Healthline Wellness Wire

In a Nutshell

A supplement called GlyNAC — containing the amino acids glycine and N-acetylcysteine — is showing early but consistent results in aging research. It extended the lifespan of mice and offered several health benefits in small human trials. The latest findings focus specifically on brain health, and they’re worth a closer look.

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Let’s look into it,
Tim Snaith
Newsletter Editor, Healthline

Written by Tim Snaith
February 25, 2026 • 4 min read

what’s got us buzzing

Can this amino acid combo put the brakes on brain aging?

Every cell in your body produces its own very powerful antioxidant, glutathione. It protects against the kind of damage that accumulates with age: declining cellular energy, chronic inflammation, and the dreaded brain fog. After about age 60, your body produces roughly half as much glutathione as it did in your 20s.

But taking glutathione as a pill doesn’t work because your gut breaks it down before it reaches your cells. Your body has to build it from scratch using two amino acids, glycine and cysteine. GlyNAC is a supplement that provides both, giving your cells the building blocks to produce their own glutathione again.

What the studies show

Research into GlyNAC’s anti-aging properties primarily comes from Dr. Rajagopal Sekhar at Baylor College of Medicine, who has studied aging for over 2 decades. Mice given GlyNAC lived 24% longer than those without it, with less age-related damage in major organs.

In a placebo-controlled human trial with 24 older adults, 16 weeks of GlyNAC improved cellular energy production, reduced inflammation, increased walking speed, and improved 7 of 9 recognized markers of aging.

The brain findings

Old mice given GlyNAC for 8 weeks went from struggling with maze tasks to performing like young mice. Brain tissue showed restored antioxidant levels, improved cellular energy production, and higher levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) — a protein essential for brain cell health and the formation of new neural connections.

Human data presented at an aging conference in late 2024 found similar patterns. Older adults who took GlyNAC for 24 weeks showed improved cognition and reduced inflammation. Baylor is now running two pilot trials testing GlyNAC in people with Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment.

GlyNAC supplements are relatively inexpensive at $15 to $40 per month, but every published study on the benefits traces back to Sekhar’s lab, and sample sizes are small. Baylor College holds a patent on GlyNAC, licensed to Nestlé Health Science, though Nestlé didn’t fund the research. A large independent trial showing the same results would strengthen the case for this supplement considerably. We’ll keep you posted.

If you’re interested in trying it, talk with your doctor first, especially if you take blood thinners or nitroglycerin for your heart. To learn more about NAC supplements, including potential side effects and who may benefit from taking them, read our guide below.