This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Cautions

L-Cysteine is converted into toxic L-Cystine without Vitamin C. Vitamin C should always be taken with NAC.

L-Cysteine is also an excitotoxin in the brain which can seriously damage brain cells. In fact, it is thought by some that L-Cysteine is the culprit in neuromuscular diseases such as ALS, MS and Alzheimer's. People with those conditions either metabolize the amino acid incorrectly or have it catalyzed by such metals as Aluminum. L-Cysteine excitotoxicity is completely blocked by Zinc which should also always be taken with it.

many of the studies used megadoses of NAC, on the order of gram(s) per kg of animal weight, so I wonder if we're even making a drop in the bucket

How long have you been taking 4.8g/day?

What reactions have others discussed?

Tracy,

I was also interested in NAC. I had read a news release showing clinical trial of NAC in conjunction with Copaxone at Jewish General Hospital in Montreal (http://www.sciencesdelavie-montreal.com ... iche/17639)

I did phone the lead investigator, Dr. Schipper, who is a neurologist as well as being listed in release as a specialist in antioxidants. Schipper was sort of in a rush and called me back on my cell when I didn't have notes at hand. So read this with caution.

Schipper said he had reviewed a range of antioxidants to use in his studies and picked NAC because
(1) it had already shown some MS promise in the mouse studies
(2) it is one of few antioxidants that can be shown to cross the BBB
(3) it had already been shown effective in some neurological conditions (a rare form of childhood epilepsy, I couldn't get down name) and
(4) the side effects are negligible

He said alpha lipoic acid had been on his short list but it was lacking the mouse studies and there was some question in his mind whether it crosses the BBB.

He said his study is using a Copaxone/NAC combination because he went the rounds of several drug companies and Teva showed interest and funded the trial.

He originally wanted to do a trial testing NAC/Alone as well as NAC/Copaxone, but it would take too many patients. He's hoping if this trial proves effective he can do a phase III that will determine impact of NAC on its own.

WIth respect to dosage, he is administering 5 g a day in 2 dosages of 2500 mg.

I asked if there was any possible interaction of NAC with other drugs, or possible effects of taking NAC with another antioxident such as alpha lipoic acid. He was not really clear on the answer to this, but pointed out, that if I was concerned one of the best natural sources of NAC is tomatoes (cooked, not raw) as well as pomegranate juice.

FYI I can get pure pomegranate juice at local grocery store and coincidentally had been drinking it regularly ever since having an incredible pomegranate martini at Christmas.

Also FYI I have started to add a 500 mg tablet of NAC to my supplements but I am would be concerned about going up to 2500 mg.

I'm anxious to hear if anyone else has any information or for example can tell me whether it would be better taking NAC with full-range amino acid supplement etc.

I'm also anxious to hear just how everyone handles all this disparate information. Do you just decide to pick a few therapies that don't seem to have much potential for collision and hope for the best? Why, for example, does someone decide to take NAC, and another decides to try Inosine or Statins?

LJM