2 ms·
I am very glad to read this. I don’t know very much about CF so I took the opportunity to read a little about it. A hunch struck me that CF seemed like a dise
by AnthonBerg 3y ago
I am very glad to read this.
I don’t know very much about CF so I took the opportunity to read a little about it.
A hunch struck me that CF seemed like a disease where N-acetylcysteine might be useful (NAC). Have had good and unexpected results with NAC in relation to Type 1 diabetes; not widely used in that context afaik but recent literature describes mechanisms and benefits.
NAC is quite strange. Does a lot of things and works for a lot of stuff. Enough to seem a bit implausibly effective. It’s a mucolytic antioxidant which also replenishes certain important biological precursors and also has an effect on histamine and mast cells somehow, not just through being mucolytic (“slime-dissolving”). And more iirc. Just… does a lot.
There’s literature on positive effects in congestion, anxiety, diabetes, placental health, brain damage from methamphetamine poisoning in rats (!), COVID illness and recovery, and on and on. As I said it seems kinda implausible how widely NAC seems to help. I’ve seen it have very clear and obvious benefits. T1 diabetes isn’t really something you can delude yourself about; no bargaining with it.
As I read about CF I thought of NAC. I didn’t seem mention of it on the Wikipedia page for CF, but a Google Scholar search turned up some recent papers.
‘N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and Its Role in Clinical Practice Management of Cystic Fibrosis (CF): A Review’
—Guerini & co. ‘22
https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/15/2/217 https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/15/2/217
Wanted to share and ask if you had any experience with or thoughts on NAC?
- DoreenMichele 3y agoIt's been an alternative remedy in the CF community for a while. People with CF hoard glutathione within the cell and have too little on the surface, so some people with CF use inhaled NAC to address the lack of surface glutathione in the lungs.
- AnthonBerg 3y agoThank you!, this is interesting and the insight is useful. I have to say that the distinction between alternative remedies and… idk, mainstream medicine?, this distinction feels spuriouser and spuriouser.
- jamesblonde 3y agoIn Sweden we treat with NAC and bisolvon, amongst others, so it is not alternative. We have the highest life expectancy for CF in the world. But remember, correlation is not always causation.