N-acetylneuraminic acid is one of the eight essential saccharides needed for optimal health and functioning in humans. N-acetylneuraminic acid (commonly called sialic acid) is important for brain development, learning, memory and cognitive performance.

Widely distributed throughout the tissues of the body (brain, adrenal glands, and the heart), N-acetylneuraminic acid is found mainly in the glycoproteins and glycolipids. N-acetylneuraminic acid is also found in many fluids including saliva, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, amniotic fluid, and breast milk.

During pregnancy, N-acetylneuraminic acid levels are raised suggesting its importance in the immune system along with other physical and mental development systems for infants. Disrupted N-acetylneuraminic acid metabolism are seen in infants who are developmentally delayed, show a coarsening of facial features, have enlarged livers and/or spleens and fail to produce skin and hair pigmentation.

Like the other glyconutrients, N-acetylneuraminic acid is important for cellular communication and is an immune system modulator. As an immune modulator, N-acetylneuraminic acid affects the viscosity of mucus, which in turn repels viruses, bacteria and other pathogens. In lab tests, N-acetylneuraminic acid has also shown to fight flu viruses A & B more affectively than most prescription medications currently on the market.

In fact, N-acetylneuraminic acid has been show to be effective in defending against viruses that cause hepatitis, viral pneumonia and cold sores as well as the common cold. Researchers in Japan discovered that N-acetylneuraminic acid blocked the release of histamine. This in turn decreased the severity of asthmatic bronchial spasms and allergic reactions as well.

N-acetylneuraminic acid is rapidly expelled from the kidneys and bladder. In lab animals, 98-percent of N-acetylneuraminic acid is expelled within 6 hours of ingestion or within 10 minutes of the saccharide entering via IV tube. N-acetylneuraminic acid also lowers the LDL (bad cholesterol) levels and influences blood coagulation.

Those with Sjogren's syndrome and alcohol dependency issues show markedly lower levels of N-acetylneuraminic acid. This suggests that the supplementation of N-acetylneuraminic acid may be of benefit for some with these diseases but more studies are needed to verify this assumption.

N-acetylneuraminic acid is an acidic aminosugar that was discovered concurrently by a couple of different scientists doing independent studies. A third scientist proposed the correct structure and name for N-acetylneuraminic acid. Sialic Acid comes from the Greek Sialos for saliva.

N-acetylneuraminic acid may be found in whey protein isolate or concentrate and in concentrated amounts in eggs.