Research has shown that NAC offers help for people battling with alcoholism and other substance use disorders. NAC is a small protein molecule that your body uses as a building block to produce glutathione. It is well known for its ability to improve liver conditions such as fatty liver and hepatitis. NAC helps to clear mucus from the respiratory tract and is also well known for improving lung conditions and infections.

Interestingly, it also has benefits in the brain. NAC has a critical role in regulating glutamatergic receptors, helping to raise glutamate levels in the brain. An increasing number of clinical studies have shown the efficacy of NAC in numerous psychiatric conditions via
glutamate modulation and other processes. These include substance use disorders, gambling, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), mood disorders and Parkinson’s disease.

Research focus has always been on dopamine and associated reward based behavior, as the main driving factors in substance abuse. However, recent research has found that glutamate dysregulation could be another pathway towards
the development and maintenance of addiction. Studies in animals suggest that NAC could restore the imbalanced cysteine glutamate exchange in the brain that occurs in addiction, and thus reduce drug seeking behavior.

A large body of research in animal studies has demonstrated evidence indicating that glutamate transmission and glutamate receptors play a major role in drug reward, reinforcement and relapse. Therefore, substance abuse disorders are increasingly being treated using glutamatergic agents such as NAC. NAC is proposed to be most effective in maintaining abstinence rather than promoting initial cessation of the addictive agent. In human studies, the latest systematic review and meta analysis found NAC to be significantly more effective than placebo for reducing craving symptoms in substance abuse disorders. Acting as an anti-craving agent, NAC could be important for relapse prevention.

The treatment of addictions is complex and multi factorial. There are so many genetic, emotional, psychological, environmental and physical factors that play a role in most individuals affected. By improving brain chemistry, NAC can make treatment less difficult for sufferers.

Additional strategies to the successful treatment of addiction

Magnesium is the great relaxer. People with addictions typically handle stress poorly. They are more likely to feel overwhelmed and like they can’t regulate their emotions. Indulging in the addictive substance is usually the only way they know how to relax. Magnesium relaxes your nerves and muscles and improves sleep quality.

Glutamine is an amino acid that is required for phase two detoxification in the liver and is required in increased amounts by those who consume excessive alcohol. It is able to reduce the craving for alcohol. Glutamine supplementation is helpful for intestinal disorders such as peptic ulcers and leaky gut syndrome. Leaky gut is the term used to describe an inflamed condition of the lining of the bowel, which makes the bowel too permeable, so that toxins and incompletely digested food particles can be absorbed from the bowels directly into the liver. This increases the workload of the liver and may cause many health problems. Glutamine is converted in the body into glutamic acid, which, along with the amino acids cysteine and glycine, is converted into the powerful liver protector glutathione. Glutathione is essential for liver phase two conjugation reactions used during detoxification of drugs and toxic chemicals.

Tyrosine is an amino acid that helps improve mood. It is required for the manufacture of the brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) dopamine and noradrenaline.  These neurotransmitters are required for concentration, alertness, memory and a happy, stable mood. They also help a person feel motivated and in control of their life.

Alcohol can have a very detrimental effect on liver function. Breaking down and detoxifying alcohol causes injury to liver cells. If your liver cells are injured, they cannot detoxify your bloodstream adequately and they cannot burn fat efficiently. Fatigue and abdominal weight gain are common consequences of poor liver health. Livatone Plus is my comprehensive liver formula. It contains the herb St Mary’s thistle plus other supportive nutrients, in the doses proven to repair and regenerate damaged liver cells.

References

Effectiveness of N-acetylcysteine in Treating Clinical Symptoms of Substance Abuse and Dependence: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials (cpn.or.kr)

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.