Posted by Ron Hill on February 3, 2010, at 1:36:45
In reply to n acetyl l cysteine, posted by louise97 on January 23, 2010, at 0:20:49
Louise,
Your p-doc has been doing his/her homework. Good for him/her!
NAC increases glutathione, and low glutathione is thought to play a role in bipolar disorder and other p-disorders. Here is the abstract of a recent study in which the patients took 1g (1000 mg) two times a day:
http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/bps/article/S0006-3223(08)00500-3/abstract
The following abstract discusses the possible relationship between glutathione and bipolar disorder:
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ben/cmc/2009/00000016/00000023/art00003
Here is another abstract of an article discussing glutathione as a promising novel therapeutic target for various psychiatric disorders:
Glutathione does not cross the blood-brain barrier, so it cannot be taken directly. However, NAC does cross the blood-brain barrier, and once it does NAC increases glutathione levels via a chain of biochemical reactions.
-- Ron
dx: Bipolar II with ultra rapid cycling and mild OCPD
600 mg/day Trileptal
200 mg/day Lamictal
500 mg/day Keppra
90 mg/day Nardil
1.9 mg/day Deplin (taken with methyl B-12 and P-5-P)
Dark therapy via LowBlueLight glasses
Several vitamins and supplements-----------------------------
> Bipolar II - unable to take lithium due to stomach distress, unable to take lamictal because I become hypomanic at 50 mg. Wellbutrin above 75 mg also makes me hypomanic. Trying to treat depression.
>
> Taking 750 mg Depakote, 2 mg Klonopin, wellbutrin 75 mg and fish oil.
>
> My pdoc recently recommended NAC and it seems like a miracle. I have energy and am alert without becoming at all irritable. Although he recommended 1000mg to 2000mg, I'm finding I can only take 600 mg time release NAC per day.
>
> Even on this dose of 600 mg divided into two doses, I feel tense and unable to relax. Friends say I am very intense, but not angry or irritable.
>
> Might this be because I'm mixing NAC with Wellbutrin or because I wont give up my espresso?
>
> Has anyone else had similar reactions to NAC and how did you handle it?
>
> I would also like to suggest that anyone who is battling depression without success, get a low dose of NAC in the health food store and try it - build up your dose slowly and see if it helps.
>
> Louise
poster:Ron Hill
thread:934749
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20091202/msgs/935825.html