A nutritional supplement for a human, the supplement having a chelate comprised of an N-acetyl-L-cysteine ligand bonded to a metal to form a chelate ring. A method for preparing a chelate comprised of N-acetyl-L-cysteine ligand and a metal having the steps of: dissolving an amount of N-acetyl-L-cysteine in an aqueous solution, adding a metal to the aqueous solution, stifling and heating the aqueous solution, and removing the solvent under reduced pressure. A method of treating a human for one or more of oxidative stress, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer's disease, ADHD, bipolar, schizophrenia, autism, dementia, and HIV in a human comprising administering an effective amount of a composition having N-acetyl-L-cysteine in a chelate formation with a metal. A compound having a chelate formulation with a metal being chelated by an N-acetyl-L-cysteine ligand.