Maybe you’ve heard of glutathione before. Maybe you haven’t.
Here at The Herb Doctor, it’s the new supplement on the block. And we’d like to introduce you to it!
It’s an amino acid compound present in almost every cell throughout the body
Glutathione is made up of three amino acids: cysteine, glutamic acid, and glycine. It exists in virtually every cell in the body. [2]
It acts as an antioxidant
In fact, its primary function is to alleviate oxidative stress!
It’s considered the master antioxidant
Antioxidants have an important job. They stop free radicals from running amok. This is crucial because free radicals cause oxidative stress – a precursor to many health issues.
To read more about the amazing role of antioxidants, click here.
Your body makes glutathione itself, but many environmental factors such as stress, pollutants, or processed foods can deplete it
Though your body does produce it, too much exposure to chemicals or contaminants can deplete it. And, unfortunately, most of us are unwillingly exposed to such things on a daily basis. [2]
It also depletes with age
Older adults who are physically fit and don’t have many health complications have been found to have higher levels than their less healthy counterparts. [2]
It’s a bit of a chicken and egg scenario – does glutathione deplete because we get older, or do we age faster because our glutathione depletes?
It helps the liver detoxify
The largest amount of glutathione is found in the liver – that’s how important it is to the detoxification process. It’s involved in the process of eliminating harmful chemicals and unwanted compounds from the body.
It can help with hangovers
If you have heard of glutathione, you’ve likely heard this one. It’s famously known for helping ease hangovers. This is largely due to its function in the liver. Alcohol also depletes levels, meaning that if you drink regularly, your levels may be low.
It has a list of functions and potential benefits
Glutathione has been found to have many functions. [2]
Here are some that it is known for:
- – Helps neutralizes free radicals
- – Can regenerate vitamin C and E
- – Helps lower levels of toxins in the body
- – Supports mitochondrial maintenance and function
- – Promotes a healthy liver
- – Supports DNA synthesis, the building blocks of proteins and cells
- – Helps support immune function
- – May form sperm cells
- – Helps break down free radicals
- – Helps certain enzymes function
- – Promotes a healthy brain
- – Helps the liver and gallbladder deal with fats
- – Assists regular cell death (a process known as apoptosis)
It’s not easily absorbed
While dietary sources do exist, since it is so difficult for your body to absorb, it hardly matters. Even when in a supplement, glutathione is difficult for the body to absorb.
However, a liposomal delivery has been shown to increase glutathione levels. [3]
To learn more about how Design for Health’s Glutathione offers better absorption…