It tends to be seen as bad as it may weaken joints in the long run.
2 Likes
@desertshores and @Joseph (or anyone) my math challenged ADD brain just imploded trying to take all that in…
If we should be following the studies, which of course makes sense, would you mind saving me some mental energy and tell me how much I should be taking? 
I’m currently taking this brand and take one pill. I obviously should be taking more. I’m usually 102 lbs. I’m open to switching products if this one is not ideal
I used to take NACET but couldn’t find a trustworthy brand that didn’t load it up with molybdenum and selenium and it is very expensive to take multiple pills a day. I went back to 2400mg NAC daily (4 pills daily divided into two doses).
3 Likes
Key Differences at a Glance (2026)
- Bioavailability: NACET has much higher oral bioavailability (often cited at over 60%) compared to standard NAC, which typically has a low oral bioavailability of 3–6%.
- Cell Permeability: NACET is lipophilic (fat-soluble) and charge-free, allowing it to easily penetrate cell membranes and mitochondria. In contrast, NAC is hydrophilic (water-soluble) and negatively charged at physiological pH, which limits its ability to enter cells without active transport.
- Blood-Brain Barrier: NACET can cross the blood-brain barrier and increase glutathione levels in the brain, a feat standard NAC struggle to achieve efficiently.
-
Mechanism of Action:
- NACET: Rapidly enters cells, where it is converted into NAC and then into cysteine, the precursor for glutathione (the body’s master antioxidant).
- NAC: Primarily acts as a direct antioxidant or is converted into cysteine outside the cell to support glutathione synthesis.
- Potency and Dosage: Due to its superior absorption, NACET is significantly more potent. A typical effective dose of NACET is roughly 1/5 to 1/10 of a standard NAC dose (e.g., 50–100 mg of NACET vs. 600–1200 mg of NAC).
- Regulatory Status: As of early 2026, NAC is widely available as both a drug (e.g., for paracetamol overdose) and a dietary supplement, whereas NACET is primarily utilized in research and specialized advanced formulations.
Where do you source your NACET, please?
3 Likes
So basically 200mg of NACET equals 2400mg NAC. It’s far more expensive to take the NACET at that dose and you get a truck load of molybdenum in it, which I’d rather not have.
4 Likes
Short version: you can’t use “Acetyl Cysteine Ethyl Ester” (NACET) to replicate GlyNAC trials.
FWIW: ChatGPT 5.2 says:
Why: The human GlyNAC studies used standard N-acetylcysteine (NAC), not the ethyl-ester (NACET). NACET is a different molecule—much more lipophilic, different absorption and kinetics—and there’s no established mg-for-mg conversion to NAC. So matching study doses with NACET would be guesswork.
4 Likes
great sharing thanks
the doses are really high though
i am taking just 1g nac 1g glycine daily
1 Like
the ITP study on glycine shows there is a modest 5% improvement in lifespan for both male and female mice
it is posited that glycine increases gluthathione
in this case it is without NAC which is supposedly the more effective supplement and rate limiting factor as the body can make glycine itself
i think there is good evidence that increasing gluthathione either via NAC or Gly or both increases median lifespan
24% in mouse is a lot, almost as much as Rapa without the side effects, providing an alternative to those of us who dont take rapa
NAC weight loss
Researchers have studied the effects of NAC on obesity-related health problems. One review analyzed studies done on animals and human cells, showing that NAC can lower inflammation, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance while improving fat tissue function. NAC may help control key processes in obesity, such as fat storage, energy metabolism, and hormone balance. But more research is needed.
Proven benefits of NAC
At this time, there is only one scientifically proven benefit of NAC:
Treatment of acetaminophen overdose. By boosting levels of glutathione, NAC speeds up the breakdown of acetaminophen. You may be able to prevent liver or kidney damage if you get treatment within eight to 10 hours of acetaminophen poisoning.
Go to the hospital if you or a loved one takes too much acetaminophen. A health professional may need to give you a high dose of the supplement through a vein in your arm.
Potential benefits of NAC
Researchers are still gathering evidence to support the use of NAC in these areas:
Treatment of chronic lung diseases. NAC supplements, particularly the kind you breathe in, may lessen inflammation in your airways. This might reduce the number of future flare-ups caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and improve lung function, but not all studies have found these results.
The supplement may also help make wheezing and coughing less severe in some people with ongoing bronchitis. More studies are needed to confirm these results.
High-dose NAC (1,200 milligrams per day) may also help lower inflammation, break up biofilms where germs live, and lessen damage caused by oxidative stress in the lungs and airways of people with cystic fibrosis, when used alone or with other medications.
Improving liver and kidney function. Your liver and kidneys flush drugs and other toxins out of your body. NAC supplements can speed up this breakdown process and may help your organs work better if you have liver or kidney disease. But more research is needed to know for sure.
Viral suppression. There aren’t many studies on NAC and the immune system, but current research suggests that it and glutathione may help to improve immune function in people with HIV. Some research shows that the supplement may help to suppress HIV-1 reproduction. But more research is needed to know if NAC has a big benefit for people with HIV or AIDS.
Test tube studies also show that NAC may stop the flu virus from replicating. In a six-month study, people who took 600 milligrams of NAC twice daily reported fewer flu symptoms than those who didn’t take the supplement.
Balancing blood sugar in people with insulin resistance. Research suggests that NAC may help to improve insulin resistance – when your body doesn’t respond to insulin, the hormone that keeps your blood sugar in check.
There’s some evidence the supplement may be particularly helpful for people with insulin resistance who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal condition that interferes with periods and the ovaries.
Researchers have found little evidence that NAC can help people with type 2 diabetes gain good control over their blood sugar or make them more sensitive to insulin.
Better brain function. NAC helps to refill glutathione levels in the body. It also helps control a neurotransmitter called glutamate and can lessen inflammation and damage caused by oxidative stress. These functions may help protect cells needed for brain health, which may benefit people with neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Improving treatment for mental health conditions. Researchers have found mixed results when it comes to how well NAC works to treat psychiatric disorders. Still, there’s promising evidence that the supplement may change the brain and nervous system in a way that helps lessen symptoms of:
- Major depressive disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Bipolar disorder
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Trichotillomania (hair pulling)
- Substance use disorders
Some studies show that the supplement may help ease symptoms of withdrawal, including a strong urge or craving to take drugs. This may lessen the chances of relapse in people who’ve stopped misusing substances such as stimulants, cannabis, tobacco, and alcohol.
N-acetylcysteine for skin picking. NAC may improve symptoms of excoriation disorder, also called skin-picking disorder (SPD). One study found that people with SPD who took 1,200-1,300 milligrams of NAC daily for three months reported fewer SPD behaviors than those who didn’t take the supplement.
Lowering heart disease risk. Studies on human cells show that, when combined with green tea, NAC may help lessen damage caused by LDL cholesterol. LDL is the “bad” kind of cholesterol linked to heart disease.
Helping with fertility. NAC may improve fertility in people of all sexes. One study found that men and people assigned male at birth who had trouble with infertility improved their semen quality when they took NAC alone or with selenium.
- Related:What Is Intermittent Fasting?
NAC may also help women and people assigned female at birth ovulate regularly, particularly if you have infertility that comes with a condition like PCOS.
Other uses of N-acetylcysteine
More research is needed, but there’s a small amount of evidence that NAC may:
- Prevent cell damage that may turn into cancer
- Lessen side effects of cancer treatment
- Control inflammation and reduce asthma attacks
- Dissolve blood clots
- Ease symptoms of Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune condition that causes dryness
- Help treat inflammatory conditions like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis
Researchers continue to study the benefits of NAC on cancer and its treatment, including triple-negative breast cancer, colon cancer, liver cancer, and lung cancer in smokers. But there isn’t strong enough evidence to say that the supplement can prevent cancer.
Ask your doctor if NAC is safe for you to take if you have cancer.
3 Likes
if u are taking rapa, u might as well add nacgly to it and may you live 50% longer than the median 
1 Like
I have been taking NAC, with and without glycine, for eight years. The basis is primarily theoretical. I cannot discern subjective effect on my feeling, energy, etc. beyond what might be improved lung function. I’m not in the megadose camp however and limit my dose to no more than 2,400 mg NAC and 3,000 mg glycine. I cycle the administration 5/2. Lately, I have reduced the amount of glycine I pair with NAC upon discovering I am homozygous BHMT 08 (rs651852(A,A)). I have not yet worked out an evidence-based resolution of the issues.
4 Likes
I dont think we are supposed to feel anything.
Gluthatione is just our master antioxidant and healthy levels of it reduces ROS. So there is nothing to feel.
Maybe just a sense of general wellness.
The key is just to take it daily.
5 Likes
We can probably say the same for 99% of supplements
2 Likes
it is an interesting question, isn’t it. I was having this discussion the other day. Based on occasional times when I take no supplements for from 1-3 days, I pretty sure I can detect a subtle difference in my level of energy across the full waking hours but it is not dramatic. Most recently, I added a supplement – Urolithin-A – for which the effects on my muscle performance has been unmistakable. I would have to think about it more but UA might be the only exception.
1 Like
Hi,
Can you guys tell me if taking TMG will have the same effect as Glycine? (Taken with or without NAC).
Thanks
Shez
TMG is basically glycine with some methyl groups so it should, in theory, have the same effect. Maybe even better because it provides your body with much needed methyl groups.
2 Likes
I have asked four different Ai, they all said no, TMG cannnot replace Glycine.
“The short answer is no, taking TMG with NAC will not have the same effect as taking Glycine with NAC (GlyNAC). While they share some overlapping territory, they are fundamentally different combinations with distinct primary purposes”
“For the specific, well-researched effects of GlyNAC (glutathione boosting, oxidative stress reduction), you must take glycine with NAC. TMG is not a substitute for glycine in this context.
· TMG with NAC is a different combo aimed at methylation and homocysteine metabolism. It’s useful but for different reasons.”
3 Likes
TMG donates it’s three methyl groups to the body and eventually turns into glycine. By that process (TMG → DMG → Monomethylgylcine → Glycine) you get roughly 3 grams of glycine for every 10 grams of TMG you take.
2 Likes
Perhaps slightly off the initial question but I would add that addressing methylation related to reducing homocysteine is an incredibly complex issue wherein each wave of research seems to be adding to that complexity. The right amount of TMG can contribute to decreased homocysteine if and only if elevation is due to specific causes but more than the right amount can raise it. What are the conditions and where is the knee of that curve? Good questions? Some of the answers involve specific genetic polymorphisms. Another topic. My only point here is that it is not that difficult to shoot oneself in the foot with a well-intentioned but poorly aimed blunderbuss of experimentation.
2 Likes
Could you please tell me how to order these products? I am about ready to give up, have been trying to get rapamycin and after a month and a lot of run-arounds, still nothing. Please tell me who and how to order from? Thank you!
The Buy Rapamycin link at the top has a lot of good advice on suppliers.
You can also log in to IndiaMart.com and put up a request and see which pharmacies respond, which may be ones not on the list above but you can still “Take one for the team” and try it out; of course posting if it is a success. I’ve only used IndiaMart 3 times but it has been OK each time.
I’ve been ordering medications & supplements from Thailand/Singapore/Hong Kong for 20+ years and rarely had problems. More recently I’ve been using AliExpress and they are excellent and when things have gone wrong I’ve had refunds/replacements (although I am mainly ordering electronics and household goods, not supplements, from China).
1 Like