NAC

[Nomad]

I see a fair amount of people here take the NAC supplement.  I understand it helps the body produce Glutathione, which is a very important antioxidant.  I have one doctor who is taking classes to be a functional doc.  He says I should take TWO tablets of this totaling to,1200 mg.  I think most people take one tablet of 600 units.  I think my doctor is concerned about Lymphoma prevention.  Additionally, I have a fair amount of cancer in my family tree.  So, I'm curious as to why folks here are taking NAC, but particularly what dosage you are taking.  Thank you. 

[Jasper]

I take NAC 600 mg twice a day. Total of 1200 mg per day.

I take it for the following reasons: Antioxidant;  Anti-inflammatory; Lower Lipids; Neurological Function/Cognitive Function; Mucolytic Agent

The one area I can actually see the difference is in my sinus and nasal discharge. I used to have (many years) very dry, thick, whitish/creamish sinus and nasal mucous. Since being on the NAC it is very thin, watery, and clear. My breathing is so much improved. My ENT did confirm that it was the NAC that was causing the sinus and nasal secretions to be thin, clear, and watery instead of thick and creamy.

The other areas are more difficult to measure in terms of how much the NAC is affecting them, especially since I take several supplements. Many of them affect the same things  (Antioxidant;  Anti-inflammatory; Lower Lipids; Neurological Function/Cognitive Function).

[Joe S.]

NAC is not good if you are diabetic.

[Maria3667]

I used to take NAC and it does help me produce more saliva. But I quit taking it when I discovered it made me  gain weight!! (what doesn't?) 

[Jasper]

"I used to take NAC and it does help me produce more saliva."


Interesting!

Maybe that is why I have more saliva as well as more and clearer sinus mucous.

[bluegardenia]

what is nac please?

[Jasper]

NAC is  N-Acetyl L-Cysteine.

[bluegardenia]

i still cannot understand how you can take all those pills or capsules... i can take may be one a day breaking it or swallowing with some food but this takes fear and time to decide to do it and to prepare it... and if i succeed, most of the pills affect my gastritis and if it does not affect my gastritis i will probably have diarrhea... so when i see the list of all the medicines most of you take, i feel the most sick person here...(sob)

[Nymph]

I take it. It helps with nasal/throat dryness and mouth dryness for me. It also has other benefits that make it worth taking.

[bluegardenia]

i did not know what is this nac but i understand thats something i use with areosol when i used to have thick mucous in the past . but it affects my stomach and bladder. anybody with the same problem? thanks

[lane]

NAC is not good if you are diabetic.

Why?

[Kathy57]

Jasper, 

I never knew that NAC can help with thick sinus drainage.  Where have I been when people have been discussing this?

I'm going to get me some pronto!  How long before I see a difference?  (With my damned luck, it probably won't work for me.😞)

I'm going to try it and let everyone know how it works out for me.  It would be awesome if it did!

Kathy

[Jasper]

Kathy ..... I am not sure how long it takes to work. I actually started taking it for another reason and then noticed my sinus and nasal secretions thinned out. But I don't remember how long it took. I have been taking it since October 2013. My sinus and nasal secretions have been pretty thin now for over a year. I just don't recall for sure when I noticed them getting thinner.

I knew NAC was used as a mucolytic for lung secretions and that it is sometimes used in Sjogren's (for thinning the lung secretions) so I figured that the reason my sinus secretions thinned was due to the NAC. I discussed this with my ENT doctor recently and she agreed that the NAC was thinning my sinus and nasal secretions.

[Nomad]

What dosage helps with thinning mucus?

[Jasper]

I started taking 600 mg a day in Oct. 2013  and then increased it to 600 mg twice a day in Sept. 2014. My mucous was already thin on 600 mg a day. I increased it to twice a day for other reasons.

Be sure to talk with your doctor before taking NAC. In addition, I would recommend doing your own on line research so that you know the effects, side effects, contraindications, dosages, etc.