Strengthen the immune system with NAC + collagen

What are the health benefits of NAC (N-acetyl-L-cysteine)?

N-acetyl-L-cysteine ​​(NAC) is the dietary supplement form of cysteine, a conditionally non-essential amino acid. NAC has many health benefits, including replenishing antioxidants and “nourishing” your brain.

NAC is considered "conditionally essential" because your body can produce this amino acid from other amino acids. It becomes important only when the dietary intake of methionine and serine is low.

Cysteine ​​is found in most protein-rich foods, such as chicken, turkey, yogurt, cheese, eggs, sunflower seeds, and legumes.

Consuming adequate amounts of cysteine ​​and NAC is important for a variety of health reasons, including replenishing the most potent antioxidant in the body, glutathione. These amino acids also help with chronic respiratory problems, fertility and brain health.

Here are some of the top health benefits of NAC (N-acetyl-L-cysteine):

NAC is important for making the powerful antioxidant glutathione

NAC is primarily valued for its role in producing the antioxidant glutathione. Along with two other amino acids - glutamine and glycine - NAC is necessary to make glutathione and replenish glutathione.

Glutathione is one of the body's most important antioxidants – antioxidants are compounds that help neutralize free radicals that can damage cells and tissues. Antioxidants help support the body's natural immune system and eliminate toxins. Research also suggests that antioxidant intake may reduce the risk of several chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease.

NAC helps with detoxification to prevent or reduce kidney and liver damage

NAC plays an important role in the body's detoxification process. It can help prevent side effects of exposure to environmental toxins.

Doctors regularly give intravenous NAC to people who have overdosed on acetaminophen to prevent or reduce kidney and liver damage. NAC is also used for other liver diseases thanks to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

NAC can improve mental health conditions and help with substance abuse

NAC helps regulate glutamate levels, the brain's most important neurotransmitter. While glutamate is required for regular brain activity, excess glutamate and too little glutathione can cause brain damage.

This can contribute to mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

For people with bipolar disorder and depression, NAC can help reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. In addition, research suggests that it may play a role in the treatment of moderate to severe OCD.

NAC may potentially minimize the negative effects of schizophrenia, such as social withdrawal, and apathy.

NAC can also be used to minimize abuse. Some studies show that NAC can reduce cannabis and nicotine use and cravings.

NAC helps relieve symptoms of breathing difficulties

NAC can relieve symptoms of respiratory problems by acting as an antioxidant and acting as an expectorant, by "loosening" mucus in the airways.

As an antioxidant, NAC helps replenish glutathione levels in the lungs and reduces inflammation in the airways and lung tissue.

People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience long-term oxidative damage and inflammation of lung tissue, which causes the airways to constrict, leading to shortness of breath and coughing.

Some studies suggest that NAC as a dietary supplement can help improve the symptoms of COPD.

People with chronic bronchitis may also benefit from NAC. Bronchitis occurs when the mucous membranes in the bronchial passages of the lungs become inflamed, swell and close off the airways to the lungs.

By thinning mucus in the airways and increasing levels of glutathione, NAC may help reduce the severity and frequency of wheezing, coughing, and respiratory attacks.

In addition to relieving COPD and bronchitis, NAC can also improve other lung and respiratory conditions, such as cystic fibrosis, asthma, and pulmonary fibrosis, as well as symptoms of blocked sinuses due to allergies or infections.

NAC boosts brain health by regulating glutamate and replenishing glutathione

NAC's ability to replenish glutathione and regulate brain glutamate levels may improve brain health.

The neurotransmitter glutamate is involved in a wide range of learning, behavior, and memory functions, while the antioxidant glutathione helps reduce oxidative damage to brain cells associated with aging.

Because NAC helps regulate glutamate levels and replenish glutathione, NAC may benefit those with health conditions that affect the brain and memory.

Alzheimer's disease slows learning and memory capacity. Studies suggest that NAC can slow the decline of this in people with Alzheimer's disease.

Parkinson's disease is characterized by the deterioration of cells that generate the neurotransmitter dopamine. Both oxidative damage to cells and a decrease in antioxidant capacity contribute to this disease.

A dietary supplement with NAC seems to improve both dopamine function and disease symptoms such as tremors.

While NAC may improve brain health, more human research is needed.