N-Acetylcysteine or Carbocisteine

[JagNut]

I've been taking N-Acetylcysteine since March for my 'interim' diagnosed Emphysema, with excellent results on combatting mucous & post-nasal drip, but then I read her about Carbocisteine being on prescription. The thing is, N-Acetylcysteine is reportedly higher in other health-giving elements, so what's best please Peeps?

[soulsaver]

N-Acetylcysteine is only reported as better by parties with vested interests. Try Carbo - if it works well for you and it's cheaper ( on prescription in UK, maybe free?) - no brainer.

[Corin1950]

When my husband was in hospital in Switzerland he was given N-Acetylcysteine. The doctors there knew he had been taking Carbocysteine in the UK. He said he preferred it as it was one soluble tablet taken as a drink in the morning so the mucous came up earlier in the day and he wasn't bothered by it in the evening and at night. With carbocysteine he had this problem with continual mucous as he took it 3x a day although no other problems. He has carried on taking NAC on prescription since we've been back in England but I noticed it said 'food supplement' on the pack. I think this is because it isn't classed as a medicine here but you can get it on prescription.

His is called A-Cys ( acetylcysteine effervescent tablets) 600mg.

Take care

Corin

[JagNut in reply to Corin1950]

Many thanks Cor

[soulsaver in reply to Corin1950]

He'd likely get the same effect if he took 375mg of carbo (or maybe 750mg) just once in the morning. The difference isn't the N-Ac effectiveness, it's how he's taking it.

[JagNut in reply to soulsaver]

Hi SoulSaver,

Does the 'carbo' act as a promoter of 'Glutathione' as does NAC?

[soulsaver in reply to JagNut]

Yes because cysteine does - but you don't need that from either if you're usually eating your 5 a day fruit & greens.

If you're happy with N-Ac ask if you can get it on prescription - I wasn't aware you could in the UK (for COPD).

[santisuk]

I was prescribed "NAC Long" (a German-made acetylcysteine) 4 years ago in Thailand (where I live) for a then-ill-defined chest complaint that produced mucous and infections. Shortly after Papworth Hospital in the UK (my home country to which I return at least once a year for its better pulmonology skills) diagnosed it as bronchiectasis.

Have always been happy with acetylcysteine - one 600g effervescent tablet at breakfast* seems to loosen me up over the morning so I can do my chest clearing excercises and then a swim or walk mid early to mid afternoon. My experiences clearly mirror those of Cor1N787.

A year ago I was seeing my local Thai pulmonologist for an emerging infection and he mumbled something about me being able to mix and match or even double up on my acetylcisteine by taking carbocysteine also, if I needed a boost during infection. [My Papworth pulmo pulled a sceptical face recently when I mentioned the doubling-up recommendation - luckily I had decided only to add a couple of carbocysteines to my normal NAC Long and that was for only 2 weeks (with no noticeable effect)]. More to the point he mentioned that there had been a study that concluded that carbocysteine was more effective than acetylcisteine. I searched all over the net and could not find any reference to such a study, so eventually I decided to do a bit of self-testing.

So, I have 3.5 years of taking acetylcysteine followed by 2 months of carbocysteine followed by another 2 months of acetylcysteine and I'm now most of the way into another 2 months of carbo to which I'll then add another 2 month return to acetyl, then make a decision. Conclusions to date are that there is very little difference with maybe a marginal shading in favour of carbo. However I dislike the 3 times a day (3 times 2 pills of 375mg) routine for carbo and if nothing else changes I'll plump for continuing with the one a day morning acetylcysteine. It's quite a nice drink to start off the day with and another way of ensuring you drink enough water early on - it triggers my morning attack on a 1.5 litre bottle!

If I could get carbo on prescription I might be persuaded to switch permanently to it! I have to pay for all my drugs in Thailand, the upside of which is that they are all available over the counter so I can make my own choices and any antibiotics I want are only a short drive away.

I don't place too much credence on the other health claims of NAC (acetylcysteine). Like many supplements the claims always seem a bit vague and unproven and there is rarely antway of franking the claims yourself. Immune system boosting is the only specific one I can recall seeing and my existing diet is pretty well-up on that

* Oddly the instructions recommend taking it with an evening meal. I find a morning routine suits me better and sets my chest up for the day. I don't have any sleeping problems so I don't need a later regime. I note that Cor1N787 also takes it in the morning.