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NAC

NAC

NAC (N-Acetyl-L-cysteine) supplements

NAC, also called N-acetyl-L-cysteine, is a chemical that our own body can produce. The base of it is another chemical: L-cysteine, an amino acid. Read more about NAC and NAC supplements.

What is NAC and what does L-cysteine have to do with it?

NAC is produced with L-cysteine. L-cysteine is an amino acid which contains sulfur.

Amino acids are building blocks of proteins. L-cysteine, like amino acid, therefore plays a considerably part in our body.

Generally speaking, our body can produce L-cysteine itself from another amino acid called L-methionine (are you taking notes?). But sometimes our body can’t produce enough of L-cysteine to meet our needs. That’s where NAC comes to the rescue.

NAC is really an ‘approved’ version of L-cysteine. It has a few advantages compared to L-cysteine. For example, our body bears NAC more easily, it’s easier absorbed by our body, and it’s less sensitive to potential damage caused by oxidation.

What are amino acids?

Amino acids are small building blocks that form proteins together. Proteins are invaluable to our body because they’re involved in many important processes.

In total, there are 20 different kinds of amino acids that our body uses to produce proteins. Each amino acid has its own unique properties. Our body can produce some amino acids itself. These are called the non-essential amino acids. Other amino acids can only be absorbed through food. These are the essential amino acids.

Amino acids link together to form long chain groups: the proteins. The order and combination of the amino acids determines the structure and function of the protein. It’s essentially a sort of code that determines the properties and function of the protein. This makes amino acids  important to our bodily functions.

Amino acids and aging

When we get older, changes take place in the metabolism of amino acids in our body. This can have various effects on the availability and usage of amino acids.

For example, our body’s absorption of proteins can decrease as we get older. This means that you gain less amino acids from the same food as before. Additionally, the production of certain amino acids in our body can diminish, which means that we become less efficient at creating them.

Furthermore, the distribution and use of amino acids in our body can change over time. They essentially become less efficient.

Additionally, certain factors such as a decrease of muscle mass, can influence our body’s need for amino acids. As we grow older, muscle atrophy can increase and building muscle can become more difficult. Because of this, we often need a larger quantity of specific amino acids.

This of course depends on the individual. Every single body is different and the way our bodies handle amino acids is too. Additionally, it highly depends on outside factor such as our lifestyle, our diet, and our genes.

NAC supplements

L-cysteine is a non-essential amino acid. This means that our body produces L-cysteine. We don’t necessarily need to receive L-cystine through our diet. Protein-rich foods, such as dairy, meat, and poultry, contain cysteine as part of their protein structure.

On the other hand, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is not directly available in food, but only in the form of supplements. We’ve already seen that NAC is better absorbed by the body.

 NAC:

  • Stands for N-acetylcysteine and is derived from L-cysteine.
  • Is considered the improved version of L-cysteine.
  • Is more bearable and more easily absorbed by the body.
  • Is less sensitive to oxidation damage than L-cysteine.
  • Functions as a donor of sulfur.
  • Is the immediate predecessor of…

NAC is therefore the logical choice for supplements. There is a lot of ongoing research that seek to bring other benefits of NAC to the light. Because of strict regulation we’re not allowed to name these health benefits until they are included in the special database of the EU.

NAC in combination with Glycine: GlyNAC

NAC on its own is a strong supplement, but there is another supplement in our assortment that makes it even stronger: Glycine. Because of this, it’s also known under the combined name of GlyNAC.

The synergy between glycine and NAC is created because they complement each other’s functions. Glycine helps with the production of glutathione, which increases certain effects of NAC.

Glycine and NAC are both important amino acids that work together in our body. Glycine fulfils many different functions in our body, while NAC is rich in cysteine. This is another valuable amino acid.

Currently, there is a lot of research being done into GlyNAC, especially concerning oxidation in the body. We can’t make reference to research that hasn’t been approved by the European Commission yet. We do strongly believe that this is a promising combination!