SYS ONLINE
Supplements/Amino Acid

NAC (Post-Use Recovery)

GSH precursor — supports glutamatergic rebalancing and oxidative stress recovery after stimulant or psychedelic use.

Buy

Overview

GSH precursor — supports glutamatergic rebalancing and oxidative stress recovery after stimulant or psychedelic use.

Natural sources
  • Dietary protein from animal sources (meat, fish, eggs, dairy) and plant sources (soy, legumes, grains)
  • Free-form amino acid powders and capsules
  • Targeted pre-workout, recovery, or sleep formulations
Common forms
  • Free-form crystalline powder
  • Capsules or tablets
  • Pre-mixed recovery or hydration beverages
  • Time-release formulations

Mechanism of action

Restores cysteine/GSH and modulates glutamate via cystine-glutamate exchanger.

Pathways
  • · Restores cysteine/GSH
  • · modulates glutamate via cystine-glutamate exchanger

Effects on the body

Decreases
cocaine and cannabis craving (RCTs)

Organ system effects

Brain & CNS

NAC (Post-Use Recovery) modulates monoaminergic and GABAergic tone relevant to mood and anxiety regulation.

Evidence-based benefits

Reduces cocaine and cannabis craving (RCTs)

Moderate evidence

Potential side effects

Common
  • · Sulfur burps
Rare
    Serious

      Drug interactions

      Prescription medications (general)
      Always disclose NAC (Post-Use Recovery) use to your prescriber — additive, antagonistic, or pharmacokinetic interactions are possible.
      minor

      Safety & non-supplemental interactions

      Educational summary — always confirm with your clinician or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or combining with prescription therapy.

      Other notes
      • ·Discuss with a clinician if you have active liver disease or take hepatotoxic medications.

      Supplement interactions

      Pairs well with
      • A high-quality multivitamin
        Covers micronutrient cofactors that support most supplement pathways.
      • Omega-3 (EPA/DHA)
        Foundational anti-inflammatory support that complements most regimens.
      Avoid combining with

      No specific avoidances listed.

      Dosing & bioavailability

      Typical dose
      600–1200 mg BID
      Best form
      Most evidence is based on the free-form crystalline powder form.
      Timing
      Consistent daily timing recommended; split larger doses if GI tolerance is a concern.
      With food?
      Optional

      Where to buy

      Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Amazon code supplementsch-20 is auto-applied at checkout. We don't endorse specific brands; verify third-party testing (USP, NSF, Informed Sport) before purchase.

      Scientific evidence8Show studies
      Meta-analysisSubst Abus · 2014

      NAC for substance-use disorders: a meta-analysis

      Asevedo E, et al.

      Meta-analysis of NAC in SUDs.

      Key findings

      Reduced cravings across multiple substances.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: NAC (Post-Use Recovery) — Reduces cocaine and cannabis craving

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "NAC (Post-Use Recovery) Reduces cocaine and cannabis craving" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching NAC (Post-Use Recovery) and "Reduces cocaine and cannabis craving". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: NAC (Post-Use Recovery) — randomized controlled trial

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "NAC (Post-Use Recovery) randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching NAC (Post-Use Recovery) and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: NAC (Post-Use Recovery) — meta-analysis

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "NAC (Post-Use Recovery) meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching NAC (Post-Use Recovery) and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: NAC (Post-Use Recovery) — pharmacokinetics

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "NAC (Post-Use Recovery) pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching NAC (Post-Use Recovery) and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: NAC (Post-Use Recovery) — safety adverse events

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "NAC (Post-Use Recovery) safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching NAC (Post-Use Recovery) and "safety adverse events". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

      PubMed: NAC (Post-Use Recovery) — dose response

      Live PubMed search

      Live results for "NAC (Post-Use Recovery) dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

      Key findings

      Opens current human and preclinical literature matching NAC (Post-Use Recovery) and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

      Open study
      Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

      Google Scholar: NAC (Post-Use Recovery) — clinical evidence

      Live Scholar search

      Cross-database citation index for NAC (Post-Use Recovery) as it relates to "clinical evidence".

      Key findings

      Includes preprints, theses, and journal articles. Useful for tracking citation counts and follow-on work.

      Open study
      Educational use only. This profile is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic condition.

      Community discussion

      (0 threads)

      Share your experience or read what others have tried. Anecdotes are not medical advice.

      Sign in or create a free account to post or reply.
      Loading discussion…