Written by Patrick Massey M.D., Ph.D. In a recent medical study, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) significantly reduced the impulse to gamble among a group of participants diagnosed with a gambling addiction.
Gambling has become a popular pastime in the United States. It is enjoyed by millions of people every year and its popularity is mirrored by the increase in the number of casinos and other gambling opportunities over the past decade.
However, there’s a downside to gambling. For some, it can be very addicting.
A gambling addiction is as powerful as any drug addiction. The treatment for gambling addiction consists of medications and behavioral therapy. However, no medications have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration specifically for gambling addiction, and those that are used are not universally effective.
We do know that certain brain molecules such as glutamate can have an effect on reward-based, addictive behavior like gambling. Increasing levels of glutamate in brain cells can actually suppress the urges and impulses that are associated with this kind of compulsive behavior.
One compound that seems to increase glutamate levels in brain cells is N-acetyl cysteine (NAC). In a recent medical study, NAC significantly reduced the impulse to gamble among a group of participants diagnosed with a gambling addiction.
NAC is both a prescription medication and a dietary supplement. It is derived from the amino acid cysteine and is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of respiratory diseases associated with high production of mucus as well as an antidote for Tylenol overdose. NAC is also the precursor of glutathione, one of most powerful antioxidants made by the body. It is found extensively in the liver and acts as a detoxifier.
Researchers in gambling addiction from the University of Minnesota discovered that NAC was also beneficial in the treatment of gambling addiction. In a small study, 27 patients took an increasing dose of NAC over about 14 weeks. Their level of gambling addiction was assessed at the beginning of the study and at the end of the study by a number of different measurement tools. Almost 60 percent of the participants had significant improvement in their gambling addiction scores after 14 weeks.
This is notable because the participants were taking NAC for a relatively short period. Interestingly, in one study at the Medical University of South Carolina, NAC was shown to reduce cravings for cocaine and might have use in other drug addictions as well.
Known side effects of NAC are mild even at high doses. Diarrhea, nausea and dizziness have been reported, however, these effects seem to be rare.
Although the response to NAC by the participants in this study was impressive, this was only a pilot study and additional research is necessary before firm conclusions can be drawn. However, the side effects of NAC are significantly lower than other medications used to treat gambling addiction. In addition, adding NAC to other treatment protocols might improve outcomes.
Posted November 19, 2008.
