N-Acetylcysteine vs Zinc
for mood
Stronger evidence: tie
Stronger effect: Zinc
Safety: No notable interactions recorded for either.
For mood, the two are evidence-matched; the difference is in effect and safety.
N-Acetylcysteine
grade C low certainty
preliminary evidence as an adjunct in some psychiatric conditions; not established as a standalone
1200–2400 mg/day, adults
Zinc
grade C low certainty
may augment antidepressant response; deficiency-correction likely matters
25 mg/day, adults
sources: PMID:10000012 · PMID:42197650