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N-Acetylglucosamine (NAG)

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 4/21/2011 9:54 PM (GMT 0)
Latest research shows that people with UC may genetically lack some proteins that help build the protective layer in the colon:

http://omrf.org/2011/04/11/omrf-finds-defective-sugar-root-colitis/

Has anyone tried using the NAG: N-Acetylglucosamine either as a pill or enema for sufficiently long time?
Posted 4/21/2011 10:01 PM (GMT 0)
here is a more detailed paper on the subject: http://www.jci.org/articles/view/45538

I am not a biochemist, but it seems as though NAG may help to prolong remission. It might also feed bad bacteria when UC is active.
Posted 4/21/2011 10:07 PM (GMT 0)
Does N-Acetylglucosamine help replenish O-glycans in the colon? If so then I would try it.
Posted 4/22/2011 12:14 AM (GMT 0)
First time I've heard of NAG but some quick google found:

From the University of Maryland Medical Center
www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/ulcerative-colitis-000166.htm

scrolling halfway down the page under Nutrition and Supplements is:

N-acetyl glucosamine -- Preliminary research suggests that N-acetyl glucosamine supplements or enemas may improve symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease. But more studies are needed to know whether glucosamine would have any effect on ulcerative colitis.

And this very interesting comparison of NAG vs. glucosamine
which sounds like NAG is unproven compared to glucosamine
answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070520060743AAHGfr8
Posted 4/22/2011 12:29 AM (GMT 0)
DrStone,

Sounds like a similar theory to how Leaky Gut Syndrome develops and works or rather doesn't?

Posted 4/22/2011 11:23 AM (GMT 0)
I think that UC is a combination of genetic susceptibility to weaker and slower formation of colon mucosa protective layer and environmental exposure to pathogenic adhesive bacteria strains. Stress makes it worse because it further impairs colonic protein synthesis. So, to address both issues we need to somehow get rid of the bad bacteria - e.g. through the administration of antibiotics followed by probiotics such as E Coli Nissle 1917 and then try to maintain good levels of building blocks for the colon cells such as L-glutamine and NAG. Interestingly, the standard 5-ASA treatments might also disrupt the colonic flora leading to survival of only super-adhesive deep-hiding toxic bacteria.
Posted 4/22/2011 7:45 PM (GMT 0)

Dr Stone said...
Interestingly, the standard 5-ASA treatments might also disrupt the colonic flora leading to survival of only super-adhesive deep-hiding toxic bacteria.

Those are fighting words. I am not a fan of big pharma but that statement is extremely controversial. Can you refer us to some supporting material? Are you a doctor or medical researcher?
Posted 4/22/2011 7:58 PM (GMT 0)
no I don't know of any supporting material, this is just my speculation based on intuition, otherwise it is hard to explain why 1. it gradually becomes less effective for some patients and 2. some patients recover if they can survive and self-heal in the absence of chemical treatment. I am not against 5-ASA and I am using it myself.
Posted 4/23/2011 10:00 AM (GMT 0)
here are some statements that partially support it:

http://colitis-boswellia.com/treating-a-patient-with-ulcerative-colitis.html
Posted 4/23/2011 7:16 PM (GMT 0)
I was excited when I read about and consumed things that had NAG but it never did squat. I am still open minded to idea.
Posted 4/23/2011 7:21 PM (GMT 0)
70 bucks for NAG in intestimine. I threw it out.


www.myvitanet.com/inpow60ser36.html
Posted 4/24/2011 2:09 PM (GMT 0)
why did you throw it out?
Posted 4/24/2011 5:56 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds like expensive stuff that probably is not for an active UC. I take instead NAG from Jarrow for $12 and delayed release L-glutamine from MHP ($35 for 1000grams). I could not find NAG in any delayed release/Enteric coated form.

My understanding is that NAG might improve the duration of remission, it probably would not be too useful in active UC. In active UC the strategy is to kill and starve off the bad bacteria with diet and shut down the inflammation with mesalamine.
Posted 4/24/2011 5:58 PM (GMT 0)

InSoFla said...
why did you throw it out?

Similar to Dr. Stones view - It seemed to make me worse and was probably the FOS so going to pickup some NAG by itself today. Actually I was taking NAG in another supplement but could not really say it did anything. Forgot the name.

Found it - IntestiNEW:

www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&biw=878&bih=527&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&q=IntestiNEW&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=1594357084094272494&sa=X&ei=JmW0TfvaC4To0QGYsJD6CA&ved=0CDsQ8gIwAQ#

Post Edited (aguywithuc) : 4/24/2011 12:37:08 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/24/2011 7:51 PM (GMT 0)
here is a pilot study on the subject:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11121904
Posted 4/26/2011 3:27 AM (GMT 0)
I'm a sucker for the science. Picked up some NAG and some IntestiNEW.
Posted 11/14/2014 7:58 PM (GMT 0)
I've been currently thinking to take l-glutamine but after doing some research on healing i've found an info that N-AcetylGlucosamine is much better for colitis. There's so much info on both of them to wade through that i've decided to skip it and ask you directly:
What l-glutamine are you taking and where do you buy it? Is it available in powder form?
Is any of you taking N-AcetylGlucosamine ? if yes, can you give me the name of this supplement? what's your opinion about it?
Posted 11/14/2014 10:02 PM (GMT 0)
I have been using IntestiNEW, which has l-glutamine and N-acetyl glucosamine as its 2 main ingredients and I definitely feel it soothes my colon and puts most the fire out of my heartburn.
Posted 11/14/2014 10:59 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much Boris :) It's a very useful info, I'll give it a try.
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