Benefits of Glutathione

There is an amazing antioxidant that many people are deficient in and that can be easily depleted by our modern lifestyle. It is the tripeptide Glutathione and it is the body’s most potent detoxifying and antioxidant agent.

Glutathione is a compound involved as a coenzyme in oxidation–reduction reactions in cells. It is a tripeptide derived from glutamic acid, cysteine, and glycine.

The body naturally produces Glutathione, though many people don’t make enough to counteract the modern factors that deplete it like stress, exposure to harmful chemicals and certain pharmaceutical drugs.

Benefits of Glutathione

Glutathione has been extensively studied for its ability to slow aging, reduce the chance of degenerative disease, improve mental performance and more.

Dr. Mark Hyman called it “the most important molecule you need to stay healthy and prevent aging, cancer, heart disease, dementia and more, and necessary to treat everything from autism to Alzheimer’s disease.”

It helps the body produce and recycle antioxidants, which is vital for maintaining cellular health. When glutathione is depleted, this process is inhibited and free radicals can build up in the body.

Additionally, glutathione binds with harmful chemicals, heavy metals and other toxins in the body and carries them into the bile and the stool so they are excreted.

It has been used for helping those with immune disorders, autism, digestive disorders like colitis, cardiovascular diseases and other problems.

Sources of Glutathione

Glutathione is created in the body from glutamic acid, cysteine, and glycine. Taking these amino acids can help the body naturally produce more, but there are also some great food sources of these building blocks needed to make it:

• Onions and garlic
• Cruciferous vegetables
• Avocado and walnuts
• Poultry and egg yolks
• Non-denatured bioactive whey protein (not tolerated in all people)

Supplementing with Glutathione

In the past, it was assumed that it is impossible to supplement since the body breaks down proteins in the digestive process and oral glutathione would not be absorbed.

New forms, like liposomal glutathione, solve this problem, but it is still important to consume a nutrient rich diet that includes the building blocks of glutathione (especially from leafy greens and onions/garlic). I actually use this transdermally (on the skin) over my thyroid and it seems to help.

The supplement N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine is shown to naturally increase the body’s production of glutathione and there is some evidence that Vitamin C can help protect glutathione levels.