Health
Ill-Timed Shortage of N-Acetyl-Cysteine Raises Concerns
Since I last posted an article about NAC, I write now to discuss the recent severe shortage of the supplement and even the medication form globally
Purpose of this Story
Once, at a health and fitness conference, a speaker panel facilitator asked me if there were a single supplement that I would take with me on a deserted island; without hesitation, I answered NAC.
I am inspired to post this article after some positive feedback and with some concerns raised by my regular readers on various platforms.
On 10 August 2021, I posted an article titled “Why NAC is a Critical Molecule for Health: What If There’s Hope to Improve Immunity”. The article was an independent review of N-Acetyl Cysteine with the support of recent scientific and medical studies. Unfortunately, it gained little visibility on this platform.
However, when I blogged the content on my website and various blogging platforms, the posts were re-blogged by several bloggers, and the message went viral on social media. Interestingly there are now over 3.5 million blog posts about NAC on Google, as shown in the attached screen capture.
These blog posts have created remarkable visibility for NAC’s potential to provide tremendous boosts to our immune systems. As a long-term user of a NAC supplement who has benefited from it, I am delighted to see many people gain awareness of this molecule, which was previously not well-known to the general public.
I don’t want to repeat the benefits and research in this post, as my article provides substantial references to medical research from reliable sources. However, I’d like to highlight the current situation and concerns related to the supplement shortage.
What Caused the Shortage
There are two leading causes.
1 — Public Awareness
I see the first one as positive, which is public awareness. Since the pandemic, scientific research and public awareness of the potential immunological benefits of the product have significantly increased.
Therefore, many online stores now don’t have any supply of the supplement for the public. For example, one of the online shops that I regularly use is iHerb. I usually purchase my supplements from iHerb because it is a trusted American company. In addition, they ship to Australia very quickly with free shipment.
When I tried to order the supplement for myself and my family members, iHerb did not have any stock of any NAC products whatsoever from any manufacturer. I provided a screen capture of the status in the reference section of this article.
Many regular readers of my blogs raised the same concerns. They say they are convinced about the benefits of a safe supplement finally, as mentioned in hundreds of recent blog posts, but they cannot purchase it online. They cannot even find it in their local shops.
As you may know, NAC is also a prescribed medication. Sadly, the shortage is manifest globally in the medication form as well. For example, the Australian Government Department of Health TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) published a public notice for shortage of “DBL ACETYLCYSTEINE injection concentrate” sponsored by Pfizer between 30 September to 30 November 2021 in Australia.
2 — FDA Reassessment of Supplement Claims
The second reason is believed to be the FDA’s recent position about the use of NAC as a supplement. Even though it has been safely used for decades by health and fitness communities as an over-the-counter product, the FDA has recently changed its view about NAC.
According to an article on Natural Products Insider titled Amazon confirms plans on removing NAC supplements, “An argument between FDA and industry over the legality of NAC in dietary supplements essentially forces Amazon — and other retailers — to take sides. Amazon confirmed it’s in the process of removing from its website dietary supplements containing NAC (N-acetyl-L-cysteine).”
Amazon’s position to remove NAC products is associated with an FDA warning letter sent to seven companies illegally selling hangover products. I remember reading claims related to NAC treating hangovers. Since I am a teetotaller, I never take notice of those claims. Instead, I use NAC to boost my glutathione (natural antioxidant) naturally, per advice from my health professionals.
I found the letter to the FDA by the Council for Responsible Nutrition objecting to the warning letter interesting and informative. You can read the letter at this link. As a long-term user of the supplement, here is an interesting part of the letter which resonated with me.
“For decades, manufacturers have safely marketed products containing NAC as dietary supplements in the United States. There are currently hundreds of dietary supplements containing NAC on the market, and thousands of consumers have come to rely on these products as a crucial source of nutrients. And, until recently, FDA has consistently and affirmatively permitted manufacturers to market these products. In fact, FDA has considered over 100 structure-function claim notifications regarding NAC and at least one qualified health claim petition for a dietary supplement containing NAC, and has not objected to the presence of NAC in any of these products.”
I hope FDA takes the excellent points in this letter into consideration.
Additional thoughts
In interesting articles and blogs about this recent development, I read hundreds of posts raising concerns about removing NAC as a supplement. I only share three an example of the concerns.
For example, this article by Holistic Primary Care points out that “There are more than 1,500 supplement products containing NAC listed in the National Institutes of Health’s Dietary Supplement Label Database. NAC supplements have been on the market for decades, and none of these claims has drawn prior objections from the agency.”
This news release by TRC Natural Medicines mentions:
“N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) comes from the amino acid L-cysteine. It’s been available in dietary supplements for decades. But now, the FDA is warning companies that it cannot be legally included in supplements. The tug of war between the industry and FDA is confusing and highlights the great differences in supplement and drug regulations. This renewed confusion over the legality of NAC places a spotlight on major holes in supplement regulations.”
An article titled US senator, NPA press FDA on NAC supplements quoted Dan Fabricant, president, and CEO of NPA (The Natural Products Association), saying:
“The current situation with NAC is yet another example of the inconsistent and mercurial way in which FDA chooses to both interpret DSHEA and then determines how to best use resources under DSHEA to protect the public health.”
Conclusions
My experience and reviews from many scientific papers in the medical literature depict the usefulness and safety of NAC as a supplement.
Of course, irrelevant claims are not acceptable and must be regulated. However, removing NAC, which has the potential to improve immunity in this critical time, does not seem to be a sound decision.
As some reflect on some social media comments, the situation looks like throwing the baby out with the bathwater. I hope the situation is carefully, logically, and scientifically assessed by the authorities.
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
You might also check other promising molecules that I reviewed. Here are the links: lithium orotate, alpha-lipoic acid, n-acetyl-cysteine, acetyl-l-carnitine, CoQ10, NADH, TMG, creatine, choline, digestive enzymes, magnesium, hydrolyzed collagen, nootropics, pure nicotine, activated charcoal, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B1, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, and other nutrients that might help to improve health and fitness.
Here are recent research-based articles that you might find helpful.
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Reference
NAC supplements from all brands on the iHerb online site are out of stock.
Disclaimer: Please note that this post does not include health or professional advice. I documented my reviews, observations, experience, and perspectives only to provide information. If you have disease symptoms, please consult your healthcare professionals. Health is the responsibility of individuals.
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I write about valuable nutrients and supplements. Here are the links for easy access to them.
Boron, Urolithin, taurine, citrulline malate, biotin, lithium orotate, alpha-lipoic acid, n-acetyl-cysteine, acetyl-l-carnitine, CoQ10, PQQ, NADH, TMG, creatine, choline, digestive enzymes, magnesium, hydrolyzed collagen, nootropics, pure nicotine, activated charcoal, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B1, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, and other nutrients that might help to improve metabolism and mental health.
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