Benefits of Glutathione

Glutathione is the body's master antioxidant.  Glutathione is a small protein produced naturally in our body when specific amino acids are present. It functions both as an antioxidant and an antitoxin and is a major defense mechanism against illness and aging. Our glutathione level actually indicates our state of health and may be an important factor in determining longevity. You will find thousands of articles and medical documents on the many benefits of Glutathione yet you will not hear much in the doctor’s office about it. The simple fact is you cannot take Glutathione and receive the benefits that it does offer because it will not absorb in digestion and is destroyed in the digestive system. Another reason is because the pharmaceutical industry will not spend the millions of dollars on a substance that naturally occurs within the body as they would be unable to patent the compound and make billions of dollars selling you their exclusive formula.   

Elevated glutathione levels have shown to slow down the aging process, detoxify and improve liver function, strengthen the immune system, and reduce the chances of developing cancer. Glutathione also works to help improve mental functions, increase energy, improve concentration, permit increased exercise, and improve heart and lung function - just to name a  few.

Athletic performance can be enhanced with elevated glutathione levels by boosting the immune system and increasing recovery time. Every time an athlete competes at his or her top level the body goes through a tremendous amount of oxidative stress and free radical damage. In most cases the athlete will take several days to several weeks before resuming their training. A classic example of this would be an Olympic lifter or a Power lifter. A power lifter typically will train 8-16 weeks in preparation for one day of competition. Weight lifting as a sport is considered to be an extreme sport, pushing the body’s limits to lift the heaviest weight possible. Serious injury and even death has occurred in both Olympic and Power lifting. Most of these athletes only complete 2-3 times yearly with some of the extreme athletes lifting 6-8 times in a year. Very rarely will you ever find a weight lifter compete more times than that. There is however one documented case of a female teenager that competed 26 times in 2006 and this young lady not only competed but she won all 26 events and set world record lifts throughout the year. She finished the year with winning 7 World Championships from several different organizations not only winning the teen divisions in her weight class but also winning the women’s open class division as well. You may wonder what this has to do with glutathione right. Well she just happened to be taking a formula that enhanced her production of glutathione in fact she was taking high doses of several amino acids and some other trace minerals that did in fact speed up her recovery time between competitions. Her name is Amanda Harris aka:Barbie Barbell and she is well aware of the benefits of enhanced glutathione levels. 

Raised glutathione levels fight the oxidation of circulating fats in the bloodstream, including cholesterol, retarding the process of plaque formation in the arteries - the underlying cause for most heart disease and stroke.

Nutrition Reviews 54: 1-30, 1996

Diabetics are prone to infections and circulatory problems leading to heart disease, kidney failure and blindness. Glutathione protects against the complications of diabetes.

Clinical Science 91: 575-582, 1996

Increased Glutathione levels have shown to provide significant reduction in inflammation of the joints. Tendonitis and arthritis are reduced when Glutathione levels are elevated.

New England Journal of Medicine MXVI – 256-277 1997

Glutathione protects the body from the inflammation of gastritis, stomach ulcers, pancreatitis and inflammatory bowel disease including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Gut 42: 485-492, 1998

The liver is the major storehouse for glutathione. Glutathione is impaired in alcoholic hepatitis as well as in viral hepatitis A, B, and C. Raised glutathione levels restore liver function.

American Journal of Gastroenterology 91: 2569-2573, 1996

Raised glutathione levels help increase strength and endurance. Those interested in physical fitness can benefit from a definite athletic edge.

Journal of Applied Physiology 87: 1381-1385, 1999

Strong muscular activity, such as that experienced by athletes, generates oxyradicals [free radicals] leading to muscle fatigue and poorer performance. Glutathione neutralizes these radicals.

Sport Medicine 21: 213-238, 1996

Antioxidants are well documented and known to possess vital roles in health maintenance and disease prevention. Glutathione is your cell's own major antioxidant. Maintaining elevated glutathione levels aids the body's natural antioxidant function.

Biochemical Pharmacology 47: 2113-2123 1994

L-Glutathione Deficiency

There is the possibility of a deficiency of Glutathione. It is typically seen in aging. For example, it is seen in age related macular degeneration, diabetes, as well as lung and gastrointestinal diseases. It can be the cause of pre-eclampsia, Parkinson's, AIDS, and other neurodegenerative diseases.