NAC (N-acetylcysteine) and mood
What 2 graded rows on nac (n-acetylcysteine) agree on for mood, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the NAC (N-acetylcysteine) page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the NAC (N-acetylcysteine) page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
NAC (N-acetylcysteine) and mood
2 rows · 1,498 peopleSplit. 1 row found an improvement and 1 found no difference.
- BGrade B× 1
- ∅No effect× 1
- Rows
- 2
- Trials
- 20
- People
- 1,498
- Pooled reviews may count some twice
Where they differ
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade B, is a meta-analysis of 904 people (2024) and found an improvement. 1 row is graded No effect, our grade for adequately powered trials that found no effect.
The row that found no difference ran longer (6 months) than the row that found an improvement (8 weeks).
The rows
1 improved · 1 no difference- BGrade BDepressive symptom scores (add-on NAC) · Improved
Meta-analysis, 12 studies · n 904 · 2024 · Patients with depression, including bipolar and major depressive disorder, in 12 RCTs
1,000–3,000 mg/day · 8–24 weeks
Depression scores fell more with NAC than placebo (SMD -0.24, 95% CI -0.44 to -0.05; I² 45%), most clearly in bipolar disorder.
Row on the NAC (N-acetylcysteine) page · PubMed 39504621 (opens PubMed)
- ∅No effectPsychotic symptom scores (PANSS) when added to antipsychotics · No difference
Meta-analysis, 8 studies · n 594 · 2024 · Patients with psychotic disorders on antipsychotic medication in 8 placebo-controlled RCTs
Varied across trials · Up to and beyond 24 weeks
No difference from placebo in PANSS total, positive, negative or general scores at 24 weeks or less or beyond 24 weeks; dropout rates were similar.
Row on the NAC (N-acetylcysteine) page · PubMed 37712506 (opens PubMed)