I tried searching on this forum but didn’t find much info.
TL;DR: Does anyone have info about n-acetylcysteine and it’s ability to reduce Hashimoto antibodies?
Here’s my story: I have Hashimoto’s, and my antibodies had been going up constantly since diagnosis about 2 years ago. In order to reduce them over this time I went gluten free, soy free, lactose free, and I did selenium for 2 months. All this with advice from the forum and also my naturopath. The dietary changes made me feel better but didn’t reduce antibodies, the selenium actually was too much for me (in 2 months I ended up with toxicity) and actually this is where my antibodies skyrocketed from around 450 to 950.
I stopped the selenium and focused on diet and other things and my antibodies still went up. For 3 tests in a row my result was 1000+ so too high to even register in the range. Then after almost being ready to give up my naturopath told me to try n-acetylcysteine, I went ahead with it not expecting anything, I never had heard or read about it previously... but I stuck with it. To my surprise, at my last blood test this month my antibodies had come down all of a sudden to 790.
I’m obviously happy, but I want to really know if it was the n-acetylcysteine or if something else could be the reason for the reduction in antibodies and maybe this is just a coincidence.
Does anyone have info about n-acetylcysteine and it’s ability to reduce antibodies?
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dang
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Yes, it does reduce the antibodies and this is how...
N-Acetyl-Cysteine is highly beneficial in the treatment of Hashimoto's. It is a precursor to the production of Glutathione (most potent antioxidant) which protects the thyroid against hydrogen peroxide.
Hydrogen peroxide is thought to play a significant role in the development and progression of Hashimoto's disease, despite the fact that the thyroid gland actually requires hydrogen peroxide for thyroid hormone formation. However, if hydrogen peroxide is allowed to enter thyroid cells, it attacks and splits the thyroglobulin (a protein within the thyroid gland), producing fragments that are able to diffuse into other cells and fuel and multiply the attacks.
I take NAC along with glycine and glutamine. I usually take all together after training (weights/run/walking etc) to assist with glutathione. Glutathione is a tri-peptide, consisting of 3 amino acids: glutamine, glycine and cysteine. It is made via sulfuration reactions, and most of the glutathione in the body is in the liver. By improving methylation cycle function, it’s possible to improve the synthesis of glutathione. The sulfur-containing amino acid cysteine is a very important constituent of the glutathione molecule. Cysteine is made from cystathionine and homocysteine.
One of the major factors influencing the T4 to T3 conversion has been shown to be the antioxidant Glutathione. It is critical to point out that glutathione is a "redox" molecule. Being a redox molecule means that it undergoes a cycle of "oxidation" and "reduction". When glutathione (GSH) gets "used up", it loses its electrons and becomes glutathione disulphide (GSSH). It can regain electrons, and be converted back into a "reusable" form, but ONLY in the presence of an electron donor. The primary electron donor is NADPH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate).
A person who has a high level of oxidized, used up glutathione and a low level of reduced, usable glutathione is someone who has a good deal of cellular toxicity and oxidative stress. Remarkably, there is a body of research that has found a direct correlation between improved T4 to T3 conversion with the use of NADPH as well as Glutathione.
60% of NADPH is generated in a pathway known as the "pentose phosphate pathway". This pathway is also responsible for generating the 5-carbon sugar Ribose, which is used to synthesize DNA. The major nutrient promoter in the pentose phosphate pathway is Vitamin B-1, thiamine. Thiamine deficiency has been pegged as a major culprit in varying states of oxidative stress, including encephalopathy and lipid peroxidation
If this trail of research is correct, this is rather remarkable, and has far-reaching implications for those suffering from a low T4 to T3 conversion. Specifically this evidence indicates that the major problem with the T4 to T3 conversion is oxidative stress, and depletion of vital antioxidant systems such as glutathione.
NAC helps protect against liver damage, helps fights cellular oxidative damage, can reduce inflammation in tissue, helps treat chronic bronchitis, helps treat COPD, may help prevent cancer, amongst many other benefits.
Sorry to get a bit technical, but I did a lot of research on these 3 amino acids a few weeks ago for my own personal use. So I've been taking these 3 together for at least once a day now for approx two weeks and mostly after training, but even on rest days too. I tend to ache less after training and initially, the first week I felt amazing, though I am due on this week, so that has scuppered the amazing feeling...
Great answer! Don’t apologize for the technicality of it, on the contrary it’s exactly what I’m looking for. I have quite a bit of research to do to fully understand this myself but you’ve definitely given me a lot to look into.
I, too, have been taking NAC along with Glycine, and Glutamine, and for many years now. NAC has tremendous benefits and the trio have also been beneficial to me in many ways as well.
NAC "chelates" heavy metals in other words "grabs" heavy metals and removes them from the body.
It does the same with free radicals. Ironically, the energy-generation mechanism which is so essential to life can also set the stage for free radicals and for cell damage. The oxidation of foodstuffs is like a controlled fire which liberates energy but can also let sparks fly, giving rise to potential damage.
Glutathione is made in the liver, the organ most responsible for detoxifying your body, so optimal liver function is absolutely essential. With aging and hypothyroidism, this production is compromised and an accumulation of toxins remain in the liver.
The co-factors needed for NAC/Glutathione to do this detoxification job effectively is Vitamin C and water. Anyone taking NAC needs to increase their normal dose of Vit C around 3 times, for example if you took 1 grs of Vit C a day, you increase this to become to 3grs.
Hi, dang, thanks for replying. I did more research on NAC and some researchers claim it can spread cancer cells!!! Scary! But I will experiment with it nonetheless, maybe every third day or something. But. Have you or anybody else reading heard about the myo-inositol and selenium study out of Italy last year? Here's a quote from the abstract:
"Patients were assigned to receive Myo-Ins-Se. TSH, TPOAb, and TgAb levels were significantly decreased in patients treated with combined Myo-Ins-Se after 6 months of treatment."
The researchers worked with people with subclinical hypothyroidisim, which is what I have. They combined myo-inositol--600 mg with Se 83 mcg. I'm going to test this one for sure!!
Oh that’s interesting I have not read that study but I will look into it. Also about NAC from my understanding you need to take high doses twice daily to get an effect. I also feel a bit uncomfortable with that so I take half that on most days. I will have to look into this cancer connection also.
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