Glutathione is a substance produced naturally by the liver. It is also found in fruits, vegetables, and meats.
Other terminologies: 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.
Overview
Glutathione, or GSH, is found in every cell in the body and is also available as a supplement. There are many benefits to supplementing your diet with glutathione such as being used to treat chronic fatigue syndrome, some lung diseases, boost the immune system and has been used to treat HIV/AIDS and some cancers. Eating a healthy diet, high in fresh fruits and vegetables, allows enough glutathione to supplement the daily allowance of GSH. However, eating a poor diet, glutathione levels may be low and extra supplementation may be needed.
Glutathione as an Antioxidant
While vitamins C and E are the most well-known antioxidant supplements, because they neutralize free radicals, glutathione has the added benefit of being a powerful antioxidant because glutathione exists within the cell. Glutathione is found in every type of cell, including cells in the immune system. Glutathione helps to fight against disease, which is why proponents of the supplement suggest it works against cancer and other diseases.
People take glutathione by mouth for treating cataracts and glaucoma, preventing aging, treating or preventing alcoholism, asthma, cancer, heart disease(atherosclerosis and high cholesterol), hepatitis, liver disease, diseases that weaken the body’s defense system (including AIDS and chronic fatigue syndrome), memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoarthritis, and Parkinson’s disease. Glutathione is also used for maintaining the body’s defense system (immune system) and fighting metal and drug poisoning.
Glutathione is breathed in (inhaled) for treating lung diseases, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, and lung disease in people with HIV disease.
Healthcare providers give glutathione as a shot (by injection into the muscle) for preventing poisonous side effects of cancer treatment (chemotherapy) and for treating the inability to father a child (male infertility).
Healthcare providers also give glutathione intravenously (by injection into the vein, by IV) for preventing “tired blood” (anemia) in kidney patients undergoing hemodialysis treatment, preventing kidney problems after heart bypass surgery, treating Parkinson’s disease, improving blood flow and decreasing clotting in individuals with “hardening of the arteries” (atherosclerosis), treating diabetes, and preventing toxic side effects of chemotherapy.
How does it work?
Glutathione is involved in many processes in the body, including tissue building and repair, making chemicals and proteins needed in the body, and for the immune system.
USES of Glutathione
Possibly effective for:
INTRAVENOUS
Reducing side effects of chemotherapy treatments for cancer.
Insufficient evidence for:
TAKEN BY MOUTH
Cataracts.
Glaucoma.
Preventing aging.
Treating or preventing alcoholism.
Asthma.
Cancer.
Heart disease.
High cholesterol levels.
Liver problems.
AIDS.
Chronic fatigue syndrome.
Memory loss.
Alzheimer’s disease.
Osteoarthritis.
Parkinson’s disease.
Other conditions.
INHALED
Treating lung diseases.
Other conditions.
INTRAVENOUS
Treating Parkinson’s disease.
Diabetes.
Anemia in people on hemodialysis.
“Hardening of the arteries” (atherosclerosis).
Infertility in men.
Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate glutathione for these uses.
SIDE EFFECTS of Glutathione
Glutathione is POSSIBLY SAFE for most adults when taken by mouth, by inhalation, or by injection into the muscle or into the veins. But the possible side effects are not known.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Not enough is known about the use of glutathione during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
Asthma: Do not inhale glutathione if you have asthma. It can increase some asthma symptoms.
Per the Physicians’ Desktop Reference, glutathione has milk-based proteins that may affect those with milk or lactose allergies and they should avoid this supplement. Patients who have recently been diagnosed with cancer should consult with their physician before taking the supplement. This supplement may be best used as a preventive measure and not a cure-all.
DOSING for Glutathione
The following doses have been studied in scientific research:
INTRAVENOUS:
- Healthcare providers give glutathione intravenously (by IV) along with chemical cancer treatments (chemotherapy) to reduce some of the unwanted side effects of the chemotherapy.
Research completed by the Physicians’ Desktop Reference suggests that taking glutathione orally does not work as well as taking the supplement through injection. Since this poses a host of problems, some doctors believe that taking the precursor molecules to glutathione, such as cysteine, is the best way to get the antioxidant in your system. The Physicians’ Desktop Reference recommends dosages of 10 to 20 grams a day of a cysteine molecule supplement is beneficial for good health and great immune system function. Patients who are ill with cancer or HIV/AIDS, should increase their intake to 30 to 40 grams per day. Checking further with a physician before taking the supplement will help to ensure safety.
Source: Webmd.com, Nicole Leon, Livestrong
Conditions of Use and Important Information: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.
This copyrighted material is provided by Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database ConsumerVersion. Information from this source is evidence-based and objective, and without commercial influence. For professional medical information on natural medicines, see Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Professional Version. © Therapeutic Research Faculty 2009.
