Tier 2 — strong

N-acetylcysteine, a glutamate modulator, in the treatment of trichotillomania: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Jon E Grant, Brian L Odlaug, Suck Won Kim
Arch Gen Psychiatry 2009 66(7):756-763

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 19581567
DOI
10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2009.60
Funding
Funding disclosure was not located in the indexed record reviewed; consult the source publication for the full funding statement.
Competing interests
Competing-interest disclosure was not located in the indexed record reviewed; consult the source publication for the full declaration.

Study snapshot

DesignRandomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial
ModelHuman
Sample50 adults
InterventionOral NAC 1,200-2,400 mg/day versus placebo
Duration12 weeks
EndpointsHair-pulling severity; Clinical response

What the study showed, in plain terms

Adult trichotillomania trial that helped establish interest in NAC for body-focused repetitive behaviors.

Key findings

A substantially larger proportion of NAC-treated adults were rated much or very much improved than placebo-treated participants.

What this study can and cannot tell us

Small single trial in adults; pediatric results have not replicated the benefit.

Editorial review

Reviewed by the Biohack Blueprint research team

Last verified

Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology