ho without supervision. And, be warned, it smells like rotten eggs – one good reason to take it in capsule form. But it is supposed to smell like this as it’s a sulphur nutrient (no, not the same as a sulpha drug – very different). Take it with food in the morning, but it can be taken anytime.
If you are rushed into hospital with a drug overdose or alcohol poisoning – you will be given either NAC or glutathione intravenously – it saves lives by combatting harmful free radicals and general oxidative stress. Oxidative stress plays a significant role in all inflammatory disease including arthritis, vasculitis, lupus, and adult respiratory disease syndrome. Oxidative stress contributes to heart disease, stroke, and intestinal ischemia. The list goes on and on: hemochromatosis, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, emphysema, organ transplantation, gastric ulcers, hypertension and preeclampsia, neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and muscular dystrophy. It is even connected to alcoholism and smoking-related diseases. You can see how amazing this little-known nutrient is.
You will find it in my online store here.
Disclaimer
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Originally published on https://www.facebook.com/SallyAnnCreedSA/ on 20 December 2017.
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