The Real Reasons to Use NAC (N-Acetylcysteine) for Brain, Liver, & immunity

Dr. Stengler: N-acetylcysteine is a powerful supplement, but most people don't know what to use it for and how to use it. So in this video, I'm going to talk about all the important facts you need to know about N-acetylcysteine; some people refer to it as NAC.

N-acetylcysteine is actually a very potent antioxidant in the body, and it neutralizes harmful free radicals that can damage your cells. It's also very important because it increases the body's glutathione levels, which are possibly the most powerful antioxidant in the body. N-acetylcysteine is used to support liver and kidney detoxification, and we use it to support immunity. Hospitals actually use N-acetylcysteine for very specific uses, which shows the power behind the science of it. NAC is given to patients who have overdosed on acetaminophen to prevent damage to the liver, or liver toxicity. In addition, it's used orally and by nebulization, where you breathe it in, to reduce mucus thickness and promote drainage in the respiratory system.

But in holistic medicine, we use N-acetylcysteine for many different reasons. Number one, we use it for upper respiratory problems as well as the lungs — for sinusitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia — because it has the unique property of breaking up and thinning mucus so that your body can drain it better, getting it out of your sinus and lungs. NAC is an anti-inflammatory, so it has anti-inflammatory effects on the body, including the respiratory system. Often I'll use it for patients who have bronchitis, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), sinusitis, or any condition where mucus is a problem in the respiratory system, including people who have post-nasal drip — you wake up coughing in the morning because you have post-nasal drip during the night. There are different doses you can use for NAC; most people use between 600 to 1,200 milligrams per day, but you can use up to 4,000 milligrams in people with chronic bronchitis or COPD to get a more powerful effect. I also like to use it as a nebulized breathing treatment, which works well for people who have bronchitis, pneumonia, or sinusitis, because you can thin that mucus so it can be drained. NAC needs to be prescribed by a doctor.

In terms of the immune system, as we're getting into the fall and winter, NAC is great for immune function. It's been shown in studies to improve natural killer cells — these are like Navy SEALs that go around through your bloodstream and kill bad bugs, viruses, bacteria, fungi, and even cancer cells. We know that only 25% of people who were given NAC for a period of 6 months got the flu when taking it for immune protection, versus 79% who took a placebo in one study. NAC is also a great supplement to improve liver function, because it's anti-inflammatory, an antioxidant, and it enhances glutathione, so it helps to support your detox pathways and can help with fatty liver and liver accumulation that occurs so commonly in Americans.

Now let's look at it for kidney protection. It's one of the few agents shown to protect against kidney injury from contrast dyes used in imaging. The protective effects are thought to be due to its antioxidant and vasodilating actions, improving blood flow through the kidneys, and it's been shown in some studies to prevent apoptosis, or kidney cell death. Studies have been somewhat mixed on the benefit of NAC preventing kidney injury from contrast dye; however, there was a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association that reported NAC supplementation was associated with a significant decrease in kidney injury from contrast dye. The dosages used in this meta-analysis varied greatly; I normally have people take 600 to 1,000 milligrams a few hours before their contrast dye study and another 600 to 1,000 milligrams afterwards to support that kidney detoxification.

NAC also helps with mood disorders. It's had studies in journals like Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, and the researchers summarized their findings by saying they find favorable evidence for the use of NAC in several psychiatric and neurological disorders, particularly autism, Alzheimer's disease, cocaine and cannabis addiction, bipolar disorder, depression, conditions where people are pulling their hair known as trichotillomania, nail-biting, skin-picking, OCD, schizophrenia, drug-induced neuropathy or nerve damage, and progressive myoclonic epilepsy. They note that it's very safe in terms of its tolerance. It also has a balancing effect on the neurotransmitter known as glutamate, which is an excitatory neurotransmitter, and has been shown to help with dopamine balance, because dopamine, when imbalanced, can cause low motivation and depression. For most people, a typical dose would be 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams one to two times daily, best taken on an empty stomach. People who are on psychiatric medication should check with their doctor first before using it.

Overall, NAC is a very safe supplement to use, and the average person will do very well with it. I hope you found this video effective — now you know how to use NAC for different conditions and the doses. If you want to find more videos on detoxification, helping your immune system, and the best supplements with the best studies, look for more videos on my YouTube channel.

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