What is acetaldehyde?

Why is acetaldehyde dangerous?

Is acetaldehyde equally dangerous for everyone?

What is the safe limit for daily acetaldehyde intake?

What are the most common sources of acetaldehyde – and can they be avoided by “self-help strategies”?

Is acetaldehyde generated in everyone’s body?

How does Acetium work and what is its effect based on?

How efficiently does Acetium affect the acetaldehyde level in the body?

How quickly does Acetium start to take effect?

How do I know whether I need Acetium?

Is Acetium a medicine?

Why is Acetium not a medicine?

How many capsules of Acetium should be taken daily for a beneficial effect?

How much L-cysteine does the daily dose of Acetium contain?

Why should Acetium be taken with meals?

Can Acetium cause side effects?

Can the ingredients in the product cause allergic reactions?

Is Acetium available only from pharmacies?

Is there a less expensive generic product available?

In which countries Acetium is available?

Where are Acetium capsules manufactured?

Will Ihave to take Acetium for the rest of my life?

When I stop taking anti-acid medication, how quickly does the acidity of the stomach return to normal?

What makes Acetium better than dietary treatment?

Can I take Acetium if I am taking some other product for the treatment of the digestive tract?

Can I take Acetium if I am pregnant or breast-feeding?

Can Acetium be given to children?

In which illnesses or treatments should Acetium not be taken?

Can Acetium prevent abdominal discomfort?

Can I take Acetium if I am just experiencing occasional abdominal discomfort?

How does Acetium differ from previous treatments for low stomach acid?

Has Acetium been tested on animals?

Has Acetium been tested in humans?

How reliable are the studies conducted on acetaldehyde and the effects of Acetium?

Can I drink more alcohol and avoid damage if I am taking Acetium?

Does Acetium also eliminate the acetaldehyde I get from tobacco smoke?

Can alcohol cause cancer in the digestive tract even if I am taking Acetium?

Why don’t you start selling the product in restaurants?

Do  I get L-cysteine from food and if so, could  I achieve a similar acetaldehyde-neutralising effect by eating such food?

Are cysteines natural or synthetic substances?

Are there other products enriched with cysteine?

Does the risk of acetaldehyde-induced damage increase if  I am drinking alcohol and smoking at the same time?

Are all alcoholic beverages equally dangerous with regard to acetaldehyde production?

How long is Acetium’s shelf life?

Should unused Acetium products be taken to a pharmacy for disposal?

What is acetaldehyde?
Acetaldehyde is the most important product of the body’s metabolism of alcohol. It is common in many types of food and drink. Acetaldehyde is generated in food during the manufacturing process, or it may be added to food because of its apple-like aroma. Several hundred thousand tons of acetaldehyde are manufactured each year for industrial use. Some natural foods (such as fruit) contain acetaldehyde.

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Why is acetaldehyde dangerous?
WHO has classified acetaldehyde as a Group I human carcinogen. This means that it is in the same category as substances such as asbestos, tobacco and benzene.

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Is acetaldehyde equally dangerous for everyone?
Yes, but people who are taking anti-acid medication or suffering from atrophic gastritis or Helicobacter pylori infection are exposed to acetaldehyde more than others.

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What is the safe limit for daily acetaldehyde intake?
It has been estimated that the daily acetaldehyde intake by a person of average weight (70kg) should not exceed 0.4 milligrams. This means that the acetaldehyde content of a 100 ml serving of any alcoholic beverage or food should not exceed 50 µmol/l . This “safety limit” is based on the results of mutagenicity studies on acetaldehyde. Similar or higher contents of acetaldehyde produced by microbes can be found in the human intestines following the consumption of alcohol. The acetaldehyde levels contained in foods vary considerably, but in the worst cases the content is many thousands of times higher than the safety limit. The most dangerous products in this respect are alcoholic beverages (particularly calvados, sherry and ciders), fermented products and some fruits and fruit-based products.

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What are the most common sources of acetaldehyde and can they be avoided by “self-help strategies”?
The most harmful ones are alcohol, tobacco and particularly foods produced by a fermentation process. In addition, acetaldehyde is used as a flavouring. Currently it is not possible to avoid exposure, because acetaldehyde content information is not included on food package labels.

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Is acetaldehyde generated in everyone’s body?
Yes. As the result of microbial activity, it accumulates in everyone’s mouth and intestines. However, it is not generated in the stomach, unless the person has low stomach acid. In such cases, oral microbes can grow and multiply in the stomach, producing large amounts of acetaldehyde. In addition, Helicobacter pylori can generate high acetaldehyde levels in the stomach.

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How does Acetium work and what is its effect based on?
Acetium contains L-cysteine, which binds to acetaldehyde and forms a harmless compound; methylthiazolidine carboxylic acid (MTCA).This reduces the amount of free acetaldehyde in the stomach to below the harmful level.

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How efficiently does Acetium affect the acetaldehyde level in the body?
According to a clinical study, the acetaldehyde content of gastric juice decreases by 63% on average, which is enough to reduce the content below the harmful level.

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How quickly does Acetium start to take effect?
The effect begins immediately.

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How do I know whether I need Acetium?
If you are on  anti-acid medication or you are suffering from a Helicobacter pylori infection or atrophic gastritis, you need Acetium. If you have abdominal discomfort but you do not know what is causing it, you should be tested using a method such as the GastroPanel blood test to find out. Ask your doctor for more information about the test, or visit www.gastropanel.net. In addition, the Acetaldehyde test on this website can help you to find out whether you should start taking Acetium.

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Is Acetium a medicine?
Acetium is not a medicine; it is a non-prescription, over-the-counter product. The National Agency for Medicines in Finland has classified Acetium as a medical device. 

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Why is Acetium not a medicine?
L-cysteine is a natural amino acid. Unlike medicines, it is not a chemical compound foreign to the human body. Acetium is not a medicine, because it reacts locally in the stomach and is not absorbed into the circulation like medicines.

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How many capsules of Acetium should be taken daily for a beneficial effect?
One or two capsules with meals. Two capsules are recommended if you are drinking alcohol.

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How much L-cysteine does the daily dose of Acetium contain?
From 300 to 800 mg, depending on the dosage. The recommended maximum dose is 1 g of L-cysteine per day.

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Why should Acetium be taken with meals?
Acetaldehyde is produced in a low-acid stomach from food carbohydrates (sugars) or alcohol. Therefore Acetium should be taken when you have food or drink in your stomach that can generate acetaldehyde.

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Can Acetium cause side effects?
No. The L-cysteine contained in Acetium is a natural amino acid.

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Can the ingredients in the product cause allergic reactions?
No. L-cysteine is a natural amino acid. The other ingredients in Acetium are also commonly used and safe.

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Is Acetium available only in pharmacies?
Yes, for the time being.

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Is there a less expensive generic product available?
No.

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In which countries Acetium is available?
At the moment only in Finland and Germany. Follow our website www.acetium.com to find out when Acetium is available in your country.

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Where are Acetium capsules manufactured?
In Finland, in a Finnish pharmaceutical plant.

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Will I have to take Acetium for the rest of my life?
Patients suffering from a chronic Helicobacter pylori infection or atrophic gastritis will have to take Acetium for the rest of their lives. Patients on anti-acid medication can stop taking Acetium when they stop the medication.

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When I stop taking anti-acid medication, how quickly does the acidity of the stomach return to normal?
In a few days.

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What makes Acetium better than dietary treatment?
There is no dietary treatment for this problem.

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Can I take Acetium if I am taking some other product for the treatment of the digestive tract?
Yes

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Can I take Acetium if Iam pregnant or breast-feeding?
Acetium has not yet been tested in pregnant or breast-feeding women. Therefore it is not recommended for them.

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Can Acetium be given to children?
Acetium has not yet been tested in children. Therefore it is not recommended for them.

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Are there conditions or treatments in which Acetium should not be used?
Acetium should not be used by patients with severe kidney failure or cystinuria.

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Can Acetium prevent abdominal discomfort?
No.

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Can I take Acetium if I amjust experiencing occasional abdominal discomfort?
Taking Acetium is not harmful, but the cause of the discomfort should be examined. The GastroPanel blood test is the easiest way to determine the nature of the problem. Ask your doctor for more information or visit www.gastropanel.net.

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How does Acetium differ from previous treatments for low stomach acid?
Acetium is not a medicine or product for the treatment of the stomach. Its purpose is to suppress the carcinogenic effects of acetaldehyde generated in a low-acid stomach (also called anacidic stomach). There is no medication for the treatment of low stomach acid. Acetium is the first product in the world that can be recommended to patients with this diagnosis.

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Has Acetium been tested on animals?
No, and it cannot be tested on animals, because laboratory animals have completely different microbial flora in their stomach than humans. On the other hand, there is no need for safety testing, because the amino acid is perfectly safe and we consume small amounts of it all the time in our food.

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Has Acetium been tested in humans?
Yes. A clinical test showed that, on average, Acetium binds 63% of the acetaldehyde produced from alcohol in patients with low stomach acid.

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How reliable are the studies conducted on acetaldehyde and the effects of Acetium?
The studies on acetaldehyde are scientifically reliable, published in respected journals and peer-reviewed, but not all the authorities have had an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the issue. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the WHO, has examined the studies and decided to classify acetaldehyde as a Group I human carcinogen.

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Can I drink more alcohol and avoid damage if I am taking Acetium?
The purpose of Acetium is not to make the consumption of alcohol safe. For instance, it does not prevent liver cirrhosis, liver cancer or damage to the central nervous system. Long-term research data will show how efficiently gastric cancer can be prevented. In the light of the present knowledge, Acetium significantly reduces the amount of carcinogenic acetaldehyde in an anacidic stomach.

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Does Acetium also eliminate the acetaldehyde I get from tobacco smoke?
Yes. Acetium completely eliminates the acetaldehyde formed during smoking and swallowed with saliva.

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Can alcohol cause cancer in the digestive tract even if I am taking Acetium?
Yes. No substance, not even Acetium, can provide full protection.

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Why don’t you start selling the product in restaurants?
Because of the nature of the product, pharmacies are the natural marketing channel for Acetium.

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Do I get L-cysteine from food and if so, could I achieve a similar acetaldehyde-neutralising effect by eating such food?
Food contains L-cysteine, but the effect is not the same. The L-cysteine we get from food is only released in the small intestine, and from there it is quickly absorbed into the circulation. Acetium releases L-cysteine locally in the stomach at a sustained rate, and it binds to acetaldehyde there.

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Are cysteines natural or synthetic substances?
Cysteine is a natural amino acid. The L-cysteine in Acetium capsules is plant-derived. The production method is similar to that of penicillin.

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Are there other products enriched with cysteine?
Yes, but they do not neutralise the effects of acetaldehyde in the same way. Acetium releases L-cysteine locally in the stomach at a sustained rate, while the other products release cysteine in the small intestine, from where it is absorbed into the circulation.

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Does the risk of acetaldehyde-induced damage increase if I am drinking alcohol and smoking at the same time?
The risk is synergistic. This knowledge is based on a published scientific study (see www.biohit.com/acetium)

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Are all alcoholic beverages equally dangerous with regard to acetaldehyde production?
No. Calvados, sherry, port wine and ciders, for example, are among the most dangerous ones.

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How long is Acetium’s shelf life?
When stored in accordance with the instructions provided on the package, Acetium will remain effective for at least 18 months.

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Should unused Acetium products be taken to a pharmacy for disposal?
You do not have to return them to a pharmacy, but it is recommended.

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