What Is Glutathione, And How Can You Use It To Improve Your Health?

Supplements are all the rage these days.

This is in part due to an influx of health fads promoting certain supplements for all kinds of health benefits ranging from weight loss to cancer prevention.

But how do you know which of these fads will end up just being snake oil, and which will actually benefit your health?

Truthfully, some of these fad supplements can do more harm to your health than good.

For instance, Health Canada has prohibited the sale of supplements containing kava, a plant native to the Pacific islands, due to risk of liver dysfunction.

But that doesn’t mean that all supplements should be disregarded.

In fact, there are plenty of supplements not only helpful to our health, but also necessary for our very survival.

Glutathione is a relatively new supplement that’s standing up to the test of scientific rigor and becoming commonplace in the arsenals of naturopathic doctors for anti aging, immune system boosting, and more?

If you pay attention to the latest in health, you’ve probably heard of this supplement.

But what is it?

What does it do?

And is glutathione supplementing right for you?

I’m Dr. JJ, a naturopathic doctor with a passion for using natural remedies and supplements to help you feel your best.

Time and time again, I recommend glutathione to my clients.

Read on to find out why.

What Is Glutathione?

Glutathione is a naturally occurring element found in every cell in your body.

It’s an antioxidant, but what sets it apart from other antioxidants, such as vitamin C and vitamin E, is the fact that it’s found within your body’s cells, as opposed to outside of them.

The point of antioxidants is to neutralize free radicals that sometimes build up within your body’s cells, which can cause damage if left unchecked.

And because glutathione occurs inside your body’s cells, it’s much better positioned to do its job than other antioxidants are.

Glutathione is also found abundantly in most fruits and vegetables, so if you’re eating well, you probably already have a sufficient amount of glutathione in your body.

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Nonetheless, it’s never a bad thing to try and pack a bit more into your diet.

If you’re looking to add more glutathione to your diet, try eating more of the following foods:

• Asparagus
• Avocado
• Spinach
• Okra
• Tomato
• Carrot
• Citrus fruits, especially grapefruit and orange
• Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, watercress, cabbage, turnip, rutabaga, bok choy, etc)

Because glutathione is found naturally in your white blood cells, the cells your immune system uses to fight off disease, it’s particularly important.

Other than fighting off free radicals and keeping your cells healthy, glutathione also helps your liver do its job of filtering out foreign and unwanted chemicals and detoxifying fats within the body.

And the benefits of glutathione don’t stop there.

Here is a list of some of glutathione’s other functions within your body:

• Produces leukotriene, a substance your body uses to manage inflammation
• Detoxifies methylglyoxal, a substance your body produces while metabolizing foods
• Kills cancer cells by promoting apoptosis
• Promotes the creation of t cells

What Happens If Your Glutathione Levels Are Low?

As mentioned, those who eat a vegetable based diet will almost certainly have sufficient levels of glutathione.

However, those with an unbalanced diet or without access to fresh fruits and vegetables may not.

Though extremely rare, some people live with a disorder called glutathione synthetase deficiency, which hampers the body’s ability to produce glutathione.

According to a study from the US Library of Medicine, fewer than 100 people worldwide have been diagnosed with this condition.

Nonetheless, symptoms can be serious.

Symptoms of glutathione synthetase deficiency may include:

• Seizures
• Hampered reaction to speech and physical stimuli
• Poor coordination
• Intellectual disability
• Vulnerability to bacterial infections

Low glutathione levels are also associated with a large number of disorders, including some types of cancer and AIDS.

The exact reason for this is not yet understood.

Nonetheless, glutathione has been implicated in the treatment of cancer for years.

A 2011 research study by Singh et al. argues that high levels of glutathione can boost the survival rate of certain tumors.

With more research, we hope to find more uses for glutathione and the treatment and prevention of cancer.

Benefits Of Glutathione Supplementation

While you may already have sufficient levels of glutathione in your body for everyday life, there are a number of different uses for glutathione supplementation.

Studies have shown that glutathione can help bolster your body’s ability to fight many different diseases, with a particular emphasis on diseases caused by old age.

Because many of these diseases are caused by free radical damage, this makes sense.

Glutathione has been involved in many different studies, including those on patients with Parkinson’s disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and others.

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Glutathione levels have been shown to be low in some people living with depression, and supplementation has been proven effective in some cases (source).

The research is still ongoing when it comes to glutathione.

Researchers have been working on studies to see if glutathione can help with the following:

• Restoring gut enzymes
• Managing asthma and other respiratory disorders
• Reducing the effects of autism
• Treating skin conditions, such as acne
• Treating rheumatoid arthritis
• Reducing the damage caused by drugs and alcohol
• Treating schizophrenia
• Treating sleep problems, such as sleep apnea
• Preventing addiction
• Managing ADHD
• Preventing heart disease
• Reducing the effects of type II diabetes
• Preventing kidney disease

To be clear, these benefits are yet to be conclusively proven.

Much more research at this point is needed.

But it has a lot of therapeutic potential.

How To Supplement With Glutathione

If you’ve ever been to a naturopathic doctor before, you’ve likely been advised to take some kind of oral supplement.

Truthfully, it’s the most common method of taking all types of supplements and vitamins, such as Vitamin C and D.

However, glutathione works a little different.

Many health professionals agree that glutathione supplementation is not very effective when taken orally.

In fact, one of the best ways to supplement with glutathione is through intravenous infusion.

This is currently the most powerful and effective way to supplement glutathione.

At my clinic, we use glutathione injections in a variety of treatments.

If you prefer to take it orally though, look for S-acetyl L-glutathione.

When taken orally, it’s the most bioavailable form.

Questions? Ask Dr. JJ

If you’re interested in glutathione supplementation, contact me, Dr. JJ, using the information below, and book an appointment.

During that time, you’ll get a chance to sit down with me as we talk about your health concerns.

From there, I’ll answer any questions you may have, explain any risks involved, and create a treatment plan designed to help you overcome your health concerns and start feeling better.

The goal is to use methods natural to your body in order to improve your overall health and keep you feeling your best.

Book your appointment with me, Dr. JJ, today and find out how natural medicine can keep you feeling your best.