Helping Your Immune Responses with N-acetylcysteine (NAC)

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has been used for over 50 years in many clinical investigations and human trials that have demonstrated its various benefits. NAC is an important small molecule that replenishes levels of glutathione (GSH), a powerful antioxidant found throughout the body whose levels decrease with aging. It can also neutralize free radicals, but unlike GSH it has good bioavailability. GSH and NAC have been shown to enhance many immune responses even during aging when decreased immunity and increased susceptibility to infection often occurs.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is found naturally in onions and garlic
NAC replenishes levels of the important antioxidant, glutathione (GSH)
GSH is essential for many immune response activities
Unlike GSH, NAC has good bioavailability
NAC has been used in clinical studies and human trials for over 50 years
NAC is a proven strategy for enhancing immune defenses, especially with GSH deficiency that may occur with aging

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is found naturally in plants from the Allium family including onions and garlic^1,2. It is an important sulfur-containing small molecule that is rapidly metabolized in the small intestine to produce glutathione (GSH), a powerful antioxidant found throughout the body whose levels decrease with aging^3,4. NAC also stimulates the activity of enzymes involved in the recovery of GSH including GSH reductase⁴. In addition, NAC is a powerful antioxidant on its own that can neutralize free radicals (known as reactive oxygen species; ROS), and unlike glutathione, NAC has good oral and topical bioavailability^2,4.

NAC Protects Against Toxins and Disease

NAC has been used orally for over 50 years in a multitude of clinical investigations and human trials, including as an antidote against toxins and poisoning as well as against diseases such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic diseases, pulmonary diseases and cancer². In fact, NAC has been used to prevent acetaminophen overdose-induced liver injury and mucous obstructions associated with cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)^2,5. Evidence from pre-clinical studies has suggested that NAC may also have beneficial uses in many other diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, asthma, and inflammatory bowel disease².

Immune responses include early responses (inflammation) from innate cells such as neutrophils, macrophages/monocytes and dendritic cells. In fact, in normal individuals, inflammation is a rapid response to danger signals resulting from infections and/or cellular damage. Later immune responses (that are linked with early responses) involve adaptive immunity and include lymphocyte responses (T cell and antibody responses)⁶. NAC has been shown to have anti-inflammatory activities along with other important components of Proprietary Blend found in ImmuneHealth, including the potent olive polyphenols, hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) and taurine^7-11.

As mentioned, NAC can restore levels of GSH, which is essential for many activities of the immune system including T cell proliferation, the phagocytosis (engulfment and breakdown of foreign substances including microbes) functions of neutrophils, dendritic cell functions and the first step of adaptive immunity (antigen presentation)⁶. This first step typically involves breaking down antigen proteins into peptides requiring the reduction of disulfide bonds (found in many proteins), which is dependent upon GSH^5,6. In fact, decreased levels of GSH are associated with increased susceptibility to infections including with influenza virus⁶.

Enhancing Immune Defenses

Increased susceptibility to infections associated with decreased levels of GSH is known to occur with aging and in many diseases including COPD, cystic fibrosis, and alcoholism. Administration of NAC is a proven strategy for enhancing immune defenses when GSH deficiency is discovered^4,6. Interestingly, the aging process has been considered a GSH deficiency syndrome. NAC treatment in a model of aging was shown to reverse decreased T cell proliferation and cytokine (signaling molecule) responses, and in another important study, NAC supplementation increased T cell proliferation in elderly women⁴.

In a model for aging, NAC administration led to enhanced chemotaxis (cell movement in response to signals) of lymphocytes and phagocytes (macrophages and neutrophils). In fact, following NAC treatment, improved phagocytic activity of macrophages was also observed. Furthermore, in a study involving postmenopausal women, it was concluded that NAC was an effective strategy (even in short-term treatment) for enhancing decreased intracellular immune cell GSH levels. Moreover, it was concluded that enhanced GSH levels led to significant improvement in immune function following NAC treatment⁴.

Increasing Immune Responses by Decreasing Oxidative Stress

In addition, various factors that cause increased ROS production can result in decreased immune responses besides aging, including UV radiation (sunlight) exposure, and pollution including cigarette smoke^12-14. Oxidative stress results from the inability of cells to eliminate ROS using the natural antioxidant defense system that includes defense enzymes like manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD)¹⁵. Potent antioxidants along with NAC, like hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein, taurine and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)^16-20 are key components of Proprietary Blendfound in ImmuneHealth. In fact, NAC, hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein have been shown to activate MnSOD^21-23.

The ability to maintain adequate immune function has been found to be a marker for good health as well as a predictor of increased longevity. ImmuneHealth helps repair and regenerate immune cells to prevent immune deficiencies. ImmuneHealth with Proprietary Blendhttp://www.olivamine.com includes impeccably sourced ingredients that have undergone rigorous scientific review to prove we renew, restore and repair cells.

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