Why glutathione is good for you
Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant and detoxifies harmful compounds in the liver, which is then excreted through bile.
Like carnitine, glutathione is not actually an amino acid, but because of its close relationships to amino acids, it is described here.
Glutathione is not an amino acid, but is actually a tri-peptide made up the amino acids glutamic acid, cysteine, and glycine and is also known as gamma-glutamylcysteinylglycine or GSH.
Important glutathione facts
- Glutathione is found in large concentrations in the liver
- The liver also excretes glutathione directly into the bloodstream where it is used to help maintain the integrity of red blood cells, as well as protecting white blood cells
- Glutathione is also found in the intestinal tract where it assists in carbohydrate metabolism as well as breaking down oxidized fats
Groups at risk of glutathione deficiency
Since glutathione can be manufactured in the body by a number of other amino acids, deficiency is very rare, but it can occur in the following individuals:
- People on low protein diets – people who are not eating enough protein foods may not get enough glutathione in their diet
- Vegans and vegetarians – people who are on a strict vegetarian diet may suffer from a glutathione deficiency if their diet is deficient in protein
People in these groups at risk of glutathione deficiency should talk to a medical professional about aspartic acid supplementation BEFORE trying them.
Symptoms of glutathione deficiency
None known.
Glutathione and health
- Antioxidant effects – glutathione is also used for its potent antioxidant properties to prevent oxidative stress in cells which helps to neutralise free radicals that can damage and mutate DNA and RNA, which is how cancer spreads throughout the body
Talk to a medical professional about glutathione supplements before taking them.
Glutathione in food
- Cottage cheese
- Duck
- Granola
- Oatmeal flakes
- Toasted wheat germ
- Yoghurt
Foods rich in cysteine, glutamic acid and glycine should be selected when wishing to increase your dietary intake of this nutrient.
Glutathione recommended daily intake (RDI)
| RDA | No information available |
|---|---|
| TOLERABLE UPPER LIMIT | 100-500mg |
| TOXIC LEVELS | No information available |
Glutathione works best with
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E (Tocopherol)
- Lipoic Acid
- Magnesium
- Selenium
- Zinc
- Cystine
- Glutamic Acid
- Glycine
- Methionine
- n-Acetyl-Cysteine
Overdosage, toxicity and cautions for glutathione
No information available.
References
- Franco R, Schoneveld OJ, Pappa A, Panayiotidis MI. The central role of glutathione in the pathophysiology of human diseases. Arch Physiol Biochem. 2007 Oct-Dec;113(4-5):234-58
- Micke P, Beeh KM, Schlaak JF, Buhl R. Oral supplementation with whey proteins increases plasma glutathione levels in HIV-infected patients. Pulmonary Division, III. Medical Department, Mainz University Hospital, D-455101 Mainz, Germany
- Mulder TP, Court DA, Peters WH. Variability of glutathione S-transferase alpha in human liver and plasma. Clin Chem. 1999 Mar;45(3):355-9. www.clinchem.org/cgi/content/full/45/3/355, accessed 2 November 2007
- Osieki H. The Nutrient Bible.5th Edition, Bio Concepts Publishing, QLD 2002
- van Lieshout EM, Bedaf MM, Pieter M, Ekkel C, Nijhoff WA, Peters WH. Effects of dietary anticarcinogens on rat gastrointestinal glutathione S-transferase theta 1-1 levels. Carcinogenesis. 1998 Nov;19(11):2055-7. http://carcin.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/19/11/2055, accessed 2 November 2007
- Wu G, Fang YZ, Yang S, Lupton JR, Turner ND. Glutathione metabolism and its implications for health. J Nutr. 2004 Mar;134(3):489-92. jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/134/3/489, accessed 2 November 2007