OK, all you herbal fairies , I want to hear your opinion.
I am taking 600 mg a NAC a day. I had one helath care provider tell me to take it on empty stomach, and another that said to take it with a meal.
Which is it?
Posted by dmc (Member # 5102) on :
I take on empty stomach
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
It is supposed to be taken on an empty stomach. I have a hard time remembering to take so many things that I end up taking it with food so that I don't forget. Not sure how much this affects the absorption though.
Posted by dex3703 (Member # 23930) on :
Does NAC actually do anything? Is it worth taking? It gives me very bad sulfurous-smelling gas!
Posted by kday (Member # 22234) on :
Well, lets see if I can name some things
-Increasing glutathione for detoxification -Helps get rid of mucus and phlegm -Inhibits biofilms from forming -Used in hospitals in an IV for Tylenol overdose -Reduces pain and cramping associated with oxidative stress -Reduces symptoms of schizophrenia, bipolar, anxiety, depression, etc. -Helps with cognitive function
It does so many things, and they just keep finding more scientifically proven things NAC is useful for. It's a great drug. I've been taking it every day for months now to band-aid my symptoms a bit.
Or you can just do a pubmed search to see how NAC can help so many things.
Posted by radfaraf (Member # 11909) on :
NAC seems to cause really bad stomach irritation for me. I tried it with a meal and that didn't help I found it worked best if I took it with a lot of water it causes no problems. I don't have stomach issues with anything else I've ever taken just NAC.
Posted by kday (Member # 22234) on :
It may cause stomach irritation because it gets rid of mucus. I have stomach problems, and taking slippery elm bark, DGL, and marshmallow root has really helped me.
I'm not sure if the stomach problems were exacerbated by long term use of NAC since it's been bothering me even before taking NAC. I think the stomach problems were worsened because of periods of neurologically induced stress. I always take it with my Whey shake. I think it says to take it on an empty stomach, but I rarely do.
It may help if you get a sustained released version of NAC.
Posted by GiGi (Member # 259) on :
NAC taken alone, with or without food, is not safe. Please read some of my older posts on that subject. Never take it solo.
Take care.
GiGi #259 posted:
29 October, 2009 01:43 AM
Do read my older posts before taking NAC.
I learned this during my healing journey from Dr.K. several years ago
Several studies have shown that all the sulfhydryl-containing amino acids can redistritute mercury to other body compartments.
Following the law of osmosis, we separate the body into two parts:
1. the brain 2. the rest of the body
They are separated by the blood brain barrier. If you have a lot of mercury in the lower part of the body, it may cause very, very few symptoms. If you have a tiny amount of mercury in the brain, it causes a hugh amount of pathology.
What happens when you swallow N-acetyl cystine, it first contacts the gut mucosa which is loaded with mercury. It picks up the mercury there and then it kind of goes through the lymphatic system and the immune system and picks up more mercury in the endothelium; but the brain sends a message that it needs cysteine for functioning, so the cysteine then drags it in its tail. It's used as a shuttling agent. It drags with it the mercury back into the brain.
Only if all the areas besides the brain have been cleared of heavy metals is NAC safe to use. None of the agents are bad if given at the right time, in the right sequence, together with the right co-factors and in the absence of things that disturb the process. Your doctor should know how if he/she is familiar with heavy metal detoxification.
Be very careful with NAC.
Take care.
(GiGi)
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Posted by kday (Member # 22234) on :
"The ability of NAC to enhance methylmercury excretion when given orally, its relatively low toxicity, and its wide availability in the clinical setting indicate that it may be an ideal therapeutic agent for use in cases of methylmercury poisoning. [Environ Health Perspectives, 1998, 106(5): pp.267-71]
Earlier concerns over NAC causing mercury to accumulate in the brain and kidneys, as can occur with L-cysteine, now appear to be unfounded. The initial concerns were opinions only, based on L-cysteine research, not NAC research. Still, some clinicians feel that symptom worsening occurs with the use of large doses of NAC (over 300mg per day), especially if they already have elevated levels of L-cysteine. If L-cystiene levels are elevated, cystiene containing products such as protein powders should be avoided."
I do take whey protein and NAC. Nothing has helps my brain (and the rest of my body) more. I won't stop taking it as it helps me the most out of anything.
Maybe some people get worse from NAC. I never found anything better. I know people here respect you for your knowledge on the Klinghardt type stuff, but I will hold a different opinion than you on this one.