NAC has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating characteristics that may prove beneficial in the treatment and prevention of SARS-Cov-2. Nac may help women with PCOS, and is protective against many other diseases. NAC is safe with a very low toxicity rate, is commercially accessible and inexpensive. N-acetylcysteine is composed of cysteine, which is an amino acid found in mostly chicken, turkey, meats, garlic, yogurt and eggs. The primary benefit to NAC other than mucous secretion control is by increasing glutathione. Glutathione is an antioxidant in plants capable of preventing damage to important cellular components and protect against free radicals. 

Since NAC is a precursor to glutathione, NAC has shown to reduce cell damage and liver disease, improve insulin sensitivity, reduce symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, prevent cancer progression, and may help treat neurological disorders including obsessive compulsive disorder. There’s significant improvements in addiction behavior and NAC treatment. Supplementation of N-acetylcystine has shown decreased cravings. 

In a small crossover study (n = 13), designed to determine tolerability and safety, participants (currently abstaining from cocaine use) were given 2400 mg of NAC or placebo over 2 days. Four days later, participants were crossed over to the alternative arm. Whereas there was no between-group change in reduction of cravings compared with placebo, the within-group analysis showed that the NAC group had a significant reduction in cravings, withdrawals and self-reported use compared with baseline, which was not seen in the placebo group. Whereas this study did not aim to investigate efficacy, a signal was found that provided some evidence to justify further research.