Condition
Chronic Bronchitis
Chronic bronchitis is a form of COPD in which inflamed bronchial tubes make extra mucus, causing a productive cough on most days, usually because of smoking. Little research on supplements for it has been reviewed here so far, though N-acetylcysteine and vitamin D carry the strongest evidence. Both are studied mainly for fewer flare-ups, and vitamin D may matter most for people who are low in it.
Sources: PMID 30675873
- Supplements studied
- 1
- Graded outcomes
- 0
- Trials
- 1
- People studied
- 29
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mucus Production | Improves (the measure goes up) | 4 studies | 29 people | |||
Studies that measured mucus production
| ||||||
The Chronic Bronchitis Support protocol
2 primary supplements · 7 supporting supplements
- N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)600–1,200 mg daily
- Vitamin D2,000–4,000 IU daily (higher if deficient)
Shop the evidence-backed picks
Support alongside medical care. These supplements are not a treatment for Chronic Bronchitis. If you are being treated for it, talk to your clinician before adding one: supplements can interact with medicines.
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Studies cited
4 studies from PubMed
- The effect of an orally administered proteolytic enzyme on the elasticity and viscosity of nasal mucus
- Effect of expectorants on relaxation behavior of sputum viscoelasticity in vivo
- Effect of the proteolytic enzyme serrapeptase in patients with chronic airway disease
- Evaluation of Serratia peptidase in acute or chronic inflammation of otorhinolaryngology pathology: a multicentre, double-blind, randomized trial versus placebo