Will NAC Become a Banned Supplement?

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a common dietary supplement that's been sold for six decades, yet the FDA suddenly cracked down on it in 2020. What was the reason?

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration suddenly cracked down on NAC in 2020, claiming it is excluded from the definition of a dietary supplement, as it was approved as a new drug in 1963

• Retailers, including Amazon, pulled supplements containing NAC from their shelves in response, as the FDA’s move meant NAC could no longer legally be mar…