Glutathione is the most prevalent antioxidant in the body, but what does it do? And why may you need more of it? Find out all about what glutathione is and whether supplementing is right for you.
Glutathione is the most prevalent antioxidant produced in your body. Nicknamed “The Master Antioxidant” because it recharges other antioxidants, Glutathione is essential for natural detoxification and maintaining health with age.
As awareness of the toxic load on our bodies in the 21st century grows, Glutathione’s popularity as a supplement has surged. In this article, you’ll learn how Glutathione supports you from the cellular level and how to maintain enough to keep your brain, lungs, heart, skin, and liver healthy for a lifetime.
What Is Glutathione?
Your cells produce Glutathione by combining three amino acids — glutamine, glycine, and cysteine — in a process that requires a whole bunch of nutrients (more on that below) to complete.
Why Reduced Glutathione
Glutathione appears as reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG). Reduced glutathione is an antioxidant, thus the type you want to increase. Here's how it works.
When the number of protons and electrons in a molecule’s nucleus are equal, the molecule is stable. When a molecule has fewer electrons than protons, it is oxidized and unstable. These aggressively active, unstable molecules are known as free radicals.
Antioxidants are molecules with extra electrons that they donate to the oxidized free radicals. This neutralizes the free radical so it can’t damage cells and tissues, but it also takes away the healing powers of the antioxidant. Until Glutathione steps in.
Glutathione Is the Master Antioxidant
That’s why Glutathione is the master antioxidant: It helps maximize the benefits of all the other antioxidants you creates or consume in food and supplements.
Glutathione, in its oxidized state no longer functions as an antioxidant. Only if it is reduced, meaning it contains the extra electrons, can glutathione effectively function as an antioxidant.
Key Benefits of Glutathione
Glutathione helps you live better longer. Longevity studies with a myriad of creatures —from insects to mammals — reliably link Glutathione levels and life span.
Glutathione provides Powerful Antioxidant Defense
Glutathione scavenges damaging free radicals and protects vital organs. When a cell is oxidized, it is no longer healthy and is susceptible to all sorts of further insults. Just a little bit of oxidative stress (unchecked oxidation) can cause a cascade of tissue damage. On the face, this looks like early wrinkles and discoloration.
Inside the body, it’s like a familiar sign of oxidation: Rust.
Glutathione supports Natural Detoxification via Liver Support
In the liver, Glutathione binds to toxins to remove them from our bodies. Continual exposure to free radicals and toxins substantially increases the liver’s need for high levels of Glutathione. Low and depleted levels are found in people with chronic liver disease and liver damage. Studies show that both healthy and ailing livers significantly benefit from improved Glutathione function and overall antioxidant capacity.
Glutathione powers Immune System Response
Glutathione helps keep cytokine levels in check for a normal, effective immune response. It also feeds the mast cells lining the respiratory system, the front line of immune defense, and helps virus-fighting T cells grow.
Glutathione supports Skin Brightening and Anti-Aging
As an antioxidant, Glutathione protects against oxidative damage from sun exposure, pollution, and other substances that prematurely age skin.
This powerhouse is gaining popularity as a skincare supplement due to its skin brightening properties that may help mitigate the appearance of age spots and support an overall even skin tone.
Since it recycles Vitamin C, Glutathione indirectly supports collagen production by increasing the raw materials available for the process.
Glutathione provides Energy and Mitochondrial Support
ATP is the final energy-rich product of the chemical interaction in the mitochondria, the energy factories, in each cell. As the prime defender in our cells, Glutathione protects these important energy-producing mitochondria from free radical attack and all matter of threats.
Glutathione is necessary for Cognitive Health
Brain cells need particularly high levels of Glutathione. Countless studies show oxidative stress in neurons is a marker of an unhealthy brain.
Glutathione supports the Lungs
Because the lungs provide oxygen to the body, they are under constant attack from airborne free radicals. Lung researchers consider Glutathione to be one of the most important antioxidants in the human lung and lung secretions. Glutathione status in the lungs is a clear indicator of lung health. The higher the levels, the healthier the lungs.
Glutathione plummets in the lungs even due to activities that we often don’t associate with the lungs. Alcohol use, for example, so taxes Glutathione in the liver that depleted levels are seen in the lungs as well. Anything that depletes Glutathione can leave lungs vulnerable and less tolerant to exercise.
Glutathione and heart health
Glutathione serves many functions that are essential for heart health, including helping to activate enzymes and transporting amino acids for protein synthesis required to maintain and repair muscle. Part of is vital role in energy production (discussed above) includes delivery of ATP to the heart.
Causes and Signs of Glutathione Deficiency
Young, normally functioning cells produce their own glutathione by combining three amino acids: glutamine, glycine and cysteine. As you age, Glutathione production decreases and can even stop. As cells are subjected to more and more oxidative stresses, normal production process lags, unable to meet the demand.
It becomes even harder to keep up when you add chronic stress and substances that deplete glutathione, including:
- Drugs containing Acetominophen
- Alcohol
- Excess body fat
- Smoking
- Low protein intake
- Medications:
- Acid blockers
- Analgesics
- Antacids
- Antibiotics
- Antivirals
- Tricyclic antidepressants
Low Glutathione means low immune, lung, and liver function. Other symptoms can include dull skin, weakness, and brain fog.
How to Increase Glutathione
Eating foods rich in the amino acids cysteine, glycine, and glutamine provide the raw materials to build Glutathione. Whey protein is a popular choice due to its high cysteine content, the most elusive of the three amino acids.
Several vitamins and minerals assist in Glutathione production:
- B vitamins
- Carnitine
- Alpha lipoic acid
- Selenium
- N-acetylcysteine
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
L-Carnitine in combination with Alpha Lipoic Acid has been shown to be especially effective in raising Glutathione levels and the overall Glutathione-related antioxidant capacity.
Studies show regular exercise raises Glutathione levels in adults of all ages. Physical activity is also an excellent way to ward off the stress and excess body fat that can reduce Glutathione levels.
Do Glutathione Supplements Work?
The Problem with Glutathione Pills
Because of its three-amino acid composition, Glutathione is particularly vulnerable to the digestive system. When you take a glutathione pill and the digestive system does what it does to any such compound: It breaks down into amino acids. Valuable energy is then wasted to put them back together.
That’s why traditional oral supplements often do little to raise Glutathione levels.
Liposomal Glutathione: The Absorption Solution
Liposome encapsulation offers a way to supplement directly with Glutathione without leaving home. Wrapping the Glutathione in liposomes (phospholipid-based spheres) protects the “Master Antioxidant” from digestive breakdown and transports it to the bloodstream. From there, the liposomes facilitates absorption in the cells so the Glutathione remains intact and ready to work.
Liposomal Glutathione looks like a goo, and is easy to take in a shot of water.
The liposomes used in premium Liposomal Glutathione supplements are made with Phosphatidylcholine, a critical component of the membrane that keeps cells strong and a vital ingredient in creating neurotransmitters for long-term brain health.
When selecting a Liposomal Glutathione supplement, read the label to ensure Phosphatidylcholine is included. Also look for branded ingredients like Setria® Glutathione, which has been clinically studied for effectiveness in raising Glutathione levels.
Sublingual Glutathione
While this may offer improved absorption to pills, sublingual Glutathione supplements still require valuable energy to assimilate into the cells where they’re needed.
Glutathione Spray
Part of Glutathione’s effectiveness is due to its sulfur content. Unfortunately, this comes with the sulfur smell. Spraying Glutathione on your skin can leave you smelling like rotten eggs.
IV Glutathione: Is it worth the money?
While delivering Glutathione directly to the bloodstream via intravenous administration has shown positive clinical results, the method has its drawbacks.
A supplement made with real liposome encapsulation technology and premium, high-absorption Glutathione costs about $80/month and can be taken in a matter of seconds from the comfort of your home. IVs can run upwards of $120 per session, which does not cover the costs of visiting the clinic. Nor does it factor in the time, often an hour attached to the drip, of the treatment.
Its effectiveness is not in doubt and the process is generally safe in clinics with qualified medical staff, but no procedure involving skin penetration is without risk of infection. Repeated injection can also damage veins.
Glutathione Supplementing Safety, Side Effects, & Dosage
Typical Glutathione dosage
IV dosage varies depending on the clinic and often Glutathione is paired with other complementary nutrients like Vitamin C and the B Vitamins.
Typical doses range from 200–500 mg in Glutathione supplements, which are generally safe for most people.
Glutathione Side Effects
Glutathione is a powerful supplement. Since it can cause the body to eliminate toxins, some people can experience mild detox reactions when starting a Glutathione supplement regimen.
Because the dose is so high in IV Glutathione, drips can cause more intense detox reactions like headaches and gastric upset.
Glutathione Interactions
While Glutathione usually plays well (even enhances other supplements and mitigates some of the collateral damage of medications), it can interfere with chemotherapy effectiveness.
Glutathione FAQs
- Can you take glutathione every day?
Yes, Glutathione is safe to take every day at the 200–500 mg doses.
- When is the best time to take glutathione? Sauna, morning, evening, etc.
Glutathione can be safely consumed at any time of day with or without food. Some people enjoy supplementing before a sauna to support natural detoxification while others prefer to supplement in the morning or before bedtime.
- Can you take glutathione with other antioxidants like vitamin C?
Yes. As the “Master Antioxidant”, Glutathione can enhance capacity of other antioxidants.
Glutathione: Putting it all together
Glutathione provides potent antioxidant defense for our lungs, skin, heart, and just about every cell. It cleans waste out of the liver as a critical component of our bodies’ natural detox system.
You can raise Glutathione levels by exercising, eating foods rich in the three constituting amino acids and the nutrients that support production, avoiding alcohol and medications that deplete it (when possible), and, finally, supplementing Glutathione directly.
To find out if Glutathione supplements are for you, talk to your healthcare provider.
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