N.A.C.

[alice1]

was it on this site that someone posted NAC was not a good treatment for cfs/ebv/me?
thanks

 

[spindrift]

Alice I saw it somewhere in the B12 section, I think. It is definitely on this forum. If I remember correctly it was freddd that posted it. It was posted in connection with methylation. Hope this gives you some direction where to look. Good luck finding it.

 

[heapsreal]

nac is an antioxidant which your body uses to make its own antioxidant- glutathione, its used in hospitals for paracetamol/tylenol overdoses as it protects the liver. I have used it for a few years to protect my liver from the meds i use for cfs, i have been on antivirals for atleast 18months and my last blood test showed no liver problems, so its useful if your concerned about liver problems as well as its antioxidant effect. As far as having an effect on ebv, i cant say it has, but anything that is for general health is good for you. I think thats the same with most supplements, they can help u try to keep healthy but would mostly only have an indirect affect on cfs. Lipoic acid is another good antioxidant as well.

cheers!!!!

 

[alice1]

thanks to both of you.
i have a liver support vitamin and n.a.c. is one of the ingredients.i'll take a look in the methylation thread just to be sure.

 

[Sunday]

Hi alice1, the "Hidden Story" methylation thread is long, so I hope I've got this link right for Freddd's latest explanation about the bad effects glutathione precursors had on his methylation. I'm pretty sure that he and Rich agree that the problem with the glut supplements is that your body stops even trying to produce its own. Removing at least some of the methylation block, while slower, allows the body to start making its own glutathione.

I have seen some people say they do well on glutathione/glut precursors such as NAC. I don't know if this is a case where some things work for some and not for others, or the initial effects are good but the long-term ones are bad, or what. I do think it is very worthwhile reading Freddd's cautions because it set him back quite a bit.

 

[BEG]

was it on this site that someone posted NAC was not a good treatment for cfs/ebv/me?
thanks

Hi Alice1, For what this worth, I dont' know if you saw the Cheney videos? I can remember at the conclusion of one, the audience was leaving and Dr. Cheney was loudly proclaiming, "Don't take N.A.C.!" Since, I have no memory, I couldn't tell you why, but I never opened my supplement bottle.

BE G

 

[August59]

I think someone mentioned that NAC either crossed, or opened up, the blood brain barrier. I think there was concern if NAC was detoxing that it could carry the toxins back into the brain. It was something along this line of thinking anyway.

 

[klutzo]

I'm pretty sure it was that NAC could move mercury into the brain, so it should not be used until you've cleared up all your mercury issues.

I took it for years, not knowing this, and it did not seem to do anything, one way or the other. Ditto for Alpha-lipoic acid, another one that is sometimes warned against.

klutzo

 

[alice1]

thanks everone..i just rememeber the 'don't take it' i went and got a liver support tincture that i like.i have a huge bottle of n.a.c. and didn't want to waste it but i'd rather be safe than sorry at this point.

 

[richvank]

Hi, alice1.

The issue with NAC in CFS does indeed involve mercury. It has been found by Aposhian et al. that NAC can move mercury into the brain in rats. Dr. David Quig of Doctors Data Lab has recommended limiting the dosage to 300 mg per day if there is thought to be a significant body burden of mercury, for this reason. Dr. Cheney has reported that he has heard of two people with CFS who committed suicide after taking large dosages of NAC. I don't know how large the dosages were, or why they committed suicide, but perhaps mercury neurotoxicity is a suspect.

Freddd reported that taking NAC and other glutathione precursors set him back considerably, but I think it's important to note that freddd has reported that he has an inborn error of metabolism that involves the intracellular B12 processing enzymes. Apparently, his cells are unable to utilize vitamin B12 once it has combined with glutathione, which is a normal step for most people. So freddd's experience with NAC may not represent what would happen for most PWCs.

On the other hand, some PWCs have reported benefit from taking a combination of NAC and the other two amino acids that make up glutathione, thus supporting the liver's ability to synthesize it. This combination was sold on the internet for several years, and perhaps it still is.

So that's as much as I know about it.

Best regards,

Rich

 

[Sunday]

Thanks Rich, for adding your educated and clearly-put knowledge. I guess NAC continues to be an unfolding mystery.