A New Supplement: GlyNAC

Before I get t into this week’s newsletter, I want to set the stage by describing the “landscape” of our healthcare system. In general, there are several major components which consist of the FDA, big Pharma, private/government insurance, the hospital/healthcare system, supplement manufacturers, and holistic medications and practitioners. As you might imagine each of these is in a constant battle to maintain its current place in the system. One way or another it is always about money. So, you always need to be cautious about your decision-making to understand that these groups are not guardian angels that always have your best interest in mind. Make no mistake, they are in it for the money…

This is not to say that many practitioners do indeed have your best interest in mind. However, you need to recognize the fact that these individuals have busy lifestyles that do not allow them to stay current with all the latest developments in the industry, which are increasing at an exponential rate. For the most part, they must depend on the information they learned in school decades ago, augmented by the experience gained by practicing their craft.

Interestingly, the subject of this week’s newsletter has come under fire by what I believe is the collusion of the two biggest players, the FDA and big Pharma. This is important, because it will tell you something that you will never find in any study regarding the supplement. About three years ago the FDA tried to ban N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC), one of the primary components of the supplement I’ll be discussing today. The interesting thing is that in the 50 years that NAC has been available as a supplement there is little, or no evidence of any significant side effects… I believe that big Pharma realized that the two amino acids that comprise the supplement was indeed a very effective life-altering treatment and wanted to quash its availability to protect its own development of an alternative drug it was working on…

Regarding the changing landscape of our healthcare system, I have noticed a significant paradigm shift brought about by the explosive growth of the Internet and specifically social media. Traditionally, the highly technical information required to understand these developments were delivered in book form, or by periodical publications. However, the current pace of healthcare evolution no longer allows time for the development of these legacy reference sources.

Just think about what you would do if you needed to learn something immediately that required in-depth technical knowledge of a product or new service. I don’t know about you, but the first place I would look is YouTube. I am constantly amazed by the amount and diversity of information available through this social platform, regardless of its subject. In truth, I use YouTube extensively for research and learning purposes. As you will see, I utilize YouTube in my newsletter to present authoritative information provided by leading podcasters to my audience.

One of the most difficult challenges for me is trying to provide meaningful information in a form that most of my audience can understand and learn from without overwhelming them with the use of highly technical terminology and concepts. Fortunately, I can find different levels of sophistication on almost any topic on YouTube, which I can then point my readers to by summarizing their content and style of any given podcast on the same subject. Thereby giving my audience the ability to explore the topic based on their level of interest and knowledge of the subject matter, as you will see in this week’s posting.

With that, let us begin with an in-depth discussion of this week’s main topic…

A New Supplement: GlyNAC

Before I get into the details, I would like to remind you of my primary motivation for embarking on this new chapter of my life. At the beginning of this year, I was in a depressed state resulting from the effects of aging. Having the realization as a doctor, that my body was deteriorating in a downward spiral that could only end in death.  So… I decided to take matters into my own hands and do something about it, because I realized that I was not going to get any help from the traditional medicine that was available to me. To summarize, I am most interested in improving the quality of my health, and those closest to me, that due to their age are, or will be affected by age-related diseases and conditions.

To begin, “GlyNAC” is a relatively new “combination” supplement that seems to be going “viral”. It consists of the combination of two well-known existing supplements: Glycine and N-Acetyl Cystine. Research has shown that these two amino acids taken in equal amounts at the same time serve as precursors to GLUTATHIONE, the most powerful antioxidant in the human body. This vital molecule is present in ample amounts until about the age of 45. At age 60, it has dropped to levels that are beginning to affect the normal function of the human body. Therefore, supplementation with GlyNAC is recommended. If you do nothing else, try to watch one or both YouTube videos embedded below this section to understand its significance. They are short, clear and concise.

For you skeptics, I will never present or recommend a product or medication where the majority of experts do not agree that it is largely beneficial and does not carry significant side effects. I benefit in no way other than knowing that I have provided accurate information about a potentially helpful product that is not widely known by the public.

If you don’t have enough glutathione in your body, you might notice symptoms such as:

•          Oxidative stress which is a key factor in the development of many diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and heart disease

•          Fatigue

•          Brain fog

•          Sleep problems

•          Frequent infections

•          Anemia (low red blood cell count)

•          Loss of coordination

•          Seizures

Since glutathione is available as a supplement you may be wondering why you would take GlyNAC instead of glutathione itself. The answer is simple, for the most part, glutathione is largely destroyed in the gut, leaving only small amounts available to be absorbed into the bloodstream. Therefore, conventional wisdom suggests that the best way to increase glutathione levels is to take the component amino acids in the form of GlyNAC. In addition, there is a growing body of evidence that shows that it is better to use precursors to produce key target molecules rather than using the substance directly. This allows the body to “autoregulate” the amount and distribution throughout the body of the desired substance for maximum effectiveness.

To start things off, I would like you to watch a 13-minute podcast by Ryker Black from the Anti-Aging Channel. This video gives a concise explanation of the use of GlyNAC as a supplement along with study results and recommended dosages. After watching, you should have a good understanding of GlyNAC, its benefits, and who it is recommended for. Alternatively, I offer another podcast whose host resembles “Woody” from Toy Story.  Despite its simplified graphics, it offers a complete unbiased presentation and is less than 10 minutes long. Click on the title to lauch video.

GlyNAC | THE GAME CHANGER | Glycine + NAC (click to view)

Can GLYNAC Really Extend Your Life? (click to view)

Fortunately, these two supplements are reasonably priced and can be obtained in virtually all retail and online pharmacies including Amazon. If you are 65 or older I recommend that you begin with what is considered to be a medium dosage since there is very little evidence of side effects at that level.  Summarizing, you want to use 3 grams (3000mg) of each supplement taken simultaneously. Glycine is most often supplied in 1000 mg per 3-capsules, therefore 3000mg is 9 capsules. NAC is usually supplied in 600mg per capsule, therefore 3000mg is 5 capsules. You can split the dosing times to 1/3 in the morning and 2/3 in the evening. Glycine is known to induce sleep, so it is advisable to take the larger dose at night. There are different dosages on the market, so if you decide to purchase one of these you can adjust using simple math. There are also premixed drink powders available on Amazon if you don’t want to go the capsule route.

The following diagram shows that as we age our mitochondria begin to malfunction in such a way that they produce molecules called “reactive oxygen species” that are the result of oxidative stress. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are oxygen-containing compounds that are chemically reactive and are a normal part of aerobic life in living organisms. However, these molecules can be very destructive because they have a voracious appetite for electrons that can be “stolen” from other molecules in the cell. Eventually this electron depletion leads to cellular dysfunction and pathology. Glutathione, being the most powerful antioxidant in our body, reacts with these molecules shown in red by removing the stolen electrons and producing water along with an oxidized form of glutathione called glutathione disulfide, which later can be reconverted back to glutathione.

Perhaps you are wondering why so many of these studies are done on mice rather than humans. The answer is that it all boils down to money again. Studies involving humans are VERY expensive. Usually, the only organization that can afford this type of expenditure is big Pharma. They can spend millions on research because they expect to make many millions if one of their drugs receives FDA approval. What some people don’t realize is that big Pharma makes these huge profits because of the patent they hold for name brand medicines they create, which lasts for 17 years… The same period as any other awarded patent. After the patent lapses, these drugs automatically become available as less costly “generic” equivalents that are usually known by their chemical name.

I am going to provide two more podcasts about GlyNAC for those skeptics that want to know more and are trying to decide if this supplement is right for them. The first podcast (GlyNAC Supplement: Reversing Aging) is from the Physionic channel hosted by Nicholas Verhoeven, a molecular scientist who specializes in analyzing the validity of experimental studies. He is a true geek and very conservative with his conclusions by nature. The second podcast is from Dr. Ford Brewer entitled “Reversing Aging with Supplements: GlyNAC”. This is a considerably more laid-back podcast with three individuals with somewhat different viewpoints. Dr. Brewer is a popular and well-known podcaster, with a likable easy-going manner. Both podcasts are about an hour long but remember it’s always possible to skip around if you don’t have that much time to commit.

GlyNAC Supplement: Reversing Aging (click To iew)

Reversing Aging with Supplements: GlyNAC (click to view)

In summary, I believe if you follow the recommendations that I’ve given you directly or in conjunction with the embedded podcasts you should be able to experience a distinct difference in your overall health within six weeks of supplementation. After 12 weeks, I recommend you take a break for one week and then begin again. I should point out that studies show once you stop taking GlyNAC, your biomarkers will return to their previous state. Which means that if you are hoping to extend your life expectancy, you must continue to take this supplement for the rest of your life… The bottom line here is the process of overcoming aging and improving you “Health Span” is VERY expensive. Such is Life :-)

Until next time, take care and stay positive… Dr. G