N-acetylcysteine (NAC)

[norcalmom]

Has anyone out there tried NAC - N-acetylcysteine- for pandas kids? I've read a few interesting articals on it but haven't tired it yet. There have been some studies on it for use with OCD, and its success controlling hair puling (trichotillomania). There was a recent thread on NAG which I was following, which made me think of it. I bought a jar of it before we got pandas diagnosis and forgot all about it. There are a number of studies going on with it at the moment for mood disorders including bi-polar and addiction. It seems like its been around for a long time and is safe, and probably even beneficial as general supplementation (even for non-pandas). Any experiences?

 

basic info on NAC:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylcysteine

[norcalmom]

Thanks for the reply. If it helped, why don't you still use it? Does you child still have symptoms?

I'm surprised no one esle has used it.

[MichaelTampa]

I have used NAC for about a year now for myself (PANDAS/lyme). It's a very good one for me, overall health-wise.

 

Michael

[MomWithOCDSon]

We've been NAC for about 6 months now. Honestly, it's hard to measure its impact because we neither added it nor have given it as an isolated element; DS13 takes it alongside lots of other supplements, including Inositol, which is also supposed to act as a natural SSRI and assist with mood and OCD.

 

That being said, I can tell you that there have been no negative side effects so far was we can tell.

[parents4eyes]

x

Edited September 9, 2010 by parents4eyes

[NancyD]

We've been using NAC about a year and I have noticed that it definitely helps with DD14's OCD issues. In fact, since using high doses of NAC and Quercitin I have not seen any scrupulocity whatsoever (it was really bad last year). She is still very anxious and Perseverates on certain topics but no true OCD symptoms.

 

Nancy

[trggirl]

Michael, how do you feel it affects you? Does it make you more relaxed? Less racing mind? etc,

[MomWithOCDSon]

Michael, Nancy and anyone else who's using NAC on a regular basis for OCD behaviors:

 

What is the dosage at which you see the positive impact? Someone mentioned "high dose," but I'm not sure what that means. We are currently giving DS13 500 mg. daily; wondering of increasing that would be beneficial to him.

 

Thanks!

[parents4eyes]

xn.

Edited September 9, 2010 by parents4eyes

[MichaelTampa]

Michael, how do you feel it affects you? Does it make you more relaxed? Less racing mind? etc,

 

 

I've been taking it for so long, I can't really remember what changes I might have noticed at the time. It is an excellent detoxifier of heavy metals, it is needed for the body to create glutathione (important also for detox and immune system), and it is an amino acid that vegans do not get a lot of, and can be converted to taurine, which is very important neurologically. I know I have heavy metal issues and need detox, and have a worn down immune system, and am a vegan, so I think all those things are coming in to play for reasons. But, can't say I remember noticing anything.

 

I'm one of those people who takes about 50 supplements, they come and go here and there, increase and decrease doses. I use energy testing to determine how much, and even to rate how good each of the supplements is doing for me, maybe dropping the lower performing ones sometimes. So that's kind of why I think it's so good but can't mention any symptom changes from it, at least anymore. Last I checked, I think it was ranked number 8 in a list of 50 supplements I took. Some supplements I really notice a difference when I miss a dose, and this NAC is rated even higher for me than many of those.

 

I took 1200mg per day for many months, 600mg at breakfast and 600mg at lunch. (I weigh 130 pounds for what it's worth.) Just recently, I've cut back to 600mg at breakfast, that's all my body wants now. I attribute that to having made progress with detoxing and getting immune system in better shape, and also upping neurological-helping supplements, mentioned specifically for lyme disease (carnosine, acetyl l-carnitine, to name a couple).

 

Michael

[NancyD]

I give DD14 600mg supplements - five capsules per day. She is 130lbs. our DAN doc recommended it. My daughter has a history of low glutathione levels and like Michael said it helps with that. She used to get NAC and glutathione IVs monthly a few years ago and that really helped to clean her gut out. She used to not be able to tolerate gluten, dairy, or soy and now she can eat that. Plus it seems to really help with her OCD.

 

Nancy

 

Michael, Nancy and anyone else who's using NAC on a regular basis for OCD behaviors:

 

What is the dosage at which you see the positive impact? Someone mentioned "high dose," but I'm not sure what that means. We are currently giving DS13 500 mg. daily; wondering of increasing that would be beneficial to him.

 

Thanks!

[matis_mom]

We've been using NAC about a year and I have noticed that it definitely helps with DD14's OCD issues. In fact, since using high doses of NAC and Quercitin I have not seen any scrupulocity whatsoever (it was really bad last year). She is still very anxious and Perseverates on certain topics but no true OCD symptoms.

 

Nancy

Nancy,

Would you mind sharing what brand/strength you use for both NAC and Inositol? I get the dear-in-the-headlights look when I go get supplements, and I can't decide what brand/strength etc.

 

My son is really struggling with scrupulosity right now, it's kind of all that's left of the PANDAS at the moment, but it is very strong.

 

Thanks!

 

Isabel

[MomWithOCDSon]

I give DD14 600mg supplements - five capsules per day. She is 130lbs. our DAN doc recommended it. My daughter has a history of low glutathione levels and like Michael said it helps with that. She used to get NAC and glutathione IVs monthly a few years ago and that really helped to clean her gut out. She used to not be able to tolerate gluten, dairy, or soy and now she can eat that. Plus it seems to really help with her OCD.

 

Nancy

Wow! I had no idea until now that NAC helps with the gut issues, too! I guess we'll try stepping it up a bit from the 500 mg. daily we're currently giving and see what kind of results we get. Thanks!

[NancyD]

Isabel,

 

Most of our supplements come from the Rhinebeck Health Center in Rhinebeck, NY and are packaged for them to distribute (see www.rhinebeckhealth.com). It has their own label on it. Our DAN doc is Ken Bock, MD. The NAC capsules we get are called NAC 600 - each capsule is 600mg.

 

My daughter does not take inositol - she tried it years ago and it activates her. I mentioned quercetin above so perhaps that is what you meant to inquire about? We purchase this from Rhinebeck Health Center also and the supplement is called Querciplex. Each capsule contains 333mg quercetin, 100mg bromelein, 20mg magnesium. Quercetin is a natural anti-inflammatory. DD14 takes 6 capsules Querciplex daily. I find it works much better than motrin and no side effects. And it works wonders on colds and allergies...I take them too.

 

Nancy

 

Nancy,

Would you mind sharing what brand/strength you use for both NAC and Inositol? I get the dear-in-the-headlights look when I go get supplements, and I can't decide what brand/strength etc.

 

My son is really struggling with scrupulosity right now, it's kind of all that's left of the PANDAS at the moment, but it is very strong.

 

Thanks!

 

Isabel

[norcalmom]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I am going to start my son on it, and I think I am going to take it too since it looks like a general supplement for overall good health. I plan to start him nex tweek and will look into dosing info and let you know what I find out for kids as well as general well being. I haven't found anything that says it can be harmful...which is almost weird, since in high doeses almost anything can hurt you.