A Randomised Controlled Trial of N-acetylcysteine for the Management of Alcohol Use Disorder

Inclusion Criteria: * Alcohol Use Disorder according to the DSM-V criteria * A desire to reduce or stop drinking * Consumed at least 21 standard drinks per week or 2 heavy drinking days per week (HDD: ≥ 5 standard drinks/day for men; ≥4 for women) in the month prior to screening * Adequate cognition and English language skills to give valid consent and complete research interviews * Stable housing * Willingness to give written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnancy or lactation (women will be advised to use reliable contraception during the trial and a pregnancy test will be performed were necessary) * Concurrent use of any psychotropic medication other than antidepressants (provided these are taken at stable doses for at least two months) * Any substance dependence other than nicotine * Clinically unstable systemic medical (e.g. cancer, end stage liver disease: e.g. MELD score ≥ 10) or psychiatric disorder (e.g. active psychosis, borderline personality disorder, active suicide risk: e.g. MADRAS item 10 score of 6) that precludes trial participation * Concurrent use of selenium, vitamin D or other anti-oxidants * Any alcohol pharmacotherapy within the past month