The antioxidant n-acetylcysteine (NAC) is emerging as a promising treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), offering new hope for the approximately 50 percent of adults with OCD who do not respond to customary treatments.
Researchers have been accumulating evidence during the past few years that NAC, a derivative of the amino acid cysteine, available as an over-the-counter supplement, could help people with OCD. It’s also showing promise in the treatment of patients with the hair-pulling disorder trichotillomania and is being investigated as a treatment for compulsive gamblers and drinkers.
