All About N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)

N-Acetyl Cysteine, or NAC for short, is probably the most underrated ingredient in our Ocu-Plus Formula. It is so underrated that even many doctors don’t fully know what this compound element is capable of treating.

Trust us when we say NAC is capable of more than you would ever imagine. From being an antidote to various degrees of poisoning to helping prevent vision loss, NAC is an element all scientists should be tapping into when it comes to curing ailments.

Let’s find out why we should be spending more energy unpacking NAC to discover its full potential and healing properties.

What Is NAC?

Some of these ingredients can be difficult to pronounce, so you can probably guess that explaining what they are won’t be a walk in the park. But, you don’t need to understand scientific jargon to understand what’s going on with  N-Acetyl Cysteine in your body and how you can keep yourself healthy.

Even if you can’t pronounce NAC’s unabbreviated name, we promise that understanding what it does is much less complicated. NAC is an amino acid. Amino acids are the building blocks for protein in the body. As we all know, protein is essential to our overall well being.

NAC has a very interesting history. It has been used in medicine for 30 years now, but no one has used it to its full potential yet. Today, scientists often combine NAC with other compounds in order to treat common ailments. For example, NAC is an active ingredient in brands such as Tylenol, Vicodin and Percocet.

NAC also counteracts some medication overdoses. Acetaminophen (another ingredient in medication to treat various aches like Tylenol) overdoses can cause a terrible amount of irreversible liver damage. However, the NAC present in Tylenol and similar medication help keep the balance in the body and prevent overdoses.

NAC and Glutathione

You may remember our discussion of glutathione and how glutathione deficiencies are often found in very ill people suffering from various diseases? Well, when NAC restores balance in the body, it’s balancing the acetaminophen and the glutathione, making sure that the glutathione levels don’t drop.

As scientists now recognize the importance of glutathione, they’re also coming to realize that NAC could be used to treat glutathione deficiencies. NAC has already successfully treated glutathione deficiencies in patients suffering from genetic defects, metabolic disorders and HIV.

Even though NAC continues to be misunderstood by the scientific community, its importance will continue to develop as researchers learn more about NAC and glutathione. Everything in the body is connected, including the potential cures to our diseases!

NAC for the Eyes

Hold on there, I thought this was an eye health blog? You are correct. But like we said, the body is all connected. When the body suffers, so do the eyes. Often, when eye diseases go untreated, they lead to permanent vision loss. NAC can help prevent vision loss and damage.

Because it’s so closely tied to glutathione, it’s really no surprise that NAC can help to prevent losing your vision. NAC cal also treat blepharitis symptoms which include eyelid inflammation, irritation and redness in the eye. NAC in eye drop form also helps fight dry eye syndromes.

Scientists also have reason to believe that NAC eyedrops may be able to dissolve cataracts one day. None of their tests have produced conclusive results yet, so it will be a little while before these drops hit the market. However, these findings mean that scientists can continue developing and modifying the eye drops to give more predictable and reliable results.

But you don’t need to have developed cataracts or dry eyes to benefit from this powerful amino acid. Taking preventative measures is half the battle when it comes to preserving your health, both body and eye. Before vision conditions and serious diseases even have the slightest notion to form, hit them with high levels of NAC.

The better you take care of your body, the better your eyes will be. Vision loss affects almost everyone once they reach old age (sometimes by middle aged, if they’re unlucky). If you’re young, take the precautions now. If you’re in your golden years, NAC will help stop the progression of vision loss. It’s really a win for everyone at every age!

Where Can You Find NAC?

You can find NAC in a  myriad of places. It’s obviously found in various medications, as we mentioned before, but it’s also available in supplement form. Most health food stores stock capsule forms of NAC supplements in their vitamin aisles.

Pulmonary specialists sometimes prescribe an inhalant form of NAC for conditions such as cystic fibrosis. However, this form has not been widely used outside of pulmonary studies and treatments.

NAC is one of our 17 key ingredients in the Ocu-Plus Formula. This formula provides you with all the NAC you could possibly need in addition to 16 other vital nutrients and vitamins. It is definitely worth a consideration.

NAC Packed Foods

Supplements aren’t the only place to look for your daily NAC intake. Getting your daily dose of this amino acid from food is easier than you may think. You won’t have to go out and buy crazy complicated ingredients. All your NAC can be found in local foods that are sure to please both you and anyone you may be feeding.

Animal proteins like chicken, pork, turkey, duck, fish and luck meat (or cold cuts) are all great places to find NAC. Animal products such as cheese (especially ricotta), eggs and yogurt also contain high levels of NAC.

For you vegetarians out there, animal proteins are not the only solution. NAC is also found in broccoli, bananas, onions, red peppers, garlic, and soy beans. It can also be found in oats and granola.

Being healthy and staying healthy is as easy as continuing to eat your favorite foods. If you’re like me and your culinary skills are below par, a quick google search will give you endless recipes for cooking your favorite healthy meals.

NAC is so easy to get into your diet. Don’t be lazy! Take care of your eyes and keep your vision strong for longer.