We are more powerful than we think. In fact, we were born with incredible powers that often go unnoticed. One of those is our ability to deal with inflammation, the double-edged sword that can both heal and kill. Inflammation, as a good guy, alerts our immune system to respond to infections and stress. [1] As a bad guy, however, it contributes to a whole host of chronic diseases, from Alzheimer’s to diabetes. [1] When left unchecked, it speeds up aging and ruins our health.

The good news is that we can fight back. With our lifestyle, we can do so by managing our stress, eating real, whole foods, and getting enough sleep. But we can also do so by encouraging the production of glutathione, which is known as the Master Antioxidant. As a quick refresher, antioxidants are special substances that combat the effects of oxidative stress by lowering or eliminating pro-inflammatory free radicals. They can be found in food like berries, matcha, turmeric, and red wine, to name a few.

With glutathione though, we don’t necessarily have to look outside for antioxidants. No. In fact, glutathione is naturally produced inside the body by the liver. [2] We can obtain it in varying amounts by eating certain foods and we can also support its production.

So, if you’re curious to know more about the Master and how to keep it thriving, read on for this look into the powerful, magnificent glutathione!

Glutathione 101

Glutathione, or GSH, is the combination of three amino acids: glutamine (or l-glutamate), glycine, and l-cysteine. [3] As I mentioned a moment ago, it’s considered to be one of the most unique types of antioxidants due to it being found and produced naturally within the body by the liver. The vast majority of the time, you must obtain antioxidants through food. With glutathione, we’ve got our own “factory” to make it for us.

GSH has been widely studied for its antioxidant capabilities and status as the master of them all. The benefits of which include:

• Widespread disease protection, which includes Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, heart disease, liver disease, Lyme disease, hepatitis, high cholesterol, diabetes, osteoarthritis, colitis, glaucoma, cataract formation, asthma, and chronic fatigue syndrome (you know, just to name a few).
• DNA production
• Immune health
• Insulin sensitivity
• Sperm cell production
• Enzyme function
• Detoxifying mercury from the brain
• Vitamin C and E regeneration
• Optimizing Liver and Gallbladder function
• Supporting and maintaining apoptosis (aka, cellular death)

[3] [4]

Another benefit of glutathione is damage control. While the research is fairly new, it’s promising, to say the least. The side effects of autism spectrum disorders, cancer, ulcerative colitis, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease might all be reduced through either the injection or oral supplementation of glutathione. [4] The reason I say might is that what little research we do have is either too small or done only on animals for science to make any conclusive claims. At the moment, the majority of research remains suggestive. Still, pretty interesting stuff!

Then there’s cancer. Now, I myself don’t want to make any claims when it comes to cancer. That’s not my job. What I can share is preliminary research that suggests glutathione may have a role in preventing its growth. And I’d be remiss to ignore some contradictory research that shows glutathione might actually weakenthe effects of chemotherapy by making tumors less sensitive. [5] Therefore, don’t your hopes up too quickly. This is why we need to examine as many angles as we can before worshiping anything as a miracle!

There’s also the controversial claim that glutathione possesses a skin “bleaching” effect. Once again, a lot of the claims are anecdotal. Research-wise, there’s just not enough evidence to support these claims, and I quote, “The extant evidence to support or discourage use of IV GSH as a therapeutic modality for improving skin tone or pigmentation is minimal and contradictory; notwithstanding the austere concern regarding the potential adverse effects associated with this mode of administration. More evidence in the form of high quality trials with better study design, larger sample size, and long-term follow-up is vital, before our patients are subjected to glutathione-based treatments.”
As an aside, glutathione supplementation comes with its drawbacks. First is a matter of stability and absorption. Supplement companies will say theirs is the best when it comes to bioavailability (how well we can absorb and use it), offering various lab studies, customer testimonials, and such. However, the effects either require mega-doses or simply aren’t that effective to really make a dent. Now, some people swear by them, and others don’t even experience any benefits. So, if you want to invest in a supplement, keep in mind that it’s going to be a gamble. Secondly, there’s the reported side effects. These include upset stomach, cramps, bloating, allergic reactions, rashes, and asthma attacks. [2]

Increasing Glutathione

Don’t give up hope on glutathione just yet. It isn’t called the Master Antioxidant for no reason! Science has simply shown that it comes with limitations and that we have yet to fully distinguish what it can effectively do. So far, it’s most definitely a powerful anti-inflammatory, helping to prevent (not cure) a number of conditions and act as a sort of an investment against premature aging. But instead of betting on supplements, I suggest you look to support its production. You can do so in a number of ways, including:

• Consuming sulfur-rich foods like beef, fish, eggs, poultry, allium vegetables (onion, garlic, shallot), and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, etc.) [7]
• Consuming glutathione-rich foods like spinach, avocado asparagus, okra and freshly prepared meats (caveat: they’re poorly absorbed, especially after being cooked) [8]
• Supplementing with Vitamin C, milk thistle, turmeric extract,NAC(N-Acetyl-Cysteine), and/or selenium. [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]
• Consuming whey protein [14]
• Adequate sleep (deprivation of sleep has actually been shown to lower glutathione) [15]
• Regular exercise (so far, the research advocates for bothcardio and weight training!) [16]
• Limiting or eliminating alcohol (those who regularly drink alcohol are shown to have up 80-90% drops in glutathione levels) [17]

There you have it, everyone! Your introduction to the Master! As you can see, supporting it doesn’t require questionable supplementation. If you already have a strong foundation of a healthy diet, regular exercise, and enough sleep, you’re probably producing more than enough glutathione to help you fight the good fight against the devastating effects of chronic stress and inflammation. If you know a thing or two about glutathione, share some of those tidbits in the comments down below!

Sources:

[1] https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/Inflammation_A_unifying_theory_of_disease
[2] https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-717/glutathione
[3] https://www.verywellhealth.com/benefits-of-glutathione-89457
[4] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323936.php
[5] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323936.php
[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5808366/
[7] https://www.dovemed.com/healthy-living/wellness-center/which-foods-contain-most-sulfur/
[8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1574445/
[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12499341
[10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20600218
[11] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15650394
[12] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2129149/
[13] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11846008
[14] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17710587
[15] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22401887
[16] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17925621
[17] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17220370