Amino Acid shown to help hair pulling & compulsions!

Posted December 21st, 2009 by Kali
I just now read this article below and wanted to share it with everyone. I am going to try it, I alread take NAC daily but not at these dosages. I will keep you posted on my progress and if you take it please let us all know how it works or not for you. By the way I am a skin picker not a hair puller so maybe it will work for us too. Good luck. NaturalNews.com - printable article Amino Acid N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) Eases Compulsive Behavior Such as Hair Pulling by David Gutierrez, staff writer (NaturalNews) A supplement of the amino acid N-acetylcysteine may ease the symptoms of compulsive hair pulling, according to a study conducted by researchers from the Minnesota School of Medicine and published in the Archives of General Psychiatry. Hair-pulling, also known as trichotillomania, is a compulsive disorder that may affect as many as one in seven people at some point. Patients feel a compulsive urge to pull out the hair from their scalps, eyebrows or even eyelashes, sometimes creating bald spots. Some people who suffer from trichotillomania will play with or eat their hair after pulling it out. Although similar to obsessive-compulsive disorder, trichotillomania is not the same condition and does not respond well to antidepressants or other drugs. The condition is not well understood, but the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin are believed to play a role. Researchers gave a number of trichotillomania patients a 1,200 mg supplement of N-acetylcysteine every day for six weeks. This dose was continued for another six weeks in patients who appeared to be responding, and doubled in patients who did not appear to be responding. Fifty-six percent of patients treated with N-acetylcysteine demonstrated "much or very much improved" symptoms, compared with only 16 percent of those treated with a placebo. There were no adverse side effects reported. The amino acid treatment proved more effective than the success rate of drug treatments, and was on par with the effectiveness of behavioral therapy or a drug-therapy combination. Researchers said that even if the amino acid treatment proves successful in further studies, behavioral therapy should still be used to try and treat the underlying psychological causes of hair pulling. Previous studies haves suggested that N-acetylcysteine supplements may also be effective at treating symptoms of bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizophrenia. They are also used to treat acetaminophen (Tylenol) overdoses and nasal mucus buildup. The supplements are available over the counter and by prescription. Sources for this story include: www.reuters.com.
‹ I've only had this for a year, can i stop myself? New here :) ›
On February 6th, 2010 anniem said:
kali- it's so encouraging to hear that this supplement is helping you! have you noticed a significant decrease in the picking or is it more like taking the edge off? please keep us updated! :)
On February 6th, 2010 Kali said:
A little of both actually. I don't feel as compelled to go pick to begin with and I also feel less intensely stressed about it. Also when I do feel the urge to pick I really can resist better, not always but I have a few times quit in the middle of a pick session. Where before even though I would tell myself to STOP, I just couldn't do it. I have a real problem with dry skin that has persisted since my early 20's due to taking Accutane for acne problems. It set something off in my system that makes me have these persistent dry patches that then peel like after a sunburn. I cannot just leave these very large "flakes" to just come off on their own, I am not walking around like that, you know what I mean? So when it gets really dry and the skin is going to peel (this is gross, I know, sorry) I have to remove it as best I can without causing a mess. I usually succeed but THIS makes me stand right up to the mirror where I can see all the other imperfections and want to pick at them. So anyway, I noticed that even though I have to take care of just the dry skin issue I have now been able to do that without it turning into a massacre and I truly think it is due to the NAC. This is a first so I am hopeful with this little extra edge I can try to train myself better to avoid a pick fest.
On February 5th, 2010 jldoll01 said:
FYI from webmd under side effects: N-acetyl cysteine is LIKELY SAFE for most adults, when used as a prescription medication. It can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea or constipation. Rarely, it can cause rashes, fever, headache, drowsiness, low blood pressure, and liver problems. When inhaled (breathed into the lungs), it can also cause swelling in the mouth, runny nose, drowsiness, clamminess, and chest tightness. N-acetyl cysteine has an unpleasant odor that may make it hard to take. Special Precautions & Warnings: Pregnancy or breast-feeding: N-acetyl cysteine is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth, delivered through a hole in the windpipe, or breathed in. N-acetyl cysteine crosses the placenta, but there is no evidence so far linking it with harm to the unborn child or mother. However, N-acetyl cysteine should only be used in pregnant women when clearly needed, such as in cases of acetaminophen toxicity. Allergy: Don’t use N-acetyl cysteine if you are allergic to acetyl cysteine. Asthma: There is a concern that N-acetyl cysteine might cause bronchospasm in people with asthma if inhaled or taken by mouth or through a tube in the windpipe. If you take N-acetyl cysteine and have asthma, you should be monitored by your healthcare provider.
On February 5th, 2010 Kali said:
Thanks for the info, it's good to know. You don't need an RX though, it is a natural supplement that you can get at the health food store or online. I purchased mine at Vitaglo.com and bought it from the NOW brand. I have been taking it everyday and it is helping. I have had none of the side effects listed above, I use the capsule form not a tablet and it doesn't taste bad or weird in capsule form but it might as a tablet. All these precautions are very good to know though since everyone is different and may experience a side effect. Thanks again for posting it.
On February 17th, 2010 ocdFreak said:
From the Now brand? That is a pretty trusted brand as far as I know... maybe I will try it too...
On February 20th, 2010 anniem said:
that's the kind i've been using...
On February 4th, 2010 anniem said:
i just ordered some today. i'm desperate and i'll try anything.
On December 21st, 2009 picky said:
I'm definitely going to try it! I'll let everyone know how it goes in a couple of months.
For information on the skin picking disorder (Dermatillomania), symptoms, causes and treatment methods, get the Complete Guide to Skin Picking Disorders.