What is NAC?
N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is a powerful antioxidant, recommended as a potential treatment option for several disorders resulting from free oxygen radicals. Additionally, it is a mucolytic drug that mellows tenacious mucous discharges (eugh). It is a precursor to L-Cysteine, which stimulates biosynthesis of the cellular antioxidant Glutathione, which acts in these known capacities
- Direct chemical neutralization of singlet oxygen, hydroxyl radicals, and superoxide radicals
- Cofactor for several antioxidant enzymes
- Regeneration of vitamins C and E
- Neutralization of free radicals produced by Phase I liver metabolism of chemical toxins
- One of approximately 7 liver Phase II reactions, which conjugate the activated intermediates produced by Phase I to make them water soluble for excretion by the kidneys
- Transportation of mercury out of cells and the brain
- Regulation of cellular proliferation and apoptosis
- Vital to mitochondrial function and maintenance of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)
NAC was first approved by the FDA as a respiratory drug in 1963. It’s also used to prevent serious liver damage from acetaminophen poisoning. But it’s been available in dietary supplement products since 1977, as the ingredient itself is appears to be completely safe for most people. In fact, the only death in all that time was iatrogenic, a nurse mistakenly prepared a 10X overdose IV bag, for a patient who attempted suicide by Acetaminophen overdose! If she had gotten the 10g formuala instead of the 100g formula, the patient would likely have been saved.
What is changing?
The FDA has pushed back on the use of NAC in supplements since 2010, but it’s ramped up significantly this year. Given numerous studies indicating positive effect on liver function, some supplement makers began making hangover pills with medical claims, a distinct no-no in the supplement/pharma war.
(Funny that pharma gets away with making so many baseless claims – like 95% efficacy!) While the current assault appears to be based on these cases, they could be settled quickly with a cease and desist order against those specific companies. They don’t require an outright ban of 173 different formulated products available in health food stores for years.
Supplement industry groups claim that NAC is considered grandfathered, and that the FDA has even allowed them to make proven health claims. The FDA states that there’s no evidence that NAC was used as a supplement prior to its use as a drug, in 1963, so including NAC in a supplement makes the product an unapproved drug and thus illegal. By August 18th 2020, US Senator Michael Lee of Utah and the Natural Products Association started pressuring the FDA for a hearing on WHY they were considering scheduling NAC after 53 years, but within days, the FDA refused.
What is it that they are concerned about?
Many speculate this push to ban is due to new clinical investigations into the use of NAC for COVID-19. A quick search of the NIH Library of Medicine shows dozens of papers combing the existing evidence, biological role, anti-inflammatory effects, oxidative stress relief, gastrointestinal benefit, action with copper, and overall high value in the prevention and therapy of covid-19. Every single study states in their Results that evidence suggests that NAC MUST BE INVESTIGATED IN RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIALS, so what has happened?
NAC for covid-19 – Research or Murder?
Here the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center opened a trial in May of 2020, with the intention to enroll a mere 48 cases, but not intended to be complete until May 2023. How does that work to stop a pandemic? Perhaps they were concerned about meeting the selection criteria. Despite NAC being incredibly safe and valuable in numerous conditions, the patients must be in the ICU and/or require mechanical ventilation! You can’t test the potentially life saving medicine until you are already dying! Sound familiar?
Using a similar criteria, this study from Brazil showed complete lack of effect – in patients already 7 days sick and oxygen depleted! This study showed, in patients already suffering from Acute Respiratory Disease Syndrome, that NAC may be a little late. While we applaud the hope that terminal cases could be turned around with a miracle drug, what is it about the system that it refuses to test a viable drug for early treatment or prevention? There is not a single study for either!
THE CONTROL GROUP POV
NAC looks like another extremely cheap prophylactic and therapeutic agent that the pharmaceutical lobby would like to shut down before it is proven effective against covid. Like every other useful drug being warred on (see our Ivermectin Blog), if NAC was proven effective, the Emergency Use Authorization for vaccines would be revoked, and the whole house of cards collapses.
Even if they get the vaccines approved, as a 10-cent repurposed supplement, there is no money in NAC for the pharmacrats, unless it becomes part of a patented formula. Our guess is that they will stop at nothing to wrest it away from the public before they realize that covid is presents no danger to a moderately conscious populace. We don’t sell it, but our advice is to visit your local health food store and
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