Glutathione: Your Master Antioxidant

Glutathione is a powerful endogenous antioxidant that the body produces from the amino acids L-cysteine, glycine, and L-glutamic acid. It neutralizes free radicals and reactive oxygen compounds, regulates the nitric oxide cycle (important for control of blood pressure and inflammation), helps the liver process and eliminate toxins, and plays a role in DNA synthesis. Often referred to as “the master antioxidant”, it’s found abundantly in nearly every cell in your body and is a critical factor in health and longevity.

Glutathione has a significant role in immune function.  Studies have shown that glutathione strengthens T cells, which are essential for modulating the immune system.  These cells coordinate the attack against pathogenic bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc. while keeping tissue damage and autoimmune responses in check.  A recent article reported that endogenous deficiency of glutathione is the most likely cause of serious manifestations and death in COVID-19 patients.

Other critical roles of glutathione include:

• Scavenging and neutralizing harmful free radicals

• Recycling other important antioxidants, such as Vitamins C and E

• Supporting mitochondrial function (the powerhouse of your cells)

• Transporting toxic heavy metals, such as mercury, out of your cells

• Regulating cellular proliferation and apoptosis (programmed cell death)

Glutathione Deficiency Symptoms

Deficiency of glutathione puts the cell at risk for oxidative damage. Some possible early warning signs of a glutathione deficiency may include:

• Regularly feeling tired or fatigued

• Difficulty getting quality sleep

• Persistent brain fog

• Low immunity and frequent illnesses

The effects of reduced glutathione levels are often much more insidious. Without adequate glutathione to keep free radical levels in check, these harmful molecules can cause unprecedented levels of oxidative damage, which is the root cause of nearly every chronic health concern, including:

• Cancer

• Endocrine disorders like diabetes

• Cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke

• Neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

• Autoimmunity

• Increased susceptibility to infectious diseases

• Accelerated aging

Tips For Increasing Glutathione Status

The good news is that your body produces its own glutathione. The not so good news is that poor diet, pollution, toxins, medications, stress, trauma, aging, infections, and radiation all deplete your glutathione. Here are some tips that will help you optimize your glutathione levels, improve your detoxification system, and protect help yourself from chronic illness.

Consume sulfur-rich foods.

Sulfur occurs in several amino acids, two of which (methionine and cysteine) are precursors for glutathione and therefore contribute to its synthesis. The main sulfur-rich foods in the diet are garlic, onions, and the cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, collards, cabbage, cauliflower, watercress, etc.).

Get a regular, moderate dose of a wide variety of polyphenol-rich foods and spices.

Like chocolate, coffee, berries, red wine, tea, cinnamon, and turmeric; polyphenols often up-regulate the body’s natural antioxidants, especially glutathione.

Obtain glutathione precursors such as glycine, glutamic acid and cysteine naturally through diet and whey protein supplementation. 

The best food sources are through high quality, non-denatured animal products.  These include bioactive, non-denatured grass-fed whey protein and cultured, raw grass-fed dairy products and raw, organic eggs.  These cultured, raw, grass-fed dairy products are an incredibly good source of highly bioavailable amino acids and offer more cysteine than any other food source. Make sure to opt for a non-pasteurized and non-industrially produced milk that contains no pesticides, hormones, or antibiotics when it comes to selecting a bioactive whey protein.

Exercise boosts your glutathione levels.

In a 2014 study, researchers observed that older adults who had participated in regular physical activity throughout their lives had higher levels of glutathione. They also noted that exercise increased glutathione concentrations among adults who led a sedentary lifestyle. Completing a combination of both cardio and circuit weight training increases glutathione the most, compared to completing cardio or weight training alone.

Take Glutathione Supporting Supplements.

You can take glutathione itself, but glutathione is poorly absorbed orally due to its breakdown in the stomach. If taken orally, we recommend a product that is liposomal, which helps protect it against digestion. You may have better luck taking the different nutrients required by the body to support the production and recycling of glutathione. These supporting supplements include:

• N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). NAC is the stable, supplement form of the amino acid cysteine, one of glutathione’s precursors. In conventional medicine, NAC is mainly used in patients with acetaminophen toxicity. If you overdose on Tylenol, physicians will give you a high dose of NAC to rescue your liver. It works by increasing glutathione stores in the liver. Glutathione binds to the toxic Tylenol metabolite and makes it harmless. A significant dose of a toxin like Tylenol is enough to deplete glutathione stores and increase acute glutathione requirements. NAC provides the raw material for glutathione production.

• Alpha lipoic acid. A pro-glutathione dietary supplement that is known to strengthen the antioxidant network, this is a close second to glutathione in importance in our cells. It’s involved in energy production, blood sugar control, brain health and detoxification. The body usually makes it, but given all the stresses we are under, we often become depleted.

• Methylation nutrients such as folate, vitamin B6, and B12. These nutrients are vital to keep the body producing glutathione. Methylation and the production and recycling of glutathione are the two most important biochemical functions in your body.

• Selenium. This important mineral helps the body recycle and produce more glutathione. One study investigated the effects of selenium supplements in 45 adults with chronic kidney disease. They all received 200 mcg of selenium daily for three months, after which their glutathione peroxidase levels increased significantly. Another study showed that taking selenium supplements increased glutathione peroxidase levels in patients on hemodialysis.

• Antioxidants including vitamins C. Research has shown that vitamin C may help increase glutathione levels by attacking free radicals first, sparing glutathione. It has also shown that vitamin C helps reprocess glutathione by converting oxidized glutathione back to its active form. In one study, adults took 500–1,000 mg of vitamin C daily for 13 weeks, leading to an 18% increase of glutathione in white blood cells. Another study showed that taking 500 mg of vitamin C supplements per day increased glutathione in red blood cells by 47%.