What Is N-Acetyl-Cysteine and Why Does it Support Antioxidant Health?
As one of the main components of Synaura’s antiaging product, Avia, N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC) is derived from an amino acid, Cysteine. NAC is an important building block for the body’s own production of its best and most powerful antioxidant, glutathione as well as many other interesting medical uses.
According to Web MD:
N-acetyl cysteine is used to counteract acetaminophen (Tylenol) and carbon monoxide poisoning. It is also used for
- chest pain (unstable angina)
- bile duct blockage in infants
- amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease)
- Alzheimer’s disease
- allergic reactions to the anti-seizure drug phenytoin (Dilantin), and
- an eye infection called keratoconjunctivitis
It is also used for:
- reducing levels of a type of cholesterol called lipoprotein (a)
- reducing homocysteine levels (a possible risk factor for heart disease) and
- reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients with serious kidney disease
Some people use N-acetyl cysteine for:
- chronic bronchitis,
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),
- hay fever,
- a lung condition called fibrosing alveolitis,
- head and neck cancer,
- and lung cancer.
It is also used for:
- treating some forms of epilepsy;
- ear infections;
- complications of kidney dialysis;
- chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS);
- an autoimmune disorder called Sjogren’s syndrome;
- preventing sports injury complications;
- radiation treatment;
- increasing immunity to flu and H1N1 (swine) flu;
- and for detoxifying heavy metals such as mercury, lead, and cadmium.
N-acetyl cysteine is also used for:
- preventing alcoholic liver damage;
- for protecting against environmental pollutants including carbon monoxide, chloroform, urethanes and certain herbicides;
- for reducing toxicity of ifosfamide and doxorubicin, drugs that are used for cancer treatment;
- as a hangover remedy;
- for preventing kidney damage due to certain X-ray dyes;
- and for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Healthcare providers give N-acetyl cysteine intravenously (by IV) for
- acetaminophen overdose,
- acrylonitrile poisoning,
- amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease),
- kidney failure in the presence of liver disease (hepatorenal syndrome),
- chest pain in combination with nitroglycerin,
- heart attack in combination with nitroglycerin and streptokinase,
- and for helping to prevent multi-organ failure leading to death.
N-actyl cysteine is sometimes inhaled (breathed into the lungs) or delivered through a tube in the throat to treat certain lung disorders such as pneumonia, bronchitis, emphysema, cystic fibrosis, and others.
It is especially useful for lung conditions by breaking up and reducing the viscosity of mucus and thus clearing air passages to enable better breathing.
Can we get NAC in our diet?
Although food is not a significant source of NAC directly, the body is able to make it from Cysteine which is present in most high-protein foods. Whey protein is a particularly good source of cysteine. Other food sources include poultry, yogurt, egg yolks, and red peppers.
Is NAC safe?
NAC is safe for adults in therapeautic doses in the range of 500 mg to 1500 mg per day. Although Synaura does not publish the amount of NAC they put in Avia, we do know that the amount has been optimized to work in synergism with all the other ingredients to support optimal health when consuming one fluid ounce (30 ml) per day.
