N-Acetyl Cysteine

Has anyone ever tried these? What were the results if any?

[stone-UK]

Hi

Click on related tags.

Done for you.

healthunlocked.com/n-acetyl...

[Hidden in reply to stone-UK]

Thank-you very much

[UHelga]

I’ve been taking it 3x a day for about 6 months and really notice when I forget it for a day. My lungs feel much tighter then and the sputum gets stickier. It’s definitely worth a try in my opinion.

[Hidden in reply to UHelga]

Thank you for sharing your experience! I will make sure to ask my doctor before i take them. What dose do you use?

[UHelga in reply to Hidden]

Sorry only just seen your question. I get a lot of mucus with my copd and take a 600mg capsule 3 x a day. It doesn’t reduce the amount with me but definitely makes it easier to cough up. I also take the enzyme Serrapeptase by the way which helps mucus amongst other things...

[Hidden in reply to UHelga]

Thanks x

[Kristicats]

I take 1 per day and am impressed with it.

[Hidden in reply to Kristicats]

Thanks for replying

[kflatt]

I take 1 per day and know they benefit me.

[Hidden in reply to kflatt]

Thank-you

[Ergendl]

I didn't find them helpful but I don't have much mucous normally.

[Hidden in reply to Ergendl]

Thanks

[soulsaver]

N-Acetyl Cysteine is a health food/homeopathic variant of a prescription medicine Carbocysteine.

I'm not saying NAC doesn't work, it didn't for me, but the prescription one does... and it's usually free.

Don't let the NAC promoters tell you it has additional health benefits, it doesn't; the same health benefits come from the cysteine that's in both... and are got from your 5 -a- day fruit & veg anyway.

[Hidden in reply to soulsaver]

Thanks .. I do have Carbocysteine prescribed .

[B0xermad]

Hi hope4321 I have bronchiectasis and have been using carbocysteine for 4yrs it works fine for me. I have a acapella also to clear mucus and am about to try a salitair salt inhaler.

[Hidden in reply to B0xermad]

Thank you ! I have both the carbocysteine and acapella amongst lots of other medications, nebulisers and inhalers

I just heard about these tablets and I am just researching them

[B0xermad in reply to Hidden]

Oh i see. I know without them I would be on my knees lol

[santisuk]

I suggest that anyone who finds that they benefit from a mucus thinner having been prescribed one of either might like to try out the other (if they are able to) and simply compare the effects. I have the dubious privilege of being able to buy either where I live (Thailand) - ie I don't have free national health funding for my meds. I am close to completing a 6 month trial of switching between the two every 6 weeks.

I think their effects are very similar when taken by me, comparing a 6 x 375mg daily dose of carbocysteine ("Flemex" brand) with a 1 x 600mg soluble of acetlycysteine ("NAC Long", made by Temmler Germany) and in Thailand both these alternatives at this dose range cost about the same. I will probably opt to continue with NAC Long - as originally prescribed for my bronciectasis - though my Thai pulmo mumbled something about a piece of research he had seen recently that concluded carbocysteine was more effective. I haven't seen him again to follow up on that and can't find anything on the internet.

If my present inclinations are confirmed by one last switch I am about to make I'll choose to continue with acetylcysteine simply because a one dose hit of quite drinkable sparkling water (like a selzer) taken first thing suits me much better than trying to remember 3 dosafe times and carting lots of little pink pills around with me during my frequent day trips.

My self-test may not of course replicate for other people but I would be surprised if there was a mega difference between the two that the medical profession around the world is ignoring. If in the UK you get carbocysteine free on the NHS (which I believe to be the NHS preferred mucus thinner) I would not myself be rushing to pay money to get acetylcysteine instead.

Anyone who does bring up mucus and coughs it up as part of a chest-clearing physio routine (as many bronchiectassis sufferers do) should be talking with their doctor or pulmo if a mucus thinner is not being recommended to them and they don't know why not. Generalist doctors are not all familiar with the finer points of some of our lung diseases eh gang? I believe (from reading this and other forums) that sufferers find benefit from mucus thinners, either in terms of making mucus more productive or reducing the strain on chest muscles during coughing-up). For most people they are very low impact drugs (side effects/drug interactions) though when I made that assertion (based on reading drug box inserts/internet and reading other's comments) I got a posting back from a patient who had had a bad time with acetlycysteine.

[Hidden in reply to santisuk]

Thank you for sharing your very helpful experience !

[kflatt]

I would like to clear up one thing. That is that NAC is not a drug (carbocysteine is a drug). Also NAC (cysteine) has many other benefits beyond mucus production.

N-Acetylcysteine, or NAC, is an altered form of the amino acid cysteine used in supplements. The body converts NAC to cysteine, which is then converted to glutathione, an antioxidant.

NAC is not found naturally in food sources; however cysteine is present in most high protein foods.

Antioxidants like gluthathione fight free radicals in the body that can damage cells and DNA. Free radicals may influence aging and the development of some health problems.

NAC is sometimes used to prevent or treat a number of medical issues. NAC is given to prevent liver or kidney damage following acetaminophen poisoning. NAC may reduce chest pains and heart attacks when taken with nitroglycerin.

The amino acid may also help to reduce flare-ups in chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.

NAC converts into cysteine. Cysteine is a nonessential amino acid produced by the body.

However, it requires the essential amino acid methionine to do this, so some biologists consider cysteine an essential amino acid, as well. Cysteine is primarily found in animal protein, along with the other ten essential amino acids. Meats such as pork, chicken, sausage, turkey and duck all contain the amino acid cysteine. Fish and lunch meats also contain cysteine. Dairy sources of cysteine include ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt and eggs.

Read the rest here:

livestrong.com/article/5315...

[stamford1234 in reply to kflatt]

Thanks for that, I swear by NAC supplements but we all have differing needs. I read a lot before taking them and there wasn't that much positivity in early papers. More lately though there has been a little supportive evidence. Sorry I can't cite all my research, it was quite diverse. I have COPD and asthma. I get pretty breathless, tired and depressed sometimes but I haven't coughed since November last!

[Darceydoo in reply to stamford1234]

Hi where do you buy your NAC supplement from please , do you take methionine as well?

[stamford1234 in reply to Darceydoo]

I don't take methionine. I am not sure what that is. I get NAC from Troo Health Care through Amazon. I get other Troo Health Care bits and pieces, all UK manufactured. I am glad to help. Beware NAC smells horrible! Good luck

[Darceydoo in reply to stamford1234]

Oh great I’ll look forward to that then lol🙈.Thank you for the reply.

[Hidden in reply to Darceydoo]

Actually stinks absolutely awwwwfulllll! Don’t breathe while the tub is open lol 😝 think.. rotten eggs

[Darceydoo in reply to Hidden]

Blimey is it that bad, I take B Complex and they smell strong!

[Hidden in reply to Darceydoo]

Yup haha

[Hidden in reply to kflatt]

Thank you so much! I’m so touched by how helpful people are on this forum! I actually expected to get ignored! Thanks for helping me with my research

[stamford1234 in reply to Hidden]

Happy to help, but of course this isn't the Drs.

[Hidden in reply to stamford1234]

No of course i will ask my consultant on my next appointment before I decide to start anything new

[kflatt]

I don't really have a mucus problem. I take NAC because I have also researched them a lot and I know the benefits besides COPD. I use mullien for any mucus problems.

[Hidden in reply to kflatt]

Thank you ... i will also look up mullien!

I am on a lot of medication at the moment... a few of them are mucus thinners so I am trying to cut down on medication and try more natural ways of thinning. So this is helpful

[Darceydoo in reply to kflatt]

Hi where do you get the Mullen from?

[kflatt in reply to Darceydoo]

Health shops.

[kflatt in reply to Darceydoo]

You can also buy online. I buy capsules. TIP: I don't actually swallow capsules. I open them and empty them into my mouth and swallow the powder. Can make you cough so take water with.

I also take liquorice powder like that because saliva activates it. So by swallowing liquorice capsules you don't get the full benefits off it.

Cinnamon is the opposite. Saliva deactivated the cholesterol lowering benefits, as Dr Anderson from the USDA, ARS found out. He was the person that discovered the blood sugar lowering benefits of cinnamon.

Long-term liquorice use can deplete potassium, and raise blood pressure, so I take potassium occasionally.

[kflatt]

I have used mullein for several years and that is probably why I don't have a mucus problem.

[Hidden in reply to kflatt]

That sounds great! Glad you don’t suffer from it. I have primary ciliary dyskinesia. It has gotten to be quite bad the last few years( life got stressful and I slacked on my treatments) a lot of build up that I really need to clear out ! Struggling these last few weeks

[santisuk in reply to kflatt]

Interesting re mullein kflatt (and interesting post generally). Some sufferers know more about their lung condition (disease) than even specialist pulomonologists.

Can I ask for a a few further and better particulars about your experience re the phrase "I don't have a mucus problem:

What's your lung condition - ie COPD, bronchX, asthma etc?

When you say you don't have a mucus problem, does that mean you don't produce any mucus or you don't find it particularly problematic?

If you don't have any mucus, did you previously and how has any change that you have achieved re mucus, that could be attributable to mullien, impacted on other aspects of your condition - like frequency and severity of exacerbations?

Hope this isn't too intrusive - you can 'take the fifth' of course and I won't feel any bad about you

Myself - bronchX for 5 years; not particularly invasive; don't cough much, don't have loads of mucus but enough to cough up daily with 15 mins of huffing on my back and so I prefer that to come up easier which NAC Acetylsyteine (or carbocysteine) seems to achieve. Get infections typical of the disease and about 3 of 8 a year get past my immune system (ie 5 show their face but die away). Those that do get thru normally react pretty quickly/well to broad spec antibis like amoxicillin/clavulanic so to date only a couple of exacerbations have been of the more debilitating kind. Good FEV's (actually improved over prior years when tested last month) and good energy levels most of the time, though evening tiredness not unusual and hasn't improved. Maybe the anti-inflammatory diet (low gluten, low to no dairy, adding curcumin (turmeric) and other anti-inflam foods is working or at least keeping me steady; maybe the Manuka honey is helping. As a natural sceptic it would be good to know - maybe I'll try to self-test by returning to prior practice for a couple of months one day soonish (in the absence of any real science behind stuff other than pharma)!

[kflatt in reply to santisuk]

Hi santisuk. I have emphysema. Diagnosed about 18 years ago - mild then but continued to smoke plus paint fumes etc. so a lot worse now.

I found the mullein helped with mucus when I was still smoking (stopped about 7 years ago).

Have been using mullein for about 10 years, as well as NAC, and they still seem to help prevent/loosen any mucus - what little I seem to have from time to time.

I haven't tried going without mullein so I can't say if I'd get a build-up of mucus if I did.

Hope this helps.

[santisuk in reply to kflatt]

Thanks - yes helps! I recognise the syndrome that when you think something is helping you can't be sure and it's a real dilemna to test it out yourself!

[kflatt in reply to santisuk]

Not really a syndrome. Just see no reason to not take it.

[stamford1234]

Could someone enlighten me about the mullein. What is it? How does it work? I have asthma and COPD.