Q. What
is NAC?
A. N-acetyl cysteine is a derivative form of the amino acid
cysteine, a mucolytic (breaks up mucus) and precursor to glutathione,
an antioxidant crucially important to the immune system, as well as
a free radical scavenger. [Top]
Q. What does glutathione
do?
A. Glutathione deficiency
has been found in a majority of diseases, since oxidation is a factor
in most illness. Glutathione is like antioxidant 'rustoleum' for your
body, preventing the building of free radicals that can eat away
at you and cause cancer. [Top]
Q. Why not just
take glutathione?
A.
Because orally administered glutathione largely breaks
down in the digestive tract, and what doesn't break down is difficult
to assimilate. [Top]
Q. Why is Effervescent
NAC so much better?
A. Because
in the presence of air, active NAC starts to degrade and destabilize,
becoming less active, and less effective. The longer the exposure, the
weaker it gets. Capsules and tablets are exposed to air during processing,
packaging, and sitting on a shelf in the bottle itself. Effervescent
NAC has been processed in a strict, limited air environment, and has
individually sealed wafers that are still fully active when you make
the tasty, fizzy little drink. [Top]
Q. Are
there any side effects?
A.
Up to 1800 mg per day has been used in
clinical studies with no adverse or toxic side effects. There are some
studies available that used a much higher dose without toxic side effects.
[Top]
Q. Is
NAC for everyone?
A. Nearly anyone can benefit
from NAC, however there are a few contraindications, such as people
who form cystine renal stones. They should take extra Vitamin C with
NAC. People taking nitroglycerin may experience severe headache, as
NAC tends to enhance some drugs. Refer to our page Who
Shouldn't Take NAC to learn more. [Top]
Q. How
fast does it work?
A. That depends on how
much you're asking it to do. If you just noticed a little tickle in
your throat and don't want to go through having a cold, it can turn
you around in 3-12 hours. If you have COPD with mucus and a weak immune
system, it could take up to 60 days to really make headway, and although
your glutathione levels increase 90 minutes after consumption, you wouldn't
really "feel" that. [Top]
Q. What
happens if I stop taking it?
A. You will eventually
lose the benefits you built up, but there's no other detriment. [Top]
Q. If
it's so good for your immune system, will it help with HIV?
A.
Absolutely! It's becoming a mainstay of
immunoreconstitution therapy. [Top]
Q. Is
the dosage the same for everyone?
A. Mostly,
since there are no reports of toxicity. However petite people,
(around 120 lbs.) may want to start off with a half dose, which would
be 600 mg. per day, and see if that's enough. Economy and efficiency
would be the only reason to try less. People with pulmonary fibrosis
and ALS have been advised to take 3 or 4 600 mg.doses daily by their
doctors.[Top]
Q. Is
there anything I need to do while using NAC?
A.
Yes. Since NAC requires more Vit. C, selenium
and zinc, you should be taking a good multivitamin/mineral supplement
with Vit. C <1-2gr>, selenium <55-400mcg.>
and zinc <4-40mg.> when using NAC. The reason for this
is Vitamin C helps keep the glutathione is a reduced state linger, which
in effect, makes the benefit last longer. If you have heavy metal toxins
accumulated, your body has sent selenium and zinc to bind to these toxins
in an effort to somewhat shield you from them. When the NAC removes
those metals, the selenium and zinc go too. Zinc is found in all meats,
and selenium in nuts, especially Brazil nuts. It's also a good idea
to drink 6-8 glasses of good water, since NAC pulls the toxins out,
you need to wash them away.[Top]
Q. Is
NAC good for smokers?
A.
Without question! It breaks up the congestion
and mucus in the lungs, removes the heavy metal cadmium, which you get
from cigarettes, and scavenges the free radicals that can lead to cancer.
NAC has been shown to inhibit the progression of cancer and shrink lung
tumors. See the research and benefits
pages. [Top]