Glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant produced by the liver. As an antioxidant glutathione fights the oxidative stress that can promote many chronic diseases, supports the immune system and cell regeneration. Even in healthy times every cell in the body needs glutathione to stay healthy.

Without antioxidants, free radicals (due to their unstable molecular composition) could initiate chain reactions that damage cells and their cellular DNA. This oxidative stress can not only cause excessive inflammation, but may kill cells, affect cellular replication and regeneration, and if the situation becomes chronic, may play a significant role in many human diseases.

Low glutathione levels are common in people with diabetes, high blood pressure, HIV/AIDS, low sperm count, cataracts, and cancer. Glutathione levels are also depleted by stressors as smoking cigarettes, excessive drinking, use of illegal drugs, pollution, and the aging process.

Glutathione During Times of Disease

When someone is sick it is a major stressor on the body. This is true for all diseases, including the coronavirus.

Some ICU’s caring for COVID-19 patients have incorporated intravenous glutathione into their medical therapy to help reduce run-away inflammation known as the cytokine storm that can lead to severe, sometimes irreversible damage to respiratory epithelium.

Glutathione also plays a major role in detoxification – ridding our bodies of damaging materials and byproducts. It helps take toxins we get from our environment out of circulation and prepares them for disposal out of your body, either through the stool (via bile) or urine.

Having Enough Glutathione
All cells in a healthy body synthesize glutathione as long as we have the necessary building blocks and the chemical processes to make it are working well.

But as we age, we make less glutathione. (Glutathione is protein made up of three amino acids: cysteine, glutamine, and glycine.) In fact, by age 65, there is a 50% reduction in our active glutathione levels. And diseases and environmental stressors increase our requirement for glutathione.

Clinical Glutathione from Euromedica is a patented under-the-tongue slow-dissolve nutrition supplement lozenge that allows us to absorb active, usable glutathione right into your bloodstream. Without this protected delivery system, if swallowed, glutathione would be made inactive during the digestive process.

(Alternatively, Pure Encapsulations Liposomal Glutathione offers high absorbability by using phospholipids to protect the glutathione through the digestive tract.)

Other Ways to Increase Levels of Glutathione

If the body is supplied with the “raw materials” or building blocks for glutathione, it can potentially convert it to the active glutathione.

What are some building blocks for glutathione?  They include garlic and onions, spinach, okra, asparagus, and sulfur containing cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and cabbage. Nutrition supplements such as: milk thistle (silymarin),  N-acetylcysteine (NAC), or curcumin also support glutathione levels.

There is lots of discussion about reducing oxidative stress and the importance of antioxidants to reduce free radicals.

But what does it mean on a biochemical level? Is it really all that simple? Is there some yin and yang in play?

Just like for anything else, there is a time and a place for everything … even free radicals have their necessary role in the human body.

For example, free radicals play a natural role in heart health (as a pump), blood circulation, and vascular tone. In addition, free radicals are naturally produced in the brain as part of neurotransmitter metabolism.

The balance of oxidation is what’s important.

It’s a real challenge to maintain that balance of oxidation in today’s world with an overload of free radicals from the increasing number of chemicals — in our environment and food supply — and as we live longer.

The aging process may be due to free radical reactions. And diseases like cancer and atherosclerosis are sometimes referred to as “free radical” diseases.

Antioxidants in the Diet, Nutrition Supplements

Eating a nutrient dense whole foods diet with lots of brightly colored fruits and vegetables (polyphenols) is the best way to load up with antioxidants to create the necessary balance.

Vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, lutein, selenium, zinc and copper have antioxidant properties.

Glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant, is available as highly absorbable supplement.

NAC (N-acetylcysteine), the precursor to glutathione is another excellent option.

Many herbs like curcumin, quercetin, and boswellia also possess antioxidant properties.

Want to know more about free radicals and oxidative stress? Read this article from Integrative Therapeutics by Holly Lucille, ND, RN and Corey Schuler, MS, DC, CNS.