N-acetylcysteine (NAC)

Has anyone tried taking N-acetylcysteine to see if it helped increase their platelets? If so, what was the response?

"People with bleeding disorders or taking blood thinning medications should not take NAC, as it may slow blood clotting"
www.healthline.com/nutrition/nac-benefits#section11

As with anything unknown you should check with your hematologist 1st [I have a fantastic hematologist - if he doesn't know the answer he finds it]

I was actually taking NAC along with some other supplements, by naturopathic doctors orders, and at that time my platelets were creeping up. I've since stopped and they're back down in the 60's. I have no clue if it was related, but I do intend to try it again and see if it helps. I don't know if you're not supposed to take it as one other person responded here, but I've made doctors aware and haven't been told not to. Have you since heard anything else on NAC?
Cheryl

Do you mean your naturopathic doc ordered you to take it or recommended you take it?

I haven't found anything else on NAC, but I really didn't look any further - all I need to know is people with bleeding disorders shouldn't take it. I will not take echinacea either.

MommaBear wrote: Has anyone tried taking N-acetylcysteine to see if it helped increase their platelets? If so, what was the response?

Yes I have. There was no change in count response. But I don't respond to steroids so, before I tried it, wasn't really expecting it to help. See this study.
"N-acetylcysteine (NAC) ameliorates Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 1 induced chronic inflammation"
www.researchgate.net/publication/321735025_N-acetylcysteine_NAC_ameliorates_Epstein-Barr_virus_latent_membrane_protein_1_induced_chronic_inflammation

Coincidentally or not, I restarted taking NAC after I found out that I had a tooth 'resorption' problem with one tooth. It seems to have helped A LOT with that. If one looks up 'NAC osteoporosis' that will get you started on that subject, if interested.

I was also looking into NAC supplementation and its effect on ITP.
There is already some papers on using NAC for ITP and there are a few ongoing trials at the moment.
Oxidative Stress and Immune Thrombocytopenia ( www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0037196313000942 )
www.ashclinicalnews.org/meeting-news/n-acetylcysteine-increases-platelet-counts-in-patients-with-thrombotic-thrombocytopenia-purpura/
link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11239-015-1259-6

- The articles posit that oxidative stress is linked to the development of ITP.
- The article says that oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) represents a good marker of your oxidative stress status,
- NAC when consumed, NAC gets absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, sent to the liver, and converted to cysteine. The liver uses cysteine to produce glutathione.
The oxidative stress idea makes a lot of sense from my personal experience.

adamt wrote: I was also looking into NAC supplementation and its effect on ITP.
There is already some papers on using NAC for ITP and there are a few ongoing trials at the moment.
Oxidative Stress and Immune Thrombocytopenia ( www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0037196313000942 )
www.ashclinicalnews.org/meeting-news/n-acetylcysteine-increases-platelet-counts-in-patients-with-thrombotic-thrombocytopenia-purpura/
link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11239-015-1259-6

I don't know anything about NAC supplementation, but just wanted to make clear that the second two articles you linked from ashclinicalnews and springer.com all refer to TTP (Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia Purpura) and not ITP. I didn't read the first one, but just wanted to throw it out there that TTP is a different condition.

No, I wasn’t ordered to take it but it was recommended by the doctor.

There are now actually studies underway looking treating ITP with  NAC + Dexamethasone. It will be interesting to see what the results. It would be interesting to see studies done on keeping people in remission by supplementation of things which attenuate the immune system and reduce oxidative stress.  I get the feeling my ITP relapses for example is brought on by just having a lot of things to deal with and the immune system going haywire.

NAC already has good evidence for supplementation in the winter months to reducing the length and severity of infections. Vitamin D is similar. It would be great to see more studies on both.

clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04368598
www.pdsa.org/trials-recruiting-intl/item/1972-dex-acetylcysteine-intl.html

Looking forward to seeing the results of the trials.