NAC is safe to take along with OCD medication for kids and teens, with no serious side effects and similar side effects to placebo.

Scientific Claim

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is well tolerated as an adjunctive treatment for children and adolescents with OCD, with no serious adverse effects reported and no statistically significant differences in adverse effects between NAC and placebo groups.

Original Statement

“No serious adverse effect was found in the two groups. The rate of none of the adverse effects was statistically different between the two groups.”

From study:Some psychometric properties of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ Version 4.0 Generic Core Scales (PedsQLTM) in the general Serbian population

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

probability

Can suggest probability/likelihood

Assessment Explanation

The study design supports descriptive claims about safety, but the small sample size limits precision. The study states 'well tolerated' but the evidence strength warrants 'appears to be well tolerated' to reflect uncertainty.

More Accurate Statement

“N-acetylcysteine (NAC) appears to be well tolerated as an adjunctive treatment for children and adolescents with OCD, with no serious adverse effects reported and no statistically significant differences in adverse effects between NAC and placebo groups.”

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Some psychometric properties of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ Version 4.0 Generic Core Scales (PedsQLTM) in the general Serbian population

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2017 Apr

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Some psychometric properties of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ Version 4.0 Generic Core Scales (PedsQLTM) in the general Serbian population

Score: 61

DOI: 10.1007/s11136-010-9833-z

Similar Assertions

Adding NAC to OCD medication doesn't seem to help kids and teens with OCD move around or do physical activities better than just taking the medication alone.

87%

NAC doesn't cause more side effects than placebo when taken with OCD medication for kids and teens, with tiredness being the most common side effect in both groups.

86%

Kids and teens with OCD who take NAC along with their medication feel better emotionally compared to those who just take the medication alone.

85%

Kids and teens with OCD who take NAC along with their medication have better social interactions and relationships compared to those who just take the medication alone.

85%

Kids and teens with OCD who take NAC along with their medication can move around better than they could before starting treatment, but this improvement isn't better than what kids get from just taking the medication alone.

85%