NAC & Mental Health: How It Supports Mood and Cognitive Function

N-Acetyl Cysteine, or NAC, shows promising benefits for problems like memory, brain fog and even mental health. So, how does it influence our mental clarity and mood, and is it safe to try it at home? We explain what the science tells us.

There’s a new branch of medicine called Mental Health Nutrition, and it’s taking an interest in N-Acetyl Cysteine. This pure amino acid - often shortened to NAC - has shown promising powers in supporting cognitive functioning and mental health for people with a wide range of conditions, from depression all the way to schizophrenia and Alzheimer's.

So, how does it influence our mental clarity and mood, and is it safe to try it at home?

Can NAC Help with Anxiety & Brain Fog? Here’s What You Should Know

The amino acid N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) is a precursor to the so-called “master antioxidant” glutathione, helping to protect our body and brain cells from damaging oxygen molecules in the process known as oxidative stress. Scientists also believe NAC can influence neurotransmitter systems, making it a significant factor in influencing our mood and mental focus.

Research into NAC for Depression and Mood Disorders

Research indicates that NAC may have a positive impact on depressive symptoms.

A meta-analysis and systematic review is a type of research that looks at all available medical studies on a topic, to understand how consistently they find the same results, and look for medical consensus.

One such analysis looked at studies on NAC as a stand-alone treatment of depressed mood, in people diagnosed with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and other psychiatric disorders. This NAC Systematic Review by F ernandes et al 2016 found evidence that NAc does moderately improve the mood of people with depression and it also improved their overall functioning.

So NAC does help treat depression when taken as the only treatment. But what about taking NAC along with a pharmaceutical antidepressant medication? Is that safe, and are the results even better?

The answer seems to be yes. In a four-month study into NAC and depression by Berk et al 2014, depressed people who were given NAC plus their usual antidepressant improved more than the people who were given a placebo with their antidepressant medication - in other words, not given any NAC.

The Research on NAC for improved mental Clarity

While direct research on NAC's effects specifically on mental clarity is limited, its role in reducing oxidative stress and neurotransmitter systems suggests it could have real benefits.

People with bipolar disorder seem to have higher levels of oxidative stress than the average population, especially during acute mania. Some studies have found that NAC supplements at doses of 2 gm a day (which is higher than the typical supplement dose of 600mg a day) may be helpful for bipolar depressed mood. But this research still needs more work to confirm and to understand how this works, because the findings of various clinical studies by the same research team over more than a decade have not been consistent (Berk et al 2008a; Berk et al 2011; Berk et al 2012; Berk et al 2019).

Some studies have also explored NAC's impact on conditions like schizophrenia and substance use disorders, where cognitive function is often affected - causing what most of us call “brain fog”. In people with these conditions, they noticed that NAC improved their performance in some types of cognitive tasks.

However, this is very early stage research and there’s so far been no research into how well NAC works for cognitive function and brain fog in the general population.

NAC for Mental Clarity & Mood: What the Science Says

Observing a pattern is only the first step in scientific research. It’s also essential to form a credible theory as to how things might be working. It’s thought that NAC could work in several different ways to influence our moods, emotions and brain function, including fending off brain fog. Here are the strongest theories.

Antioxidant Properties

By replenishing glutathione levels, NAC helps combat oxidative stress, and this seems to be how it helps support neurotransmitter levels which guide our moods, and delays the cognitive decline that is caused partly by advancing oxidative stress as we age.

Glutamate Modulation

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) helps regulate the glutamatergic system, which plays an important role in brain function, including learning and memory. The glutamatergic system uses glutamate, a neurotransmitter that allows nerve cells to communicate. This communication is crucial for processes like synaptic plasticity, which is the brain’s ability to strengthen or weaken connections between nerve cells based on activity. NAC helps control the levels of glutamate outside of nerve cells, preventing too much from building up. Too much glutamate can harm brain cells, but the right balance helps keep the brain functioning properly.

Neuroinflammation Reduction

NAC can work as an anti-inflammatory for the brain, and this could make it a very important nutrient to reduce neuroinflammation - meaning nerve inflammation, which includes brain inflammation - which is a factor in various psychiatric conditions.

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Is it safe to try NAC at home for depression and brain fog?

So far, the research looks very promising. NAC could play a major role in lifting the mood to tackle depression and anxiety, and in supporting or even boosting cognitive function to dispel brain fog or improve memory. But this isn’t clinically proven yet. As to how effective it can be, we need further studies to fully understand how well it works and to establish guidelines and doses for using it to help with these conditions.

Can you try NAC today for depression or brain fog? There are no proven or guaranteed benefits yet, but the bottom line is that NAC is a nutrient that exists in food, so it’s safe to say it’s perfectly safe if you stick to the recommended dose.