N-Acetyl Glucosamine

N-acetylglucosamine (also known as N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, GlcNAc or NAG) is classified as an amino sugar. It is closely related to glucosamine; however, from a biological standpoint, it has a significantly different scope of activities as compared to glucosamine.  NAG is a critical component in gastrointestinal mucin production and therefore can be classified as a gastrointestinal protector. Mucins are molecules that protect the epithelial surface of the gastrointestinal tract from damage.   NAG regulates production of biofilms that populate the gastrointestinal tract and positively influences the integrity of the gastrointestinal microbiome. Biofilms are a group of microorganisms such as a virus, bacteria, or fungi that forms a colony to shield treatments from penetrating its surface. NAG protects mucosal cells from the toxic effects of gliadin peptides, gliadin being one of the main proteins in gluten.