You Might Want to Stock Up On NAC (if you use it)

[Bolt_Upright]

I'm not saying NAC is useful. Just that the FDA seems to be inching ever closer to banning it (I think the drug companies figured out that it might work for some things so they want to get a "for use" patent [I think orphan drugs can be re-patented for new purposes and the money can be made]).

I just noticed things may be heating up again:

A U.S. congressman has requested FDA answer several questions regarding the agency’s “sudden change of policy” outlined in 2020 warning letters to dietary supplement firms marketing NAC (N-acetyl-L-cysteine) in their products. naturalproductsinsider.com/...

The Natural Products Association (NPA) has filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Maryland requesting the Food and Drug Administration cease its “unlawful retroactive application of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act” against N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC). nutraingredients-usa.com/Ar...

[kevowpd]

Have you any interesting research to hand on the efficacy of oral NAC, Bolt?

The trial that attracted some attention a while back used injections with a small oral top up. I have a suspicion that the injectins were doing the heavy lifting and that the oral consumption was doing very little. I own a bunch of bottles of it since I panic bought earlier this year, but I don't know if it's effective. Also not entirely convinced it's safe, either.

[Bolt_Upright in reply to kevowpd]

I am about where you are. I have not seen anything since the 2019 study. It is cheap enough that I would rather have a year's supply and not use it than have none and have some miracle report come out.

[Bolt_Upright in reply to Bolt_Upright]

But I am using mine. 1200 mg at night with Taurine.

[Jo692]

Hello, sorry to butt in on this conversation but I have not come across NAC before . Is there anything on files as to how it is used and the benefits, if any please?

[Bolt_Upright in reply to Jo692]

There is this report, but they used both oral NAC and IV: N-Acetyl Cysteine Is Associated With Dopaminergic Improvement in Parkinson's Disease

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/312...

"Abstract

This study assessed the biological and clinical effects in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) of N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), the prodrug to l-cysteine, a precursor to the natural biological antioxidant glutathione. Forty-two patients with PD were randomized to either weekly intravenous infusions of NAC (50 mg/kg) plus oral doses (500 mg twice per day) for 3 months or standard of care only. Participants received prebrain and postbrain imaging with ioflupane (DaTscan) to measure dopamine transporter (DAT) binding. In the NAC group, significantly increased DAT binding was found in the caudate and putamen (mean increase from 3.4% to 8.3%) compared with controls (P < 0.05), along with significantly improved PD symptoms (P < 0.0001). The results suggest NAC may positively affect the dopaminergic system in patients with PD, with corresponding positive clinical effects. Larger scale studies are warranted."

I'm not sold on it, but I don't want the government taking the option off the table.

[Bolt_Upright in reply to Jo692]

There is this also: This paper indicates oral NAC (N-acetylcysteine) 6000 mg a day actually made PK symptoms worse.

Repeated-dose Oral N-acetylcysteine in Parkinson Disease: Pharmacokinetics and Effect on Brain Glutathione and Oxidative Stress

Published online 2017 Sep 22

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[Canddy]

This study is supposed to read out soon.....

clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show...

[bassofspades]

I used to eat that stuff like candy. Didn't really feel like it was all that it was promised to be as far as pd relief goes. A better option may be undenatured cold processed whey protein isolate, which is a great source of cysteine, the precursor to Glutathione.

[Bolt_Upright in reply to bassofspades]

Interesting. Any idea on dosing please?

amazon.com/Raw-Grass-Fed-Wh...

[bassofspades in reply to Bolt_Upright]

One scoop in your favorite smoothie before exercise. Usually it comes with a scooper.

[bassofspades in reply to Bolt_Upright]

That's whey concentrate, which has less bcaa's than isolate. amazon.com/Muscle-Feast-Abs...

This is good. Grass fed and good quality

[Boscoejean]

fairly recent information on what might be happening with regard to NAC: "FDA last year asserted in warning letters that NAC couldn’t be lawfully marketed in dietary supplements because it was first studied as a drug in 1963. The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) made legal arguments challenging the agency’s position in a 2020 letter to FDA." naturalproductsinsider.com/...

[Discogs_discogs]

This thread has diverged into two topics: (1) Will NAC be banned?; and (2) Is there really any evidence to support the use of NAC for PD anyways? It sounds like there has only been one NAC study done on humans for PD. Is that correct? Regardless, does anyone here actually FEEL as though NAC has concretely helped them?

[Bolt_Upright in reply to Discogs_discogs]

Great question, and I don't have an answer, but I should add another wrinkle:

I have read that NAC and Taurine work better together also. So I take 1200 mg of NAC with 1000 mg of Taurine about an hour before I go to bed.

Taurine and its analogs in neurological disorders: Focus on therapeutic potential and molecular mechanisms 2019: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/a... The combination of a subeffective dose of taurine and low and subeffective doses of N-acetyl cysteine afforded better cytoprotection against rotenone induction than taurine treatment alone and action may be mediated via anti-oxidative mechanisms [86].