Glutathione

Other Names: Gamma-Glutamylcysteinylglycine, Gamma-L-Glutamyl-L-Cysteinylglycine, Gamma-L-Glutamyl-L-Cystéinylglycine, Glutathion, Glutatión, L-Gamma-Glutamyl-L-Cysteinyl-Glycine, L-Gamma-Glutamyl-L-Cystéinyl-Glycine, L-Glutathion, L-Glutathione, GSH, N-(N-L-gamma-Glutamyl-L-cysteinyl)glycine.
Glutathione is a substance produced naturally by the liver. Glutathione is a very small protein manufactured inside the cells -- and it consists of 3 amino acids that we get from our diets (in the form of food and supplements). Those amino acids are cysteine, glycine, and glutamine. Out of the three, cysteine is usually in the shortest supply in your body. One of these acids, cysteine, is the source of glutathione's antioxidant and detoxifying powers. Cysteine is key to our body's ability to produce glutathione. Glutathione is as vital to human life as oxygen, an enzyme required for proper detoxification of the body. It is also found in fruits, vegetables, and meats. Glutathione is quite literally THE most important antioxidant in your body.

Special Precautions of Glutathione

Due to a lack of research, little is known about the side effects of using glutathione supplements. However, there's some concern that use of glutathione supplements may cause cramping and bloating. In addition, some people may experience allergic reactions to glutathione supplements (such as a rash).

The benefits of Glutathione are

There are literally over 20,000 research studies available on how glutathione can help your body in everything from cancer prevention to more supple skin. The benefits of increased glutathione are virtually endless, since glutathione is the antioxidant that controls ALL other antioxidants in your body. It is the ONLY antioxidant in your body that has the ability to eliminate ALL free radicals, not just specific types! It's the only antioxidant that resides within the cell. An All-Natural "Universal Drug"

• Slowing the aging process
• Anti-oxidant : Combating the negative impact of stress hormones; properly oxygenating cells; inhibiting cellular mutagens; and warding off hazardous cellular invaders. As super antioxidants, glutathione molecules roam through your body, seeking out and neutralizing overactive and dangerous free radicals. So protecting from Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, liver disease, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, cancer, heart attack, stroke and diabetes.
• Improving mental function
• Increasing energy
• Speeding recovery from at least 69 distinct diseases
• Autism : Glutathione shows promise in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders.
• Colitis : Animal-based research indicates that glutathione supplementation may aid in the treatment of colitis. In a 2003 study published in Digestive and Liver Disease, for instance, scientists discovered that glutathione supplementation significantly improved damage to the colon in rats with colitis.
• Cardiovascular Health : In tests on rats, the authors of a 2001 study from the American Journal of Physiology found that a combination of glutathione supplementation and exercise training may help boost antioxidant capacity and protect against the oxidative damage and decrease in heart function caused by ischemia reperfusion (the restoration of blood flow to an area that had previously experienced deficient blood flow).
• detox : Glutathione has the power to rid your body of heavy metals like mercury. But it also fights cellular damage from free radicals.Without enough of it, your liver cannot protect you from toxins, bacteria, and oxidative stress. Glutathione is able to convert the following into harmless substances:
  • Cancer-producing substances (carcinogens)
  • Heavy metals
  • Herbicides
  • Smoke
  • Environmental pollutants

Food Sources

How to Boost Your Glutathione Levels.

• increase your intake of dietary cysteine which is found in poultry, yogurt, egg yolks, red peppers, garlic, onions, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, oats, and wheat germ. Cysteine helps you quickly restore your levels of glutathione.Look for the form N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC). Make sure you take it with plenty of vitamin C to prevent kidney stones. Unfortunately, cysteine is not found in many of the foods most Americans consume regularly. Therefore, glutathione deficiency is quite common, even in otherwise healthy individuals.
• There are also other nutrients that are vital to boosting your levels. Especially selenium, vitamin D3, and B-vitamins. Look for folate (as 5-methyltetrahydrofolate), B6, and B12.
• Sulphur-rich foods boost your levels. Try kale, onions, garlic, cauliflower, and broccoli. Asparagus, peppers, grapefruit, grass-fed beef, and avocados are good choices too. Raw, fresh vegetables and fruits have much higher amounts than cooked ones.
• Zinc also helps the body manufacture glutathione.
• bioactive whey protein. This is great source of cysteine and the amino acid building blocks for glutathione synthesis.
• Exercise boosts your glutathione levels and thereby helps boost your immune system, improve detoxification and enhance your body’s own antioxidant defenses. Start slow and build up to 30 minutes a day of vigorous aerobic exercise like walking or jogging, or play various sports. Strength training for 20 minutes 3 times a week is also helpful.
• Glutathione can be applied externally as a cream, administered via IV, inhaled, or given as an injection.