NAC
Monograph · AN-acetylcysteine (NAC)
Cysteine prodrug + glutathione precursor. Mucolytic + antioxidant + glutamate-modulator with FDA-approved hospital + dermatology applications.
How it clearsHalf cleared in ~6h. Most (~96%) gone by ~1d.
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Mechanism, evidence, legal path, cost — all side-by-side.
Acetylated form of L-cysteine, the rate-limiting amino acid for glutathione synthesis. FDA-approved as IV antidote for acetaminophen overdose, oral mucolytic for COPD/cystic fibrosis, and topical for ichthyosis. Off-label use spans psychiatric (OCD trials, trichotillomania), addiction (cocaine, gambling — modest signal), respiratory, and antioxidant-loading protocols. Most-cited supplement on r/Nootropics for stacking with peptides because glutathione cofactors enhance peptide tolerability.
Cohort curves show movement — your n=1 often lags the median by one check-in cycle. The gap between "I should feel it" and "labs show it" is where most people quit early. Metabolic compounds still need lifestyle structure; modest results without it are mechanism, not failure.
GI upset (nausea, sulfur burps) at high doses — split with food. Asthma-like bronchospasm rare but reported in IV use; oral form is safer. May reduce nitroglycerin efficacy (sulfhydryl interaction). Discontinue 2 weeks pre-surgery (mild antiplatelet effect). NMN + NAC stack popular but no synergy data — pure additive antioxidant load.
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Upload in /historyPer-claim grading. Each claim is graded independently — same peptide, different claims can carry different grades.
- BModerate evidence
Cysteine prodrug + glutathione precursor
1 supporting referencesVerified 23d ago - AStrong evidence
NAC is an FDA-approved drug active ingredient
1 supporting referencesVerified 23d ago
External links to PubMed searches, ClinicalTrials.gov, and FDA materials. We do not host papers — we point at canonical sources.
- PubMedENREVIEWAcademic-fundedVerified 48d agoMokhtari V et al. — NAC clinical applications review (Cell J 2017)
- PubMedENREVIEWAcademic-fundedVerified 48d agoBerk M et al. — NAC psychiatric meta-analysis (Lancet Psychiatry 2014)
- RegulatoryENREGULATORYNIH-fundedVerified 48d agoFDA — Acetadote IV labeling (acetaminophen overdose)
FDA-approved (IV + topical + oral mucolytic). Dietary-supplement status was challenged 2020-2022; FDA quietly stepped back. Sold OTC.
Distilled themes from named communities — Reddit threads, forums, creator commentary. Not direct quotes; not clinical evidence. Useful for calibrating expectations against what real self-experimenters report.
Most-stacked supplement with GLP-1 + peptide protocols. Cohort consensus: subtle but reliable — fewer headaches, cleaner detox window during titration. Sulfur-smell tolerance is a real factor.
Next visit & citations
Handoff & sources
Running this compound? Log it in /history, then open Dr Passport before your visit. Methodology explains grades; the research dashboard sorts the full catalog with citations.