You may not be aware of it, but there’s a substance – available as a supplement – that’s said not just to act as an effective antioxidant and an efficient detoxifier, but also a first-rate immunity booster. The blurb’s in no doubt that glutathione’s the bee’s knees; it can aid the body in its efforts to put right damage from ageing, infection, injury, pollution, radiation, stress and trauma. But can it really do all this? Is it really that good?

Well, tiny molecule though it is, some experts believe that glutathione is the most important – and one of the most effective – antioxidants in the entire human body because it naturally likes to reside in every cell¹. This means that when the body has to fight infection, repair damage from injuries or burns and tackle the ageing process, glutathione is right there on hand to get on with the job; it’s already on the front line, as it were, in the body’s cells where the work has to be done.

Not least in the cells of the immune system, of course, whose responsibility it is to fight infection and disease and prevent the body from getting ill from them in the first place – as much as possible¹. Moreover, it’s believed glutathione plays an important role in aiding the liver to extract harmful chemicals like drugs and pollutants¹.

Antioxidant Function

A naturally occurring amino acid, glutathione tends to play a pivotal antioxidant role in not just humans, but plants, fungi, animals and a number of bacteria and archaea (single-celled micro-organisms). Throughout the planet’s flora and fauna then it’s called on to deploy its antioxidant properties to neutralise damaging reactive oxygen species like peroxides, lipid peroxides, heavy metals and free radicals².

Free radicals are, of course, the single-electron molecules that can notoriously cause havoc in the cells of human bodies, searching for other molecules for another electron with which to pair their own. Thus, as glutathione already exists in the cells it gets immediately and importantly called on to do this work. Some of the best known and most effective antioxidants are Vitamins C and E, but as the experts point out, it only seems fair to add glutathione to this list.

Further Benefits

Thanks to its properties and propensity for locating itself inside cells, glutathione – as mentioned above – can have a big positive effect on your overall health. Its antioxidant, detoxifying and immunity-boosting nature is believed to ensure it throws itself into battling practically any infection or disease, especially those that have anything to do with the ageing process (free radicals can cause many old age-related diseases, after all)¹. Indeed, medical professionals have called on people to consume additional glutathione for a roster of major conditions; the likes of Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, cataracts, high blood pressure, infertility and Parkinson’s disease¹.

Moreover, it’s generally acknowledged that severe, life-threatening conditions, such as acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), can be in part treated by boosting the glutathione levels in the body; as you may have guessed, an AIDS sufferer is bound to have depleted levels of the substance, among the many other issues and symptoms they face¹. Right now, the reasons why glutathione levels plummet in this scenario aren’t clear and understood, but experts are in no doubt of the substance’s critical role in maintaining intracellular health; in other words, glutathione benefits ensure cells run smoothly and efficiently.

Glutathione Sources – Diet and Supplements

As you’d have guessed, glutathione’s abundance in the cells of so much flora and fauna means it occurs naturally in many types of food, especially organic fruits and vegetables. Thus, those who maintain a balanced, high quality diet are likely to receive the right sort of glutathione levels from their food. However, if you find yourself suffering from one of the aforementioned illnesses, conditions or diseases associated with deficiency of the substance, then you might well conclude that natural supplementation to boost your levels makes for a sensible, effective course of action.

There are a number of well-regarded glutathione supplements on the market, two of the very best, both available through us at The Finchley Clinic, are:

Liposomal Glutathione – one of a new class of bio-available supplements produced using nano-particle technology (which ensures much higher absorption of its contents than that of similar supplements); supports detoxification, immune and skin health.

 

BioCare Reduced Glutathione– comprises a reduced form of the amino acid; some believe that in its reduced form glutathione’s more biologically active.

 

 

References:

1. ‘Glutathione: New Supplement on the block’. Webmd.com. http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/glutathione-new-supplement-on-block#1. 30 July 2001.

2. Pompella A., Visvikis A., Paolicchi A., Tata V. and Casini A. F. ‘The changing faces of glutathione, a cellular protagonist’. Biochemical Pharmacology. 66 (8): 1499–503. doi: 10.1016/S0006-2952(03)00504-5. Oct 2003.