What Glutathione (GSH) is and
how it affects your immune health

What is Glutathione (GSH)?

Glutathione (or GSH) is the body’s master antioxidant discovered way back in 1889, however it is only about 30 years ago that the scientists began to understand its functions and discovered how to raise its levels.

GSH is a small protein molecule composed of 3 amino acids: cysteine, glutamate, glycine called GSH precursors or building blocks. GSH is produced out of these three blocks in every cell of the human body.

It plays many roles, such as: nutrient metabolism, regulation of cellular events including gene expression, DNA synthesis and repair, protein synthesis, cell growth, metabolism of toxins, metabolism of carcinogens and immune response.

Jean Carper in her book "Stop Aging Now!" claims: "You must get your levels of Glutathione up if you want to keep your youth and live longer. High levels of GSH predict good health and long life. Low levels predict early disease and death."

Why is Glutathione important?

The immune system and detoxification system can not function without GSH. In his book "GSH. Your most powerful protector Glutathione" Dr. Jimmy Gutman says "Glutathione modulation is an essential part of staying young, active and healthy." He also states - "By keeping our intracellular glutathione levels up we also keep our immune system on the ball and fully armed".

In the immune system the protective activity of GSH is two-fold – it enhances the activity of immune cells and also functions as an antioxidant within them.

GSH has been clinically researched and proven to optimize your immune system, maximize the function of antioxidants, support your detoxification process at the cellular level, increase your energy levels and increase your strength and endurance.

As of December 2008, Pubmed.gov (the government's depository for medical articles) lists 82,978 medical articles for Glutathione. This is a tremendous amount of research and energy that the medical profession has put into understanding the role of GHS in our lives. Optimizing your GSH levels benefits everyone, from children to those in their golden years, from the infirm to the elite athlete.

To be more specific about the articles I have researched to date, raising GSH level has been CLINICALLY PROVEN to be beneficial for persons afflicted with: AIDS, Alzheimer’s, Asthma, Burns, CANCER, Cataracts, Chronic fatigue syndrome, Diabetes, DISEASE (liver, kidney, lung, heart, and digestive), Flu, Fibromyalgia, Glaucoma (open angle only, closed angle not effected), Hepatitis, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Physical trauma, skin disorders, Seizures, Tumors, and more.

The research continues at an amazing pace. If you want to know what research has been done for your particular condition go to Pubmed.gov and simply type in your condition. It will list the abstracts of related articles. If you want to know what influence GSH plays in your condition, type in "glutathione and your condition", then hit Search. I was amazed at what has been researched and is not common knowledge.

What does GSH do? – “AID=ER”

Antioxidant - GSH is the body’s master Antioxidant, our bodies depend on GSH for the removal of toxins and GSH is at the heart of all immune functions. All other antioxidants depend on GSH to function properly.

Detoxification - Glutathione detoxifies a large number of pollutants by binding to carcinogens, heavy metals, herbicides, pesticides and radiation by forming a soluble compound with the toxin that can then be excreted through the urine or bile.

Immune system - Healthy growth and activity of immune cells depends on the availability of glutathione. The protective activity of GSH is two-fold – it enhances the activity of immune cells and also functions as an antioxidant within them.

Increased Energy - Our energy levels are a result of many factors - everything from the biochemical reactions taking place within our cells, to muscle function and even your sense of well-being. Glutathione enables the mitochondria to remain full charged, enhancing muscle strength and endurance. Clinical trials have shown that lowering GSH in the mitochondria results in cell death.

Repair - Our body is constantly under attack from free radicals, some from external sources and some generated in our own body. Free radicals attack the nearest stable molecule, "stealing" its electron. A molecule that loses an electron then becomes a free radical itself and attacks the next nearest stable molecule, this begins a chain reaction. Once the reaction is started it can cascade through hundreds of molecules. As this occurs over and over again the cell eventually dies or mutates. Sometimes the mutated cell mutates to a point that we know as cancer. GSH performs a vital role in repairing the damaged DNA by replacing the missing electron. Normal to elevated GHS keeps the repair of our cells at a maximum and reduces the number of cell mutations that would occur otherwise.

Glutathione exists in reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) states. In healthy cells and tissue, more than 90% of the total Glutathione pool is in the reduced form (GSH) and less than 10% exists in the oxidized form (GSSG). An increased GSSG-to-GSH ratio is considered indicative of oxidative stress. The ratio of reduced Glutathione to oxidized Glutathione within cells is often used scientifically as a measure of cellular toxicity.

What depletes Glutathione?

GSH levels are depleted by both internal and external factors. Internal factors include the increasing need for GSH as an important part of various processes in our bodies, such as, food for our immune system, recycling of vitamin C, vitamin E and lipoic acid, repairing our DNA, removing toxins and protecting our cells from oxidative stress to mention a few.

Many external factors deplete GSH. Some of the toxic and harmful substances that we are exposed to on a daily basis (requiring GSH for detoxification) are listed below:


- acetaminophen (Tylenol) and other pharmaceuticals;
- acetone, solvents, paint removers, fuels, fuel by-products;
- heavy metals (mercury (dental amalgams), lead, cadmium, copper, etc.);
- pesticides, herbicides;
- nitrates and other food preservatives of chemical origin (in salami, hot dogs, smoked foods, etc.);
- benzopyrenes (tobacco smoke, barbequed foods, fuel exhaust, etc.);
- alcohol drinks;
- housewares chemicals (non-stick pans and skillets, plastic containers and linings of tin cans and other food packaging);
- formaldehyde and styrene (photocopiers and toner printers);
- chlorine in treated water;
- industrial pollutants;
- medical X-rays;
- UV radiation;
- many other substances.

Other external factors that deplete GSH:
- poor diet - in this case GSH has to work hard to cover for missing or insufficient nutrients and antioxidants;
- strenuous exercise - though not a toxic substance but produces a lot of free radicals within the body;
- stress.

This list, though incomplete, is quite remarkable. We cannot completely avoid all of these substances, but we can minimize our exposure in most instances. Two ways to minimize the damage when we are exposed are: to strive to reduce exposure to as many of the above toxins as possible, and raise GSH levels to their optimum levels (in order to maintain an adequate immune response).

Raising Glutathione levels

Although only very ill people are severely deficient in GSH, those in good or fair health can benefit from raising GSH, especially in these days when we are exposed as never before to environmental toxins and newly emerged drug-resistant bacteria.

Substances promoting GSH production can be divided into three categories: drugs, natural products and co-factors of GSH production.

Drugs

NAC – N-acetyl-cysteine - is a potent GSH precursor that has been available as a drug (Mucomist, Parvolex etc.) and also can be found on the shelves of health supplement stores. Many people eating NAC report rash, wheezing, nausea, vomiting, cramps and diarrhea. NAC is widely used in hospital emergency rooms on patients suffering from severe acetaminophen toxicity due to overdose in order to quickly boost their GSH levels and save their lives. These measures often lead to above-mentioned side effects. NAC is also used to break up mucus in lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and cystic fibrosis.

SAM – S-adenosyl-methionine - is a form of methionine already partially converted into cysteine, it can be useful in the treatment of cirrhosis and cholestasis and is becoming popular in Europe as a mood stabilizing medication.

OTC & OTZ – Synthetic cysteine delivery systems. These drugs are not readily available to doctors or the general public.

Natural Products

Oral Glutathione - if our bodies depend on GSH for so many important protective functions, what can be easier than eating Glutathione since it is available in fruits, vegetables and meats, and as a supplement - from any vitamin store? Unfortunately, oral GSH is useless as most of it gets broken down in the digestive system and does not reach cells. Only very small amounts of GSH make it into the bloodstream. One study showed an increase in plasma GSH after administering dietary GSH to rats with chemically inhibited GSH synthesis; however, no increase in liver was observed where it is most needed since liver is the largest and most important detoxifying organ. Researchers have proved that the bioavailability (usefulness) of oral GSH is very low, and in this form it cannot seriously affect immune health. Read the abstracts of these studies here.

Cyanohydroxybutene, a chemical found in broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage, is also thought to increase GSH levels. Various herbs -- for instance cinnamon and cardamom -- have compounds that can restore healthy levels of GSH. Research on these foods' role in GSH production is very limited.

Other nutritional compounds that may, according to preliminary research, help increase GSH levels include alpha lipoic acid, glutamine, and methionine. The extent to which any of these nutrients effectively increases glutathione levels in humans remains unclear.

Methionine – an essential amino acid present in many foods and required for production of cysteine which is one of the three building blocks for Glutathione. Methionine is available from health supplements stores. Of great concern is the fact that methionine is also a precursor of homocysteine, recently identified as a high risk factor in atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries).

Cysteine - can be found at health food stores as a supplement but consumed this way it can promote hypercysteinemia and potential toxicity.

Melatonin – a hormone known to regulate sleep and waking cycles, produced by the pineal gland in the brain. Melatonin is released into the blood at night time and its production is affected greatly by light. Melatonin is also a powerful antioxidant and plays a role in stimulating other antioxidants as well. Melatonin has been shown to effectively raise GSH levels in many tissues including those of the brain, liver, muscle and blood serum. The only known natural source of melatonin is sour (tart) cherries, especially the Montmorency variety, which contain substantial amounts of melatonin, enough to produce a possitive effect in the body and without any side effects unlike the synthetic form.

Milk Thistle - a plant used by herbalists for many centuries to treat various liver disorders as it seems to stimulate the growth and regeneration of injured liver cells. The active component of milk thistle called silymarin prevents lipid peroxidation of GSH and maintains its levels. Recommended dosages vary quite a bit from 50 to 500 milligrams three times a day. Toxic reactions can develop with overdose: cramps, gas and diarrhea. Milk thistle should not be used without a professional medical advice.

Undenatured whey protein with bonded cysteine - undenatured whey proteins preserve the original bioactivity of the amino acid components guaranteeing the highest level of GSH promoting activity. They were discovered as a result of research done by Dr. Gustavo Bounous at the McGill University in Montreal, Canada in the early 1980s. He investigated this protein’s effect on the immune system and published very exciting results. Read Dr. Gustavo Bounous' research articles here. Dr. Bounous and his team went on to develop Immunocal – a whey protein made under conditions to maximize the protein’s bioactivity. Immunocal has received patents for its immuno-sustaining and GSH-enhancing effects. This natural supplement is a safe dependable way to raise and sustain GSH levels.

GSH co-factors

Vitamins - in one trial, blood GSH levels rose nearly 50% in healthy people taking 500 mg of vitamin C per day for only two weeks. Vitamin C raises GSH by helping the body manufacture it. Vitamin E acts in a similar way as vitamin C - it recycles GSH and depends on it for proper function and recycling as well. Vitamins B6, B12, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), and selenium are also required in the manufacture of GSH.

Selenium - the trace element that functions as an antioxidant. It also participates in protein synthesis and other metabolic processes and acts together with other antioxidants, especially vitamin E. Selenium elevates the levels of glutathione peroxidase; the cysteine molecule appearing in the process of digestion of plants grown in selenium-rich soil contributes to GSH production.

Conclusions

Raised levels of GSH promote long healthy lives that are more resistant to diseases. All clinical studies reviewed showed that elevated GSH is of great benefit to the human body. While there are several ways to raise GSH, the most effective, with the least side effects, appear to be melatonin in its natural state in tart cherries and undenatured whey protein with bonded cysteine (Immunocal).

Click here to read the brief biographies of the leading researchers and experts on GSH: Dr. Gustavo Bounous, Dr. Wulf Droge, Dr. Jimmy Gutman

Click here for additional information on GSH (PDF format)

Click here to read the article "Glutathione in Health and Disease" by Patricia Kongshavn, MSc, PhD



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