Cysteine for Bipolar Disorder

Cysteine may be used in the treatment of symptoms of bipolar disorder. Cysteine is common and can be purchased without a prescription.

Definition

• N-Acetyl Cysteine is also referred to as NAC and Cysteine; it is an amino acid supplement and antioxidant made from the amino acid L-cysteine.

Use

• According to WebMD.com, Cysteine can be beneficial for many conditions including chest pain, hay fever, ear infections, chronic fatigue syndrome and cystic fibrosis. Cysteine is also used to counteract carbon monoxide poisoning.

Symptoms

• Bipolar disorder is sometimes referred to as manic depression; it is a long-term mental disorder that involves some degree of manic and depressive episodes. Pronounced and unpredictable mood swings are a main symptom of bipolar disorder.

Bipolar Disorder

• Research conducted by The Mental Health Research Institute of Victoria, in Australia, and published in the journal Biological Psychiatry in 2008 concludes that by increasing glutathione in the brain, an antioxidant that is deficient in cases of bipolar disorder, Cysteine may be an effective supplement for depressive symptoms of bipolar disorder.

Side Effects

• Cysteine is generally considered to be safe for adults; however, it has been known to cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, fever and headaches.