NAC 600mg | N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine | Antioxidant and Liver Support | 300 Vegan Capsules

Each capsule contains 600mg of NAC (N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine), a stable, acetylated form of the amino acid L-cysteine. NAC is one of the most extensively studied and clinically used amino acid supplements, valued primarily as a precursor to glutathione, the body's most abundant endogenous antioxidant. NAC provides cysteine, the rate-limiting amino acid in glutathione biosynthesis, supporting the body's natural glutathione production. Antioxidant. Helps to maintain liver function. Helps to thin mucus secretions. Source of cysteine. Health Canada approved (NPN 80078286). 100% vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free, and soy-free. Made in Canada in a quality-controlled facility. 300 vegan capsules.

Key Benefits

• Antioxidant
• Helps to maintain liver function
• Helps to thin mucus secretions (mucolytic)
• Source of cysteine
• Precursor to glutathione, the body's primary endogenous antioxidant
• Provides cysteine, the rate-limiting amino acid in glutathione biosynthesis
• 600mg NAC per capsule
• 300 vegan capsules
• Health Canada approved (NPN 80078286)
• Made in Canada in a quality-controlled facility
• 100% vegan and non-GMO
• Gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free

What Is NAC?

N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) is the N-acetyl derivative of the amino acid L-cysteine. The acetyl group attached to the nitrogen of cysteine serves two important functions: it makes cysteine more stable and resistant to oxidation in the digestive tract, and it improves the oral bioavailability of cysteine compared to free L-cysteine, which is poorly absorbed and rapidly oxidized. NAC has been used clinically for decades, most notably as the standard medical treatment for acetaminophen (paracetamol) overdose, where it works by replenishing hepatic glutathione. It is also used clinically as a mucolytic agent for respiratory conditions. As a dietary supplement, NAC is valued primarily as a glutathione precursor and antioxidant support compound.

Why NAC Rather Than Cysteine: Free L-cysteine is poorly absorbed orally and is rapidly oxidized to cystine in the digestive tract. The acetylation of cysteine to form NAC significantly improves its stability and oral bioavailability, making NAC the preferred supplemental form for delivering cysteine to the body for glutathione biosynthesis.

Why NAC Rather Than Glutathione: Oral glutathione supplementation has historically been considered less effective than NAC for raising intracellular glutathione levels, because glutathione is a tripeptide that is largely broken down in the digestive tract before absorption. NAC, by contrast, is absorbed intact and provides cysteine directly to cells for intracellular glutathione synthesis. Recent research on liposomal and S-acetyl glutathione forms has improved oral glutathione bioavailability, but NAC remains the most established and extensively studied approach to supporting intracellular glutathione levels.

Glutathione: The Body's Primary Endogenous Antioxidant

Glutathione (GSH) is a tripeptide composed of three amino acids: glutamate, cysteine, and glycine. It is the most abundant endogenous antioxidant in the human body, present in virtually every cell, with particularly high concentrations in the liver. Understanding glutathione biochemistry is essential for understanding why NAC is valued as a supplement.

Glutathione Biosynthesis: Glutathione is synthesized intracellularly in two enzymatic steps. The first step, catalyzed by gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (also called glutamate-cysteine ligase, GCL), combines glutamate and cysteine to form gamma-glutamylcysteine. The second step, catalyzed by glutathione synthetase, adds glycine to form the complete glutathione tripeptide. The first step is the rate-limiting step in glutathione biosynthesis, and cysteine availability is the primary limiting factor for this reaction. Glutamate and glycine are generally available in adequate amounts from dietary protein, but cysteine is the amino acid most likely to be limiting.

Why Cysteine Is Rate-Limiting: Cysteine is a conditionally essential amino acid that is less abundant in dietary protein than glutamate or glycine. It is also the most reactive of the three glutathione precursor amino acids, making it susceptible to oxidation. The body's ability to synthesize glutathione is therefore primarily limited by cysteine availability, which is why NAC, as a stable and bioavailable cysteine source, is the most effective approach to supporting glutathione biosynthesis.

Glutathione's Antioxidant Functions: Glutathione functions as an antioxidant through multiple mechanisms. As a direct antioxidant, it donates electrons to neutralize reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), becoming oxidized glutathione (GSSG) in the process. GSSG is then reduced back to GSH by glutathione reductase using NADPH, completing the glutathione redox cycle. As an indirect antioxidant, glutathione is a required cofactor for glutathione peroxidase enzymes (GPx), which reduce hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxides to water and alcohols respectively. Glutathione also regenerates other antioxidants including vitamins C and E from their oxidized forms.

Glutathione and Phase II Detoxification: In the liver, glutathione plays a central role in Phase II detoxification reactions. Glutathione S-transferase (GST) enzymes conjugate glutathione to electrophilic compounds including drug metabolites, environmental toxins, and reactive metabolic intermediates, making them more water-soluble and facilitating their excretion in bile or urine. This glutathione conjugation reaction is one of the primary mechanisms by which the liver processes and eliminates potentially harmful compounds.

Liver Function Support

The liver is the organ with the highest glutathione concentration in the body, reflecting its central role in detoxification and metabolic processing. NAC supports liver function through its role as a glutathione precursor:

• Supports hepatic glutathione levels, which are essential for Phase II detoxification reactions in the liver
• Glutathione S-transferase enzymes in the liver require glutathione to conjugate and eliminate reactive metabolic intermediates
• Supports the liver's natural antioxidant defense against oxidative stress generated during metabolic processing
• NAC's role in supporting hepatic glutathione is the basis for its clinical use in acetaminophen overdose management, where it replenishes glutathione depleted by the toxic acetaminophen metabolite NAPQI
• Health Canada has approved this product (NPN 80078286) for helping to maintain liver function

Mucolytic Support: Helping to Thin Mucus

NAC has a well-established mucolytic (mucus-thinning) mechanism that is distinct from its antioxidant and glutathione-related properties:

How NAC Thins Mucus: Mucus viscosity is determined largely by the degree of cross-linking between mucin glycoproteins through disulfide bonds. NAC's free thiol (sulfhydryl, -SH) group directly cleaves these disulfide bonds in mucin glycoproteins, breaking the cross-links that give mucus its thick, gel-like consistency. This reduces mucus viscosity and makes it easier to clear from the airways.

Direct Mucolytic Action: This mucolytic action is a direct chemical effect of NAC's thiol group on mucus disulfide bonds and is independent of NAC's role as a glutathione precursor. It is the basis for NAC's long-standing clinical use as a mucolytic agent in respiratory medicine.

Health Canada Approved: Health Canada has approved this product (NPN 80078286) for helping to thin mucus secretions, reflecting the well-established evidence base for NAC's mucolytic properties.

NAC as a Source of Cysteine

Cysteine is a conditionally essential amino acid involved in multiple important biological functions beyond glutathione synthesis:

• Cysteine is a component of the tripeptide glutathione (glutamate-cysteine-glycine)
• Cysteine is required for the synthesis of taurine, a sulfur-containing amino acid involved in bile acid conjugation, cardiovascular function, and neurological function
• Cysteine contributes to the synthesis of coenzyme A, a central metabolic cofactor
• Cysteine residues in proteins form disulfide bonds that contribute to protein structure and function
• Cysteine is a source of sulfur for various sulfur-containing biological molecules
• NAC provides a stable, bioavailable form of cysteine that is efficiently absorbed and utilized by the body

Understanding the Dosage

NAC (N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine): 600mg per capsule
Suggested Use: As directed by a healthcare practitioner
Total Capsules: 300
Non-Medicinal Ingredients: Magnesium stearate, hypromellose (vegetable capsule shell)

Consult your healthcare provider to determine the appropriate dosage and timing for your individual needs. NAC is typically taken with food to minimize the possibility of gastrointestinal discomfort.

Who May Consider This Product

• Individuals seeking antioxidant support through glutathione precursor supplementation
• Those wanting to support liver function and hepatic glutathione levels
• People seeking mucolytic support for thinning mucus secretions
• Those wanting a source of cysteine for glutathione biosynthesis
• Individuals interested in Phase II detoxification pathway support
• Those wanting a large supply (300 capsules) for consistent long-term daily use
• Vegans and vegetarians
• Those seeking Canadian-made NAC supplements

Quality and Purity

• Health Canada approved (NPN 80078286)
• 600mg NAC (N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine) per capsule
• Vegan capsules (hypromellose)
• 300 capsules
• Made in Canada in a quality-controlled facility
• 100% vegan and non-GMO
• Gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free

Storage

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Keep bottle tightly sealed. NAC contains a free thiol group that can be oxidized by air exposure over time. Keeping the bottle tightly sealed after each use helps preserve potency.

Safety Information

Consult a healthcare professional before use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, taking medications (particularly nitroglycerin, activated charcoal, or medications for blood pressure), or have a medical condition including asthma. NAC may interact with nitroglycerin, potentially causing headaches and low blood pressure. Individuals with asthma should use caution as inhaled NAC can cause bronchospasm, though this is less of a concern with oral supplementation. NAC has a characteristic sulfurous odour due to its thiol group, which is normal and does not indicate product degradation. Take with food to minimize the possibility of gastrointestinal discomfort. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Keep out of reach of children.

This product is approved by Health Canada (NPN 80078286).

About NAC 600mg | N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine | Antioxidant and Liver Support

NAC (N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine) is one of the most extensively studied amino acid supplements, valued as the primary supplemental approach to supporting intracellular glutathione biosynthesis. By providing cysteine, the rate-limiting amino acid in glutathione synthesis, NAC supports the body's natural production of glutathione, the most abundant endogenous antioxidant. NAC also supports liver function through its role in hepatic glutathione and Phase II detoxification, and thins mucus through direct disulfide bond cleavage in mucin glycoproteins. At 600mg per capsule with 300 capsules per bottle, this formula provides a high-dose, large-supply NAC supplement for consistent long-term daily use. Health Canada approved (NPN 80078286), 100% vegan, and made in Canada in a quality-controlled facility.