GLUTATHIONE : The Mother of All Antioxidants

It’s the most important molecule you need to stay healthy and prevent disease — yet you’ve probably never heard of it. It’s the secret to prevent aging, cancer, heart disease, dementia and more, and necessary to treat everything from autism to Alzheimer’s disease. There are more than 89,000 medical articles about it — but your doctor doesn’t know how address the epidemic deficiency of this critical life-giving molecule ...

What is it? I’m talking about the mother of all antioxidants, the master detoxifier and maestro of the immune system: GLUTATHIONE (pronounced “gloota-thigh-own”).

The good news is that your body produces its own glutathione. The bad news is that poor diet, pollution, toxins, medications, stress, trauma, aging, infections and radiation all deplete your glutathione.

This leaves you susceptible to unrestrained cell disintegration from oxidative stress, free radicals, infections and cancer. And your liver gets overloaded and damaged, making it unable to do its job of detoxification.

Today’s blog will want to explain what Glutathione is and why it’s important for you.

What is Glutathione?

Glutathione is a very simple molecule that is produced naturally all the time in your body. It is a combination of three simple building blocks of protein or amino acids — cysteine, glycine and glutamine.

The secret of its power is the sulfur (SH) chemical groups it contains. Sulfur is a sticky, smelly molecule. It acts like fly paper and all the bad things in the body stick onto it, including free radicals and toxins like mercury and other heavy metals.

Normally glutathione is recycled in the body — except when the toxic load becomes too great. And that explains why we are in such trouble ...

The Importance of Glutathione in Protecting Against Chronic Illness

Glutathione is critical for one simple reason: It recycles antioxidants. You see, dealing with free radicals is like handing off a hot potato. They get passed around from vitamin C to vitamin E to lipoic acid and then finally to glutathione which cools off the free radicals and recycles other antioxidants. After this happens, the body can “reduce” or regenerate another protective glutathione molecule and we are back in business.

However, problems occur when we are overwhelmed with too much oxidative stress or too many toxins. Then the glutathione becomes depleted and we can no longer protect ourselves against free radicals, infections, or cancer and we can’t get rid of toxins. This leads to further sickness and soon we are in the downward spiral of chronic illness.

But that’s not all. Glutathione is also critical in helping your immune system do its job of fighting infections and preventing cancer. That’s why studies show that it can help in the treatment of AIDS.(i)

Glutathione is also the most critical and integral part of your detoxification system. All the toxins stick onto glutathione, which then carries them into the bile and the stool — and out of your body.

And lastly, it also helps us reach peak mental and physical function. Research has shown that raised glutathione levels decrease muscle damage, reduce recovery time, increase strength and endurance and shift metabolism from fat production to muscle development.

If you are sick or old or are just not in peak shape, you likely have glutathione deficiency.

In fact, the top British medical journal, the Lancet, found the highest glutathione levels in healthy young people, lower levels in healthy elderly, lower still in sick elderly and the lowest of all in the hospitalized elderly. (ii)

Keeping yourself healthy, boosting your performance, preventing disease and aging well depends on keeping your glutathione levels high. I’ll say it again ... Glutathione is so important because it is responsible for keeping so many of the keys to UltraWellness optimized.

It is critical for immune function and controlling inflammation. It is the master detoxifier and the body’s main antioxidant, protecting our cells and making our energy metabolism run well.

And the good news is that you can do many things to increase this natural and critical molecule in your body. You can eat glutathione-boosting foods. You can exercise. And you can take glutathione-boosting supplements.

- By Mark Hyman, MD / The Huffing Post

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Glutathione FAQ

Q. What is Glutathione derived from?

Glutathione is derived from three amino acids, forming a tri-peptide, endogenously made in every living cell on the planet.

Q. Is Glutathione safe?

Not only is glutathione safe, it is essential for even the most basic immune function. The foundation of our immune system, depleted levels cause illness and disease.

Q. What is Glutathione?

Glutathione is a molecule made up of three amino acids, L-cysteine, glycine and L-glutamic acid. This tri-peptide acts like fly paper when passing through cells, gathering toxins and chelating heavy metals, allowing them to pass through the body and be expelled.

More on What Is Glutathione?

Q. How does it help me?

With the constant exposure to airborne pollutants, radiation from electronics, heavy metals from fillings or foods, the glutathione levels in most people are deficient. This is the reason for a majority of disease and illness’. Raising your glutathione levels is the number one defense against the accumulation of toxins and metals, preventing dementia, diabetes, and countless other illness’.

Q. How can I get Glutathione in me?

In the past it was only effective to supplement glutathione levels through IV treatments once a week, large costs ensue with every treatment, not to mention the nuisance it was. This made IV treatment of glutathione an unrealistic option for people to take as a preventative against disease.

Oral glutathione supplements are quickly broken down in the gut, meaning much of the benefit is lost. However a recent study looked at the efficacy of L-glutathione on patients when taken daily. Glutathione levels rose between 30% and 35% in participants. You can also opt for one of two options that claim to be more bioavailable than reduced or L-glutathione. These are Acetyl glutathione and Liposomal glutathione.

One of the best ways to enhance glutathione levels is through the supplementation of GSH precursors. Able to promote endogenous GSH production. These include N Acetylcysteine, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Vitamins B,C,E, Selenium and Milk Thistle.

Q. How do you measure Glutathione levels?

Certain blood and urine tests are effective at measuring glutathione levels in a person. Maintaining high levels of glutathione is essential for your immune system to function properly and fight off infection naturally.

Q. Who will benefit from taking Glutathione?

Everyone. very simply put, glutathione is the most prolific defense a body can have. Developed in every living cell, over millions of years this molecule is the most natural way our bodies know how to protect themselves. As a young person who is healthy, glutathione supplementation is important to maintain those high glutathione levels and is the best course of prevention someone can take. As you age, your glutathione levels drop dramatically, making it extremely important for sick or elderly people to supplement their levels to ensure good health and quality of life. After age 20 glutathione levels begin to drop, making it a universally important supplement. Glutathione benefits are numerous, it affects every cell in the body and is critical to the health and function of each of those cells.

Q. Are there negative effects of Glutathione?

While the current science is unclear on the safety of glutathione supplementation for pregnant or breastfeeding women, it is suggested to consult your physician when supplementing. If taken as an inhalant it can worsen some symptoms of asthma.

Q. Can children take Glutathione?

Yes, just because levels don’t begin to drop dramatically until after age 20, our modern environment bombards the body with toxins and depletes glutathione levels in everyone. Children supplementing with glutathione will be building a strong immune system that will fight off infection and not allow the buildup of heavy metals in the body. Reducing the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s drastically.

Q. Can elderly people take Glutathione?

They can and should be. A lifetime of exposure to toxins and radiation builds up in the body, making elderly people extremely at risk of developing health issues. Coupled with depleting levels of glutathione it is inevitable that illness’ will occur.

Q. Can severely ill people take Glutathione?

Every ill person has one thing in common no matter the illness, depleted levels of glutathione. Levels are depleted when fighting off illness and when glutathione levels are too low, the patient dies. It is a keystone for our immune system and of the utmost importance if you are suffering from sickness or disease.

Q. Do I need to supplement Glutathione if I’m already healthy?

Everyone will benefit from supplementing with glutathione, if you are not dealing with any health issues, you will be fortifying your immune system to fend off future illness; and experience increased energy levels. The plethora of benefits of GSH will help everyone no matter their current condition.

Q. What are some common side effects of Glutathione?

Expect clearer thought, increase in energy, deeper more restful sleep, fight off illness’ before they start, stronger more rapidly growing hair and nails, clearer vision, and an overall well-being that cannot be compared with any other health supplements to date.

Source: Glutathione Pro