N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) is the pre-acetylized form of the simple amino acid cysteine. It is a powerful antioxidant, a premier antitoxin and immune support substance, and is found naturally in foods. It is a precursor for glutathione, along with glutamine and glycine, an important antioxidant that protects cells against oxidative stress. In addition to maintaining intracellular glutathione levels, NAC supplementation has been shown to suppresses HIV replication, to be protective against cell damage caused by chemotherapy and radiation therapy, to be immune enhancing, to protect against toxins as acetamenaphen and other drugs, mercury, lead, and others, and is mucolytic, that is, it breaks up mucus seen in bronchopulmonary disease as cystic fibrosis, chronic bronchitis, asthma, and pneumonia.
NAC has all the properties of L-Cysteine but is more water soluble and said to be more bioavailable than L-Cysteine. It is known and marketed as an “anti-amalgam” medicine, because it helps remove mercury from the body. It also generally improves the body’s immune system, making it better able to fight off disease. It is freely available from health-food shops in many countries. NAC has neither a sedative or stimulant effect, and is a safe substance showing excellent tolerance in patients.