Expert Discussion with Jerry Hickey, Ph.: NAC
Written By Jerry Hickey, Ph.
Jerry Hickey is a pharmacist and radio personality and fills the esteemed role of Scientific Director and President of Invite Health. He has spent his professional life analyzing nutritional information and medical studies with the aim of creating the highest quality and most natural nutraceuticals for user’s maximum health benefits. Here, Jerry speaks about the benefits of NAC…
NAC (N-acetyl-L-cysteine) is a supplement that’s extremely useful. NAC can help support kidney and eye functions. Since NAC is an antioxidant of the brain, it can be helpful during times of stress by helping to fight free radicals. NAC also works in the part of the brain associated with compulsive behaviors. Studies have shown that NAC supplementation can help individuals trying to quit smoking or drinking.†
The University of Genoa in Italy published a study of almost 300 people over the age of 65 from 20 Italian medical centers in the European Respiratory Journal. They found that NAC helped support the patients’ immune functions during the winter. Do you know why? N-acetyl-L-cysteine energized their immune cells, their white blood cells. Just like the lungs have to be soaked and rich in antioxidants like NAC, so does your white blood cell because when it encounters a virus or bacteria, it gobbles it up. That’s the process called phagocytosis. The white blood cell bumps into the bacteria that it doesn’t recognize as being part of the person and it literally engulfs it and then it floods itself with hydrochloric acid and other chemicals that kill the bacteria. It literally dissolves the bacteria and the bacteria die. The white blood cell has to be protected from its own acids and its own chemical arsenal. It wages chemical warfare on viruses and bacteria and cancer cells. So, the envelope of the white blood cell, the membrane, the bilipid membrane, which is the outer layers of the white blood cell have to be rich in antioxidants, including Vitamin E, vitamin C, selenium, B vitamins and NAC.†
NAC supports blood flow, too. When is that important? Well, that’s important when you’re exercising. NAC helps open up blood vessels, the channels that bring blood and oxygen and nutrition to your muscles. This helps support endurance and recovery related to exercise.†
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