How to Boost Glutathione Levels

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How to Boost Glutathione Levels

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Glutathione is a small protein composed of three amino acids -

cysteine, glutamic acid, and glycine - that is involved in

detoxification and antioxidant mechanisms.

 

Many toxins are dealt with by " handcuffing " the toxin to another

molecule so it can be escorted out of the body. The process of

adding one molecule to another is called conjugation.

 

Glutathione is one of the most important conjugating compounds in

helping the body eliminate fat-

soluble toxins such as heavy metals, solvents, and pesticides to

transform them into a water-soluble form allowing more efficient

excretion via the kidneys.

 

 

Health Benefits

 

The combination of detoxification and free radical protection

results in glutathione being one of the most important cancer and

aging fighters in our cells. Dietary glutathione intake is

associated with protection against some forms of cancer.1,2

 

The greater the exposure to toxins, the faster the body uses up its

supply of glutathione.

 

Without the protection of glutathione, cells die at a faster rate,

making people age quicker and putting them at risk for toxin-induced

diseases including cancer.

 

People who smoke, are chronically exposed to toxins, suffer from

inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, or suffer from

chronic conditions like diabetes, AIDS or cancer typically have

lower levels of glutathione.

 

It's a vicious cycle: health problems deplete the supply of

glutathione, and reduced levels of glutathione increase the risk of

health problems.

 

In addition to its dietary role in enhancing detoxification and

protecting against cancer, studies using intravenous glutathione

have found it to be useful in: preventing clot formation during

operations,3 reducing the side effects and efficacy of chemotherapy

drugs like cisplatin,4,5 Parkinson's disease,6 and increasing sperm

counts in men with low sperm counts.7,8

 

A small study in eight patients with liver cancer showed modest

effects when given at a

daily dosage of 5,000 mg orally.12 Whether increasing dietary intake

with glutathione is effective in these conditions is unknown at this

time

 

 

Dietary Glutathione is Better than Supplements

 

Don't look to expensive supplements containing glutathione to boost

levels of glutathione in the body.

 

While dietary forms of glutathione appear to be efficiently absorbed

into the blood, the same does not appear to be true for glutathione

supplements in humans.

 

When healthy subjects were given a single dose of up to

3,000 mg of glutathione researchers found there was no increase in

blood glutathione levels.11

 

The authors of the study concluded " it is not feasible to increase

circulating glutathione to a clinically

beneficial extent by the oral administrating of a single dose of 3 g

of glutathione. "

 

In contrast, blood glutathione levels rose nearly 50% in healthy

individuals taking 500 mg of vitamin C.12

 

Vitamin C

raises glutathione by helping the body manufacture it. In addition,

to vitamin C, dietary sources of glutathione and several other

nutritional compounds can help increase glutathione levels including

N-acetylcysteine (NAC), alpha-lipoic acid, glutamine, methionine,

and whey protein.

 

Also, vitamin B6, riboflavin, and selenium are required in the

manufacture of glutathione.

 

As far as foods go, fresh fruits and vegetables provide excellent

levels of glutathione, but cooked foods contained far less.10

Asparagus, avocado, and walnuts are particularly rich dietary

sources of glutathione.

 

 

Table 1. Comparison of Glutathione in Fresh vs. Cooked Foods

Glutathione amount (dry weight)

(in milligrams per 31/2 oz (100 g) serving)

 

Food Uncooked Cooked

Apples 21 0.0

Carrots 74.6 0.0

Grapefruit 70.6 0.0

Spinach 166 27.1

 

 

 

For Additional Support in Boosting Glutathione Levels

 

If you need to really boost your glutathione levels because your

liver needs powerful nutritional support due to disease or

environmental stress, then I strongly recommend Liver Health from

Natural Factors. Basically, this formula provides nutritional and

herbal compounds that spare glutathione allowing it to be reserved

for more complex reactions. You can liken some of the compounds the

liver uses for detoxification such as glucuronate as cheaper

currency for detoxification compared to the high price of

glutathione.

 

Like glutathione, glucuronate is used by the liver to

bind to toxins to help eliminate them from the system.

But, it is like a dollar bill and glutathione is like a $100 bill.

 

Of all the many chemical reactions taking place in the liver cell,

the attachment of glucuronate to toxic substances is considered the

most important.

 

When glucuronate levels are low, the liver has to use the more

expensive currency - glutathione. That currency ultimately depletes

the liver's glutathione bank account resulting

in significantly impaired detoxification and liver function. By

providing glucuronate and other supportive nutrients, the Liver

Health Formula reduces the stress on the liver and enhances the

liver's ability to detoxify.

 

Clinical studies have shown glucuronate supplementation can improve

liver function considerably even in

cases of poor liver function due to alcohol abuse, acute and chronic

hepatitis, exposure to toxic substances, and diabetes.13,14

 

For more information on Liver Health, go to

http://www.doctormurray.com/articles/pdfs/LiverHealth.pdf

 

 

 

Key References:

 

Sen CK. Nutritional biochemistry of cellular glutathione. Nutr

Biochem 1997;8:660-72.

Flagg EW, Coates RJ, Jones DP, et al. Dietary glutathione intake and

the risk of oral and pharyngeal cancer. Am J Epidemiol 1994;139:453-

65.

Molloy J, Martin JF, Baskerville PA, et al. S-nitrosoglutathione

reduces the rate of embolization in humans. Circulation 1998;98

(14):1372-5

Smyth JF, Bowman A, Perren T, et al. Glutathione reduces the

toxicity and improves quality of life of women diagnosed with

ovarian cancer treated with cisplatin: results of a double-blind,

randomised trial. Ann Oncol 1997;8(6):569-73.

Cascinu S, Cordella L, Del Ferro E, et al. Neuroprotective effect of

reduced glutathione on cisplatin-based chemotherapy in advanced

gastric cancer: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

J Clin Oncol 1995;13(1):26-32.

Sechi G, Deledda MG, Bua G, et al. Reduced intravenous glutathione

in the treatment of early Parkinson's disease. Prog

Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 1996;20(7):1159-70.

Lenzi A, Picardo M, Gandini L, et al. Glutathione treatment of

dyspermia: effect on the lipoperoxidation process. Hum Reprod 1994;9

(11):2044-50.

Lenzi A, Culasso F, Gandini L, et al. Placebo-controlled, double-

blind, cross-over trial of glutathione therapy in male infertility.

Hum Reprod 1993;8(10):1657-62.

Dalhoff K, Ranek L, Mantoni M, Poulsen HE. Glutathione treatment of

hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver 1992;12:341-3.

Jones DP, Coates RJ, Flagg EW, et al. Glutathione in foods listed in

the National Cancer Institutes Health Habits and History Food

Frequency Questionnaire. Nutr Cancer 1995;17:57-75.

Witschi A, Reddy S, Stofer B, Lauterburg BH. The systemic

availability of oral glutathione. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1992;43

(6):667-9.

Johnston CJ, Meyer CG, Srilakshmi JC. Vitamin C elevates red blood

cell glutathione in healthy adults. Am J Clin Nutr 58:103-5, 1993.

Miglio F, et al. Efficacy and safety of oral betaine glucuronate in

non-alcoholic

 

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