N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a powerful antioxidant which contains the amino acid cysteine, a precursor to glutathione, that was approved as a drug in 1963 and has been widely used as a nutritional supplement since it is not found in food. It is also used in prescription form as an antidote for acetaminiphen-induced toxicity as well as for depression, precancers, HIV & AIDS, to alleviate cancer treatment side-effects, and as a mucolytic agent for upper respiratory conditions such as COVID.
The FDA abruptly decided in 2020 that NAC should suddenly require a doctor’s prescription and issued a warning to seven companies who were illegally selling hangover products with NAC in them. Amazon then completely stopped selling it.
The timing of this abrupt decision is suspicious at best, since NAC very well may help lower the risk of COVID and the fact those with glutathione deficiencies have worse outcomes. Many doctors have recommended NAC as part of an early at-home treatment that is safe, cheap, and effective. Within this article is a video where a pulmonologist explains NAC is necessary to reduce the oxidative stress associated with severe COVID and thus may significantly impact the sales of antiviral drugs.Drugs, in fact, which our conflict-riddled public health ‘authorities’ have a stake in.
Natural Products Insider reports, the warning letters stated that NAC could not be “lawfully marketed in dietary supplements because it was first studied as a drug in 1963.” The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) sent a letter in December 2020 to the FDA’s Office of Dietary Supplement Programs describing the position as “legally invalid.”
To appear reasonable, the FDA announced they wanted more information on how NAC has been marketed as a dietary supplement.
Quick to respond, numerous associations have submitted proof to the FDA of numerous NAC-containing products sold pre-DSHEA and that the FDA is misapplying the prior drug-restriction to NAC, and that it can’t be applied retroactively from the date of DSHEA’s enactment. They also submitted comments, countering FDA’s safety concerns, noting that NAC has been in use for decades and that FDA had access in that time to its own Adverse Event Reporting System, to manufacturing facility inspections, and other tools, as well as data from publicly available research studies conducted on NAC or NAC-containing formulations. CRN pointed to data provided by Pure Encapsulations, a brand marketed by Nestlé Health Science, which includes nine years of adverse event data for the company’s supplement containing NAC:
From 2013 to the present day, the adverse event rate per unit sold of NAC-containing products was only 0.002%
those adverse events were mild and resolved on their own
Sevo Nutraceuticals reported fewer than 10 adverse events for approximately 500,000 unites sold
In a press release, Megan Olsen, CRN’s VP and Associate General Counsel, commented:
“The agency’s continued failure to address the singular legal issue on the table is inexplicable. Their refusal to act is causing harm to consumers and businesses.”
A press release summarized The United Natural Products Alliance’s (UNPA) position on the matter as of January 25, 2022:
The FDA, in attempting to exclude NAC from the dietary supplement market, is acting outside of its statutory jurisdiction and authority.
UNPA provided definitive evidence of pre-DSHEA use of NAC – it is an ODI (Old Dietary Ingredient), NAC is safe, and there is broad agreement on this.
The UNPA NAC Working Group will pursue this important issue until a proper outcome is reached, which is recognition of NAC as a lawful ODI and FDA abandons its misguided retro lookback policy.
The FDA appears to be in hot-water these days and is embroiled in yet another fiasco. The FDA has long been accused of corruption, and ties to Big Pharma which has resulted in unsafe pharmaceuticals. Interestingly, while it approves and promotes toxic drugs like remdesivir and COVID injectionswhich aren’t vaccines and have caused more adverse reactions and death than any other vaccine in the history of VAERS, it squashes safe supplements and proven drugs like NAC, vitamins D, C, zinc, and ivermectin which could improve cases and remove the need altogether for COVID injections. If you have less than 4 minutes, go here to listen to Dr. Kory passionately explain the situation. It literally brought tears to my eyes. Doctors who are truly attempting to help patients are bullied, censored, and shouted down. Kory’s frustration is tangible.
The current top-down, “one-sized fits all” approach to medicine puts everyone into a 4-cornered box regardless of medical history, health status, and individual needs. I highlight how this current dangerous, singular approach, which also includes mainstream media and Big Pharma colluding with public health officials, is removing our precious medical freedoms in this article, as well as is causing a shortage of medical professionals in the U.S. Front-line workers, who were heroes a year ago but are currently being bullied and summarily dismissed without a job or pay simply for not taking an experimental, fast-tracked gene therapy that doesn’t stop infection or transmission.
Unless we educate others and speak and act now it may be too late to roll this back, and it will restrict Lyme/MSIDS patients more than they already are. Mark my words.
Reviewed by Bill Rawls, MD
Medical Director of Vital Plan
To say that your lymphatic system has a lot of responsibility for your well-being is a huge understatement. This intricate “highway” of specialized vessels moves lymphatic fluid from the tips of your toes to the top of your head and to centralized lymph nodes. It helps regulate the balance of all fluid in your body. And its most important function? Detoxification.
It’s the lymph system’s job to pick up and dispose of cellular “trash” like white blood cells, bacteria, viruses, toxins, and other molecular debris from every tissue in your body. That’s crucial, since all cells make waste as a byproduct of their normal processes. “Lymphatic fluid carries all that waste to lymph nodes, which act like garbage disposals to destroy it,” says Dr. Bill Rawls, M.D., Medical Director of Vital Plan.
Unfortunately, there are a number of things that can slow down the system and flow of fluid, resulting in symptoms such as fatigue and sluggishness, brain fog, puffy skin, swollen and stiff joints, chronic headaches, and inflammation. The main cause, says Dr. Rawls, is illness. Which makes sense: There’s simply more cellular junk to dispose of when you’re sick — not unlike how an onslaught of cars during rush hour causes slow traffic.
“Chronic illness, in particular, causes congestion throughout the whole body,” Dr. Rawls explains. “When microbes in tissues are flourishing, and more white blood cells are present trying to kill them, they fill up the lymph nodes, causing the nodes to swell, which backs up the whole system.” But it’s not just chronic illness that impedes lymph flow — even a simple cold can trigger swollen lymph nodes, and part of the reason you feel sluggish may be the extra waste your body is trying to dispose of.
Other key causes of lymph fluid slow-down include lack of physical activity and falling short on water intake. That’s because the lymph system is primarily composed of water — if you’re dehydrated, the fluid slows down and inhibits waste removal from the body. Movement of lymph fluid depends on pressure from breathing and muscle movement to move fluid around. So being sedentary or dehydrated is kind of like construction on the highway — it can slow things down to a crawl.
Meanwhile, maintaining a healthy lymphatic system is one of the best ways to support your immune system by quickly and efficiently ridding your body of garbage — and it’s something we have a lot of control over. “That’s empowering when you can say, ‘I can do these few things every day to help keep the lymphatic fluid flowing and keep myself healthy,’” says Vital Plan health coach Belinda Macri, a yoga teacher, Ayurveda practitioner, and health coach.
Here are some simple, everyday ways to clear up lymphatic congestion in your body and boost your immunity in the process.
7 Natural Ways to Cleanse the Lymphatic System
While you can find professional therapists who specialize in lymphatic massage to get fluids in motion again, both Macri and Dr. Rawls point to these inexpensive DIY strategies for effectively keeping your lymphatic system moving and your body’s natural detoxification process humming.
1. Eat Plenty of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables.
A big chunk of your body’s hydration needs should come from water-dense fresh fruits and vegetables, Macri says. This fluid, along with sipping water throughout the day, helps keep your lymphatic “pipes” lubricated and draining properly. For better hydration, Dr. Rawls recommends drinking alkaline water to quell free radicals and decrease inflammation.
Fresh produce and other minimally processed, healthy foods also help maintain a strong gut-blood barrier, which prevents toxins and food irritants from leaking into the bloodstream (aka leaky gut syndrome). The result is less inflammation and a lower potential influx of toxins that might otherwise clog up your lymphatic system.
2. Sleep in Loose-Fitting Clothes and Undergarments.
“At night between 10pm and 2am is when the body naturally goes through a major detoxification process, so make sure you’re allowing the lymphatic fluid the most freedom to move,” Macri says. Garments that dig into skin or are restrictive, especially under the arms or groin area where you have lymph nodes, might partially cut off the natural flow, she says.
3. Take Belly Breaths.
Not only do muscle contractions initiated by deep breathing help move lymphatic fluid, the mindfulness practices that go along with deep breathing are some of the best ways to manage stress. And when it comes to factors that congest the lymph system, “Stress is a biggie,” Macri says.
If you can spend a chunk of time each day in meditation — great. But even taking mini time-outs throughout the day to focus on breathing is beneficial. Macri suggests scheduling 5 minutes of time at 10am, 2pm, and 5pm, and using that time to close your eyes and take three to five deep belly breaths. Here’s how to do it:
“When you inhale, simply allow your belly to fully expand out like a balloon,” Macri says. “It’s a huge de-stresser — truly one of the most powerful things you can do.” Indeed, research suggests slow, deep, conscious breathing helps decrease feelings of anxiety in stressful situations, it may lower blood pressure and heart rate, and it can even boost the immune system. A study in the journal Frontiers in Psychology also found that belly breathing reduces stressful feelings and levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
4. Get a Move On.
Any sort of movement increases the pressure in lymphatic vessels, which is needed to help manually move the fluid along, Dr. Rawls says. Walking, biking, yoga, tai chi, and qigong are some of his top choices.
“If you’re walking, try moving your arms up and over your head and out to the sides,” Macri says. “Even if you’re at your desk, do some squats and move your arms up and down to get the flow going.”
As for yoga poses, sun salutations are an effective sequence, or try individual poses, she says. Poses that invert a part of your body are especially effective as they recruit gravity to help move fluid. Macri recommends the following:
Downward-Facing Dog or Dolphin: To do down-dog, come onto the floor on your hands and knees, with your hands slightly in front of your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Exhale and lift your knees away from the floor to straighten your legs (without locking your knees). Lift your sitting bones toward the sky, and gently press your heels toward the floor, so your body is in an inverted V shape. Dolphin is like downward dog, except instead of using your hands, you’re resting on your forearms, Macri says.
Legs Up the Wall: This pose is exactly as the name implies. Lay on your back on the floor, with your back in a neutral position (no curve in the lumbar spine) and your bottom touching the base of the wall. Extend the backs of your legs straight up against the wall.
Cat and Cow: Start on the floor on your hands and knees, with your hands shoulder-width apart and knees hip-distance apart. Keep your shoulders down as you inhale and tilt your head up toward the sky, drop your belly toward the floor, and arch your back. As you exhale, tuck your chin and round your back toward the sky. Alternate back and forth for several breaths.
5. Bounce Around.
Rebounding — jumping on a small, circular trampoline — also uses gravity and movement to your lymph’s benefit. A mild aerobic workout, it’s often touted as an effective way to get your heart pumping and your lymph fluid moving.
“As you’re jumping, bring your arms up and over your head to create even more movement,” Macri says. It’s also less strenuous — and easier on joints — than jogging, it may help improve balance, and there’s little technique required. “Just jump and jump,” Macri says.
6. Practice Daily Dry Brushing.
Dry brushing has long been used for lymphatic drainage and to improve flow. “The pressure on the skin pressurizes the tissues, which helps push fluid through the system,” Dr. Rawls says.
Macri suggests using a natural bristle brush or loofah for the daily ritual, which is traditionally done first thing in the morning or before a shower. It also helps exfoliate skin, stimulate sweat and oil glands, and boost circulation, all of which invigorate the body, she says.
Start by brushing the sole of one foot using swift, upward, and circular strokes. Move up to your ankle, then the front and back of your lower leg. “You always want to brush up, or in the direction of your heart or belly button,” Macri says. Move up to the front and back of your thigh and your hip, and then repeat on the other leg, starting again with the bottom of your foot.
Repeat this practice on each arm, starting at your wrists and moving up to your shoulders, neck, and chest. Then move to your abdomen, and continue to brush toward your heart. “It only takes three to five minutes, and you just feel nice and tingly all over afterward,” she says.
7. Lean on Enzymes and Herbs.
Look to those that are known to help break down, bind to, and dispose of proteins, bacteria, toxins, and other substances that can lead to dysfunctional lymphatic flow, including:
Burdock root: A gentle herbal remedy, burdock root has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine to detoxify the blood and boost circulation. It also has a long history of use for clearing lymphatic congestion and enlarged lymph nodes.
Andrographis: This well-known antimicrobial herb contains antiinflammatory properties and is a bitter digestive tonic. Andrographis decreases inflammation, and promotes bile flow, relieving stress on the lymphatic system and facilitating healthy detoxification.
Dandelion root: Like burdock root, dandelion root is known in herbalism as an alterative herb, which means it gently increases elimination of metabolic wastes through all of the major organs of elimination, including the lymphatic system.
Bromelain, papain, and peptidase: All are protein-digesting enzymes, and having these in your system helps break down some of the proteins that contribute to inflammation.
Turmeric: Responsible for the bright yellow color in curry, turmeric helps balance inflammatory responses. Additionally, the curcumin in turmeric has liver-protectant qualities and inhibits oxidative damage caused by solvents, alcohol, medications, or viruses.
Sarsaparilla: Derived from the bark of a thorny vine found in South America, sarsaparilla binds to and helps dispose of endotoxins that are released from microbes during die-off.
Red root: This herb is another one that binds to toxins and flushes the system. A word of caution: red root is a coagulant and can mildly thicken the blood, so it’s best to avoid it if you have a history of cardiovascular disease.
As you can see, detoxing your lymphatic system is a relatively easy and enjoyable way to maintain or restore overall health and wellness. Follow these simple steps, and it won’t be long before you experience a noticeable uptick in energy, focus, and mobility.
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References
1. Choi, Inhu et. al. “The new era of lymphatic system: No llonger secondary to the blood vascular system.” Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine. 2012 Apr; 2(4): a006445.
2. Paul, Gina et. al. “A longitudinal study of students’ perception of using deep breathing meditation to reduce testing stresses.” Teaching and Learning in Medicine. 19:3, 287-292
3. Joseph, Chacko N. et. al. “Slow breathing improves arterial baroreflex sensitivity and decreases blood pressure in essential hypertension.” Hypertension. 2005;46:714-718
4. Bhasin, Manoj K. et. al “Relaxation response induces temporal transcriptome changes in energy metabolism, insulin secretion and inflammatory pathways.” PLOSone 2013 May 1;8(5):e62817
5. Ma, Xiao et. al. “The effect of diaphragmatic breathing on attention, negative affect and stress in healthy adults.” Frontiers in Psychology 2017; 8: 874
I had the opportunity to attend ECO 2021 held online on October 28-30, 2021. ECO stands for Exponential Clinical Outcomes. This is one of the most forward-thinking events I have attended.
The event is the brainchild of Dr. Todd Watts and Dr. Jay Davidson who also created CellCore Biosciences and Microbe Formulas. I’m grateful for their products, and I take several of them daily.
CellCore Biosciences is their practitioner line while Microbe Formulas is their consumer line. While many of the products are available from both companies, there are some differences in some products in terms of formulation or availability in the Microbe Formulas product line.
Disclaimer: Nothing in this text is intended to serve as medical advice. All medical decisions should be made only with the guidance of your own personal licensed medical authority.
Disclaimer: This information was taken as notes during the training course and may not represent the exact statements of the speakers. Errors and/or omissions may be present.
Note: As this information may be updated as any errors are found, I kindly request that you link to this single source of information rather than copying the content below. If any updates or corrections are made, this will help to ensure that anyone reading this is getting the most current and accurate information available. ~ The Better Health Guy
Episode #158: Chronic UTIs and Interstitial Cystitis with Ruth Kriz, MSN, APRN
Last Updated: December 14 2021
Why You Should Listen
In this episode, you will learn about chronic UTIs and Interstitial Cystitis.
Watch The Show
Listen To The Show
About My Guest
My guest for this episode is Ruth Kriz. Utilizing her functional medicine background as well as experience in microbiology and teaching pharmacology, Ruth Kriz, MSN, APRN has spent the majority of her professional career as a Nurse Practitioner working with Chronic UTI and Interstitial Cystitis patients. Her practice expanded to patients from almost all the states in the US as well as from 35 countries who came to her seeking answers beyond symptom management. Through molecular testing, an understanding of the genetics common to these patients, and an understanding of how this contributes to chronic infection and biofilms, she has been able to successfully treat this population. These factors have broad implications for other chronic infections (sinus, prostate, ear infections, wounds, etc.) as well as fibromyalgia, cardiovascular disease, and other conditions in which biofilms are an important contributor. She has closed her medical practice, but she has reinvented as a consultant to help practitioners learn how to utilize her approach for curing these patients.
Key Takeaways
How do chronic UTIs evolve into Interstitial Cystitis (IC) over time?
What are the primary contributors to chronic UTIs and IC?
How is the potential for infection best explored in these conditions?
What types of microbes are commonly found in these patients?
Do chronic Lyme disease and mold illness play a role in these conditions?
What are the key genetic contributors?
What role does ammonia play in creating the right environment for microbial overgrowth?
How might Nrf2 support be helpful in treating these conditions?
What is the role of hypercoagulation and biofilm?
How does vitamin D impact these conditions?
Is MCAS involved in chronic UTIs and IC?
Are oxalates a primary contributor?
What are some of the treatment options to explore?
Why is detoxification support important?
What is the prognosis for those dealing with chronic UTIs and IC?
The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) and the Natural Products Association (NPA) have filed separate citizen petitions with the FDA requesting that the agency reverse their position on NAC; the agency is now asking for more information on the 58-year-old supplement
According to some legal experts, the actions taken by the FDA are not legal under U.S. code Title 21. The FDA has used the exclusion provision three other times, all of which financially benefited the pharmaceutical industry
While past actions may have opened the door to the most recent attack against NAC, it is not difficult to understand why the FDA chooses now to target NAC, when it has demonstrated effective action against COVID-19
Evidence suggests those with a glutathione deficiency have worse outcomes with COVID-19. NAC is a precursor to glutathione and may help lower the risk of severe disease
NAC can be part of your early at-home treatment that is crucial to lowering the severity of the illness and reducing the risk of long-haul symptoms
N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a powerful antioxidant that was approved as a drug in September 1963.1 Since that time it’s been used as a nutritional supplement that is not found in natural sources.2 NAC contains the amino acid cysteine, which is a precursor to glutathione, also called “the master antioxidant.”3
Glutathione is made of three amino acids — glutamic acid, glycine and cysteine.4 However, NAC is only available in supplement form. The precursors to NAC can be found in foods that are high in cysteine, which include pork, beef, chicken, eggs, dates and sunflower seeds.5
NAC is used in prescription form as an antidote for acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity.6 It is also a powerful mucolytic agent for use in upper respiratory conditions. Memorial Sloan-Kettering7 also lists uses in the treatment of depression, precancers, HIV and AIDS, and to alleviate cancer treatment side effects.
In 2020, NAC made the news when the FDA decided over-the-counter sales of this compound, which at that time had been available for 57 years, should require a physician’s prescription going forward. The FDA issued warning letters8 to seven companies the agency said were illegally selling hangover products. By May 2021, Amazon, which also owns Whole Foods, decided to remove any supplements containing NAC.9
FDA Requests More Information on NAC
As Natural Products Insider reports, the letters warned that NAC could not be “lawfully marketed in dietary supplements because it was first studied as a drug in 1963.”10 The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) sent a letter in December 2020 to the FDA’s Office of Dietary Supplement Programs describing the position as “legally invalid.”11
The CRN and the Natural Products Association (NPA) filed separate citizen petitions with the FDA. The CRN letter in December 2020 challenged the FDA’s determination that NAC should be precluded from supplementary use.12 They then filed a citizen position petition June 1, 2021, requesting the FDA reverse their position and outlining why this sudden policy change is “legally invalid on multiple grounds.”13
The NPA filed a separate citizen petition with the FDA14 requesting that the agency not exclude NAC as a dietary supplement or, alternatively, that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issue a regulation finding NAC is lawful in supplements. While the HHS has the authority, it has not been used in the 27 years since the law giving the HHS such power was enacted in 1994.
November 24, 2021, the FDA announced they were requesting more information about how NAC has been marketed as a dietary supplement.15 Natural Products Insider reports that this was encouraging to some in the industry as it signaled the FDA was open to the idea of issuing the regulation that NAC is a lawful ingredient in supplements.16 The FDA called this:17
“… tentative responses to both citizen petitions, requesting additional information from the petitioners … and noting that the agency needs additional time to carefully and thoroughly review the complex questions posed in these petitions.”
The FDA18 also requested information and data on the date that NAC was first marketed as a dietary supplement, reports of adverse events and details on how the products are marketed and sold. The data are requested by January 25, 2022. Steve Mister, president and CEO of CRN said in a statement:19
“The provisions of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) may not be interpreted retroactively to remove ingredients that were lawfully marketed in 1994 and have enjoyed a long history of safe use since then. The delay in clearing up the status of NAC by asking for more data and refusing to admit its error disregards the law and disserves consumers who use NAC.
This is not a complicated determination for the FDA to make. DSHEA makes clear that ingredients in use as dietary supplement ingredients prior to its enactment are grandfathered into the supplement marketplace. Thus, pharmaceutical manufacturers could not have had any expectation of exclusivity in the years prior to the creation of this provision of the law.
Given the long history of safe use of NAC, FDA cannot now try to establish a safety concern in order to award this ingredient exclusively to drug makers.”
FDA First Used Legally Questionable Drug Exclusion Provision
U.S. code Title 21,20 specifically defines what a dietary supplement is and is not. According to experts, the actions of the FDA in banning the sale of NAC and finding it a “medication” is illegal under the law. Attorney Stan Soper21 writes that under Title 21 §321 paragraph (ff)(3)(b)10 the actions of the FDA do not meet the Drug Exclusion Provision.
According to Soper,22 the exclusion provision has only been invoked a few times, specifically when used to keep red yeast rice, vitamin B6 and cannabidiol (CBD) from being sold as supplements. In each of these cases there was a potential pharmaceutical financial loss that triggered the assertion the supplement was illegal.
In the case of red yeast rice, it contains a naturally occurring substance that acts in a similar manner to Lovastatin, a statin medication.23 In 2005, drug manufacturer Biostratum filed an investigational new drug (IND) application with the FDA to use vitamin B6 in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease.
Their argument was there was “no evidence that it was marketed as a dietary supplement or food prior to its IND and Phase II investigations.”24 In 2009 the FDA declared vitamin B6 was not a dietary supplement despite documentation that it had been sold as such before the IND application.
The FDA has also invoked the Drug Exclusion Provision against CBD, warning that it is not a legal dietary supplement since there was no meaningful evidence it was marketed as such before drug investigations were approved for Sativex and Epidiolex, which are drugs that contain CBD.
After the 2018 Farm Bill was signed legalizing hemp, then-FDA secretary Dr. Scott Gottlieb made the statement that it was illegal to introduce CBD into the food supply or market it as a supplement.25 Soper postulates26 that the use of the Drug Exclusion Provision against CBD may have opened the door for the FDA to use it against NAC.
Why Take Aim at NAC?
In the citizen petition27 sent to the FDA June 1, 2021, CRN argued that the FDA failed to sufficiently explain this sudden change in policy on NAC, thus “rendering it arbitrary and capricious.” According to CRN, before the seven warning letters in July 2020, “it was FDA’s longstanding policy to permit the marketing of dietary supplements containing NAC.”
Even though the agency had reviewed more than 100 notification structure/function claims for NAC-containing supplements over the years, they never raised the drug exclusion clause. In one response to a petition for a qualified health claim, the FDA had even stated that NAC was considered a dietary supplement.
While the Drug Exclusion Provision on CBD may have opened the door, it still raises the question of why the FDA chose now to target NAC. Historically the provision was used inappropriately to protect the finances of pharmaceutical companies. That is also likely the root of the motivation to ban NAC as a supplement.
As pulmonologist Dr. Roger Seheult succinctly explains in the MedCram video below, NAC is a crucial chemical compound necessary to reduce the oxidative stress associated with severe COVID-19 infections and thus may significantly impact the sales of antiviral drugs. And, as I and other health experts have pointed out in the past, without severe disease, is there truly a need for a vaccine?
Glutathione Depletion Worsens COVID-19 Outcomes
Researchers have been studying NAC since it was discovered. In 2010,28 researchers found that it could inhibit the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in cells that were infected with highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza virus. These same proinflammatory cytokines play a crucial role in severe COVID-19.
Researchers have confirmed that in severe cases, cytokine levels are elevated and once they reach excessive levels it triggers a cytokine storm.29 This causes significant tissue damage that NAC may be able to inhibit. In one 2020 paper,30 the authors describe a case of COVID-19 in a patient with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.
This is a genetic disorder that can lead to hemolytic anemia31 and depletes glutathione,32 increasing the risk for human coronavirus infections such as the common cold. NAC was given to the G6PD-deficient patient and nine other COVID patients on ventilators. The NAC “elicited clinical improvement and markedly reduced CRP in all patients.”33
Other published papers have since demonstrated there is a potential use of NAC in the treatment of COVID-19.34,35,36 One 2021 study37 compared consecutive patients hospitalized with moderate or severe COVID-19 pneumonia.
One group received only standard care and the other group received 600 mg of NAC twice daily for 14 days. There were 42 in the NAC group and 40 in the control group. Treatment with NAC led to lower rates of severe respiratory failure and significantly lower mortality rates.
Early at Home Treatment Is Crucial
NAC is only one in a line of treatment modalities that have proven to be successful but have been vilified by governmental agencies. Since the start of this pandemic, it seems global and national health authorities have done everything in their power to discourage and prevent people from accessing treatments, such as ivermectin38,39,40 and hydroxychloroquine,41,42,43,44 that compete with the COVID jab.
The actions around NAC appear to be yet another shameful attempt to prevent patients from helping themselves. By limiting access to nutritional supplements that have demonstrated the capability of reducing severity of the infection, agencies are essentially boosting the risk that infections progress into more serious cases.
Should you come down with symptoms of COVID-19, early treatment is crucial. Not only can it significantly reduce the length of time that you’re sick, but early treatment will also minimize your risk of long-hauler syndrome,45 which can include symptoms that last much longer than the original infection.46 This can include cough, body aches, difficulty sleeping, headaches and brain fog.
There is also scientific evidence that NAC can improve a variety of lung problems, including pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), common characteristics of COVID-19. For example:
Research47 published in 2018 found NAC reduces oxidative and inflammatory damage in patients with community-acquired pneumonia.
Another 2018 study48 found NAC improves postoperative lung function in patients undergoing liver transplantation.
A 2017 meta-analysis49 found a significant reduction in ICU stays among ARDS patients treated with NAC.
NAC is also a well-known mucolytic used to help clear mucus out of the airways of cystic fibrosis patients.50 Some studies also suggest NAC can help reduce symptoms of COPD and prevent exacerbation of the condition.51
Dr. José Luis Sevillano proposes a preventive treatment for Panamanian colleagues who at a conference were very interested in treating patients with zinc, glutathione, and N-acetylcysteine (NAC). These antioxidants have been found to help the body detoxify graphene, which experts have discovered in the PCR swabs, face masks, and the COVID injections.
**Comment**
On a personal note: my husband, infected with Lyme/MSIDS since 2010 or so has struggled with bizarre blood issues including low ferritin, small and too many red blood cells, hypercoagulation, and anemia at one point requiring iron sucrose infusions. We were both infected with Babesia as well, which is known blood to affect and change blood cells.
Eventually the iron came up and leveled, the hypercoagulation went away (after years of heparin) but the cell count has always been strange, and he has always struggled with fatigue since becoming infected, whereas I have not. I suspect a glutathione issue and wonder if glutathione IV wouldn’t have helped his severe COVID case as well. Where IV C, blood ozone, and 4 doses of only 12 mg of ivermectin completely turned me around, he continued to languish while on much higher doses and even HCQ in the mix, and had many symptoms I did not have (severe headaches, skin eruptions, and horrific cough without end). While I take NAC daily, he does not (which is going to change today!).
NAC and Lyme/MSIDS
This article shows that glutathione metabolism is the most important target of B. burgdorferi infection and is essential for cytokine production, likely through glutathionylation.
This article discusses how Dr. Horowitz, a well-known Lyme literate doctor, published the first study of two COVID patients treated with three natural supplements, hydroxychloroquine, and an antibiotic. At 9 and 11 days into treatment, with both patients seeing gradual but incomplete improvement, a corner turned. **Horowitz has now substituted ivermectin for HCQ**
The breakthrough came after he increased the dose of glutathione. Within an hour, both patients were breathing better. “I definitely felt like the edge was taken off my symptoms,” said one of them, David Roth, 53. “I felt it fairly quickly.”
Although anecdotal,” Horowitz said, “I have heard from patients who were on NAC and glutathione when they were exposed to COVID-19, that they did not get sick or test positive for the virus, when others around them did.” Source
Horowitz protocol for prevention
Top tier: Glutathione, 250 to 500 mg twice a day
N-acetylcysteine (NAC), 600 mg twice a day Second tier but makes above even better: Alpha lipoic acid, 600 mg once to twice a day
Zinc, 40 to 50 mg a day Icing on the cake: Curcumin, 1000 mg twice a day
Sulforaphane glucosinolate (broccoli seed extract), 100 mg twice a day
3, 6 Beta glucan, 500 mg to 1000 mg once a day
To treat the infection, Horowitz uses the same supplements as in the prevention protocol but in higher doses. He further adds high-dose Vitamin C and ivermectin, which shows promise for COVID and would have to be prescribed by a physician. (Please read article in full as there are many great suggestions)
I have spoken with other COVID patients, some infected with tick-borne illness and some not, and ALL have responded a bit differently to ivermectin. I now wonder if the IV C and blood ozone didn’t help me more than I first believed as those things were not used by the other patients. While I still believe ivermectin to be effective, results will vary from person to person and sometimes it’s a combination of things that support your individual Achilles heel that work best. Once again, independent Lyme literate doctors are going to be a better choice (or independent functional medicine practitioners and the like who actually think for themselves) as mainstream medicine doesn’t have time and doesn’t care about these issues. They treat everyone with an archaic “one size fits all” approach that hasn’t worked since the beginning of allopathic medicine.
This goes to show that cases will very considerably, just like with Lyme/MSIDS.
Burdock root: A gentle herbal remedy, burdock root has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine to detoxify the blood and boost circulation. It also has a long history of use for clearing lymphatic congestion and enlarged lymph nodes.
Andrographis: This well-known antimicrobial herb contains antiinflammatory properties and is a bitter digestive tonic. 
Dandelion root: Like burdock root, 
Bromelain, papain, and peptidase: All are protein-digesting 
Turmeric: Responsible for the bright yellow color in curry, 
Sarsaparilla: Derived from the bark of a thorny vine found in South America, ![close up of red root with white flowers](https://vitalplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/red-root-toxin-binder-coagulant.png"")
Red root: This herb is another one that binds to toxins and flushes the system. A word of caution: red root is a coagulant and can mildly thicken the blood, so it’s best to avoid it if you have a history of cardiovascular disease.
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