Glutathione: The Mother of All Antioxidants

It's the most important molecule you need to stay healthy and prevent disease -- yet you've probably never heard of it. It's the secret to prevent aging, cancer, heart disease, dementia and more, and necessary to treat everything from autism to Alzheimer's disease. There are more than 89,000 medical articles about it -- but your doctor doesn't know how address the epidemic deficiency of this critical life-giving molecule ...

What is it? I'm talking about the mother of all antioxidants, the master detoxifier and maestro of the immune system: GLUTATHIONE (pronounced "gloota-thigh-own").

The good news is that your body produces its own glutathione. The bad news is that poor diet, pollution, toxins, medications, stress, trauma, aging, infections and radiation all deplete your glutathione.

This leaves you susceptible to unrestrained cell disintegration from oxidative stress, free radicals, infections and cancer. And your liver gets overloaded and damaged, making it unable to do its job of detoxification.

In treating chronically ill patients with Functional Medicine for more than 10 years, I have discovered that glutathione deficiency is found in nearly all very ill patients. These include people with chronic fatigue syndrome, heart disease, cancer, chronic infections, autoimmune disease, diabetes, autism, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, arthritis, asthma, kidney problems, liver disease and more.

At first I thought that this was just a coincidental finding, but over the years I have come to realize that our ability to produce and maintain a high level of glutathione is critical to recovery from nearly all chronic illness -- and to preventing disease and maintaining optimal health and performance. The authors of those 76,000 medical articles on glutathione I mentioned earlier have found the same thing!

So in today's blog I want to explain what glutathione is, why it's important and give you 9 tips that will help you optimize your glutathione levels, improve your detoxification system and protect help yourself from chronic illness.

What is Glutathione?

Glutathione is a very simple molecule that is produced naturally all the time in your body. It is a combination of three simple building blocks of protein or amino acids -- cysteine, glycine and glutamine.

The secret of its power is the sulfur (SH) chemical groups it contains. Sulfur is a sticky, smelly molecule. It acts like fly paper and all the bad things in the body stick onto it, including free radicals and toxins like mercury and other heavy metals.

Normally glutathione is recycled in the body -- except when the toxic load becomes too great. And that explains why we are in such trouble ...

In my practice, I test the genes involved in glutathione metabolism. These are the genes involved in producing enzymes that allow the body to create and recycle glutathione in the body. These genes have many names, such as GSTM1, GSTP1 and more.

These genes impaired in some people for a variety of important reasons. We humans evolved in a time before the 80,000 toxic industrial chemicals found in our environment today were introduced into our world, before electromagnetic radiation was everywhere and before we polluted our skies, lakes, rivers, oceans and teeth with mercury and lead.

That is why most people survived with the basic version of the genetic detoxification software encoded in our DNA, which is mediocre at ridding the body of toxins. At the time humans evolved we just didn't need more. Who knew we would be poisoning ourselves and eating a processed, nutrient-depleted diet thousands of years later?

Because most of us didn't require additional detoxification software, almost of half of the population now has a limited capacity to get rid of toxins. These people are missing GSTM1 function -- one of the most important genes needed in the process of creating and recycling glutathione in the body.

Nearly all my very sick patients are missing this function. The one-third of our population that suffers from chronic disease is missing this essential gene. That includes me. Twenty years ago I became mercury poisoned and suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome due to this very problem. My GSTM1 function was inadequate and I didn't produce enough glutathione as a result. Eventually, my body broke down and I became extremely ill ...

This is the same problem I see in so many of my patients. They are missing this critical gene and they descend into disease as a result. Let me explain how this happens ...

The Importance of Glutathione in Protecting Against Chronic Illness

Glutathione is critical for one simple reason: It recycles antioxidants. You see, dealing with free radicals is like handing off a hot potato. They get passed around from vitamin C to vitamin E to lipoic acid and then finally to glutathione which cools off the free radicals and recycles other antioxidants. After this happens, the body can "reduce" or regenerate another protective glutathione molecule and we are back in business.

However, problems occur when we are overwhelmed with too much oxidative stress or too many toxins. Then the glutathione becomes depleted and we can no longer protect ourselves against free radicals, infections, or cancer and we can't get rid of toxins. This leads to further sickness and soon we are in the downward spiral of chronic illness.

But that's not all. Glutathione is also critical in helping your immune system do its job of fighting infections and preventing cancer. That's why studies show that it can help in the treatment of AIDS.(i)

Glutathione is also the most critical and integral part of your detoxification system. All the toxins stick onto glutathione, which then carries them into the bile and the stool -- and out of your body.

And lastly, it also helps us reach peak mental and physical function. Research has shown that raised glutathione levels decrease muscle damage, reduce recovery time, increase strength and endurance and shift metabolism from fat production to muscle development.

If you are sick or old or are just not in peak shape, you likely have glutathione deficiency.
In fact, the top British medical journal, the Lancet, found the highest glutathione levels in healthy young people, lower levels in healthy elderly, lower still in sick elderly and the lowest of all in the hospitalized elderly. (ii)

Keeping yourself healthy, boosting your performance, preventing disease and aging well depends on keeping your glutathione levels high. I'll say it again ... Glutathione is so important because it is responsible for keeping so many of the keys to UltraWellness optimized.

It is critical for immune function and controlling inflammation. It is the master detoxifier and the body's main antioxidant, protecting our cells and making our energy metabolism run well.

And the good news is that you can do many things to increase this natural and critical molecule in your body. You can eat glutathione-boosting foods. You can exercise. And you can take glutathione-boosting supplements. Let's review more specifics about each.

9 Tips to Optimize your Glutathione Levels

These 9 tips will help you improve your glutathione levels, improve your health, optimize your performance and live a long, healthy life.

Eat Foods that Support Glutathione Production

1. Consume sulfur-rich foods. The main ones in the diet are garlic, onions and the cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, collards, cabbage, cauliflower, watercress, etc.).

2. Try bioactive whey protein. This is great source of cysteine and the amino acid building blocks for glutathione synthesis. As you know, I am not a big fan of dairy. But this is an exception -- with a few warnings. The whey protein MUST be bioactive and made from non-denatured proteins ("denaturing" refers to the breakdown of the normal protein structure). Choose non-pasteurized and non-industrially produced milk that contains no pesticides, hormones, or antibiotics. Immunocal is a prescription bioactive non-denatured whey protein that is even listed in the Physician's Desk Reference.

Exercise for Your Way to More Glutathione

3. Exercise boosts your glutathione levels and thereby helps boost your immune system, improve detoxification and enhance your body's own antioxidant defenses. Start slow and build up to 30 minutes a day of vigorous aerobic exercise like walking or jogging, or play various sports. Strength training for 20 minutes 3 times a week is also helpful.

Take Glutathione Supporting Supplements

One would think it would be easy just to take glutathione as a pill, but the body digests protein -- so you wouldn't get the benefits if you did it this way. However, the production and recycling of glutathione in the body requires many different nutrients and you CAN take these. Here are the main supplements that need to be taken consistently to boost glutathione. Besides taking a multivitamin and fish oil, supporting my glutathione levels with these supplements is the most important thing I do every day for my personal health.

4. N-acetyl-cysteine. This has been used for years to help treat asthma and lung disease and to treat people with life-threatening liver failure from Tylenol overdose. In fact, I first learned about it in medical school while working in the emergency room. It is even given to prevent kidney damage from dyes used during x-ray studies.

5. Alpha lipoic acid. This is a close second to glutathione in importance in our cells and is involved in energy production, blood sugar control, brain health and detoxification. The body usually makes it, but given all the stresses we are under, we often become depleted.

6. Methylation nutrients (folate and vitamins B6 and B12). These are perhaps the most critical to keep the body producing glutathione. Methylation and the production and recycling of glutathione are the two most important biochemical functions in your body. Take folate (especially in the active form of 5 methyltetrahydrofolate), B6 (in active form of P5P) and B12 (in the active form of methylcobalamin).

7. Selenium. This important mineral helps the body recycle and produce more glutathione.

8. A family of antioxidants including vitamins C and E (in the form of mixed tocopherols), work together to recycle glutathione.

9. Milk thistle (silymarin) has long been used in liver disease and helps boost glutathione levels.

So use these nine tips and see how they work to help you optimzie your glutathione levels. When you do, you will take one more step to lifelong vibrant health.

Now I'd like to hear from you...

Had you ever heard of this important nutrient before?

Have you tried any of the advice in this article?

What effects have you noticed on your health?

Please leave your thoughts by adding a comment below.

To your good health,

Mark Hyman, M.D.

References

(i) De Rosa SC, Zaretsky MD, Dubs JG, Roederer M, Anderson M, Green A, Mitra D, Watanabe N, Nakamura H, Tjioe I, Deresinski SC, Moore WA, Ela SW, Parks D, Herzenberg LA, Herzenberg LA. N-acetylcysteine replenishes glutathione in HIV infection. Eur J Clin Invest. 2000 Oct;30(10):915-29

(ii) Nuttall S, Martin U, Sinclair A, Kendall M. 1998. Glutathione: in sickness and in health. The Lancet 351(9103):645-646

Mark Hyman, M.D. practicing physician and founder of The UltraWellness Center is a pioneer in functional medicine. Dr. Hyman is now sharing the 7 ways to tap into your body's natural ability to heal itself. You can follow him on Twitter, connect with him on LinkedIn, watch his videos on Youtube and become a fan on Facebook.

 

 

 

Follow Mark Hyman, MD on Twitter: www.twitter.com/markhymanmd

Comments

[JulieDole]

03:30 AM on 06/08/2010

One word: MSM. @ Trader Joe's, vitacost.com, or any health food store/ vitamin shop.

http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1352428

[chriskhatfield]

06:44 PM on 06/09/2010

Unfortunately, much of the MSM sold in pill form is not that great. It took me a while in the 90028 hollywood zip code to find the right MSM. The real stuff, that actually washed the full body inflammation out of me (didn't cure me, but it is helping me safely) after ten years of chronic full body nightmare pain from l4/l5 disc injury, torn lumbar muscle, DDD, and sacroiliitis , is called 99.9% pure MSM, optiMSM. I bought the powder form and mix it into a glass of water in the AM.

I am not sure what Trader Joe has, but I I assume (maybe incorrectly...) that they are the small bottles of pills for under twenty bucks.

These, unfortunately, are a big waste of you time.

Try a store like kalahealth.com to buy your MSM, or search other health sites that can guarantee, and back up, the MSM you are buying. Because the cheap pills are not absorbed enough to do much good. People with serious problems might wind up wasting their money, their time, and worst of all for us in these conditions.... their hope.

The real deal stuff WORKS. At least, after ten years of hobbling from age 17 to 27 thus far, it helped me more then all the prescription crap and injections have.

Best to you,
Chris

[jeffreydachmd]

05:44 PM on 05/31/2010

The media faithfully bombards us with the message that vitamins and minerals are useless, harmful or even killing us. Seemingly oblivious to this negative message, physicians quietly go about their business using megadose vitamin therapy in the intensive care unit with considerable success. Recent reports of this have been appearing in medical journals, finally vindicating Linus Pauling and Abram Hoffer as yes, of course, they were right all along.... For More:
http://jeffreydach.com/2010/05/05/selenium-reduces-mortality-in-the-icu-by-jeffrey-dach-md.aspx

jeffrey dach md

[cornight]

07:40 AM on 05/31/2010

Hello Dr. Hyman,
I have two questions;
1) What tests are used to determine Glutathione levels ? ( What is a normal amount
of Glutathione to have in ones system? )

2) What are the proper doses of the supplements that you recommend?

Thank You,

John

[TOBDNCNG]

03:15 PM on 05/30/2010

The yahoo groups info didn't go through - so here are the names. Hope this helps.

LDN_Users, LDNForCFS, LDNforFibro, low_dose_naltrexone, lowdosenaltrexone, autism_ldn@, iodine. All are on yahoogroups.com

[TOBDNCNG]

03:12 PM on 05/30/2010

I am looking into taking Iodine as Iodoral/Lugol's. I hear it helps repair the body too. I am still researching this. Apparently, we don't get enough of the right kind of iodine. Their complementary supplements mirror what you recommend.

With LDN, you need an Rx, or you can order it from India without one though. It is cheap because it is out of patent. And I make my own instead of having it compounded. I use 50 ml disstilled water with 50 mg pill and take my 3.0-4.5 dose every nite. Cost with shipping is about $55 a year. Better and cheaper than any other medication I take. The iodine does not require and Rx.

Doing all this has been so helpful to me. If you want more info, you can go to LDNInfo.orgHere are the lists of groups I read every day. I take the digest mode because there are about 25 messages per day and I can't keep up with that volume of e-mail.

[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], and [e-mail]

Hope this helps someone. We all deserve to be weller! :-)

Marygrace~

[TOBDNCNG]

03:11 PM on 05/30/2010

What a great article. In combination with these supplements, which I already take, I use Low Dose Naltrexone. It has helped me so much and your initial description of glutathione. LDN seems to balance the immune system. I have fibro, severe chronic fatigue, myofascial pain syndrome, hypothyroid, and multiple physical injuries, it has been a god send. I can think better and more clearly. Have a little bit of energy, which has been the best part! I was virtually bedridden. Life was miserable. I did a lot of research before I started it and was quite skeptical. However, so many others had positive results with i. I thought if it doesn't work, what have I lost?
I got off my Lyrica, 300 mg of Trazadone at nite to help me sleep, my thyroid med and that was almost immediate for me, I actually went into hyper-thyroid. And best of all, I have lost 60 pounds. I think going off Lyrica helped a lot too. And I don't like to exercise, so I wasn't exercising. I had less of an appetite and my craving for sweets was gone. I was able to cut my meals in half and I do know that helped. I have kind of plateaued. I am not where I want to be, but I continue to improve. My sleep apnea is a lot less too, which my doctor was thrilled with! I lost 2 inches around my neck. Continued due to lack of space.

[lipoglutton]

02:20 PM on 05/19/2010

I've had positive results with a liposomal gsh, dairy & whey free, food based & purified, so lecethin and soy allergens have been removed. Good for heartburn relief. The painful methly B12 headaches stopped when I took the Lipoceutical gsh FIRST.

My mom got a concussion, a contra coup, with amnesia, BP 180/100. I took a bottle of this liposomal gsh and readisorb methyl B12 to the ER with me and gave it to her in the course of a night in two ERs. I'm glad I did as I didn't know they DON'T DO ANYTHING for a concussion, or amnesia, they just do CT and MRIs, and send the patient home to be "watched". (I thought of Natasha Richardson, and how I didn't want to wait). In fact, the paramedics and doctors seemed to think she was just a forgetful senior citizen. They had to be told that a few hours previous she had been an intelligent, educated, verbal, vital person, now reduced to repeatedly asking the same three questions. At least I knew the lipoceutical gsh wouldn't hurt her. I didn't know it would help so much. She improved by next morning. As there was nothing else the hospital, or doctors did for her, I believe her brain's repair was helped greatly by the lipoceutical gsh. Knowing what I know now, I wish I would have given her more of the lipoceutical gsh in the ER.

[mascha24]

09:05 PM on 05/15/2010

I personally take ASEA - i.e. reactive molecules that increases your own natural antioxidants specifically glutathione and SOD by more than 500%. These are antioxidants found and produced naturally in your body. For more information about reactive molecules/cell signaling and ASEA go to http://molecules.teamasea.com/. I'm amazed to see how it has helped so many people with serious health issues. For me, personally it has helped with endurance, pain, skin problems (rash), has given me lots of energy, quality sleep, etc. For my husband, it has helped with his lower back pain; it is no longer a problem, something he had dealt with for many, many years.

[Zlarry]

06:07 PM on 05/17/2010

It seems that ASEA is only a salt water in a bottle as the ingredients says? Is this a scam?

[Zlarry]

05:34 PM on 05/14/2010

There are so many recommedations here, some are very expensive. Do you have any product recommendations (that will boost glutathione, catalase, and SOD) that I can buy at a regular vitamin store or online. I'm looking for a product that already has most of this supplements in combination, so I am not taking a dozen pills. Also, affordable and reliable. Thanks.

[get-well]

02:05 PM on 05/25/2010

Many people take handfuls of supplements each day. I think simple is better. Raising glutahione (GSH)levels should not be complicated. GSH will recycle other vitamins such as A and E so less is needed. GSH will manage your cell defenses at the source for toxins and oxidative stress and detoxify the cell and make water soluable poisons and heavy metals so the liver and kidneys can flush them from the body. In my opinion the best supplement is Immunocal. See my comment below. www.immunotec.com/rickclement

[DeanJ]

12:07 PM on 05/05/2010

Dear Mark,
I really enjoyed your article. I have been using a product called Protandim that boosts the Glutathione by 300% by your own body. It contains 5 herbs that synergistically work together to be 18 X greater than itself when combined in a patented way. Check out ABC Primetime Documentary; Protandim on UTube. I would like to hear your thoughts on it after you check it out. Milk Thistle is one of the 5. I think you will be impressed. Maybe you are already aware of this 40 year study by Dr. McCord. The Co-Discoverer of SOD.
Warm Regards,

Dean
www.marktoma.com - business website

[backtolife]

04:46 PM on 04/27/2010

Mark
I worked in the toxic laboratory for many years, so have a lot of background relating to disease but could not find answers for myself.
I have spent years looking for "the answer". Having experienced incredible stress that indeed led to disease (dis-ease), to finally have put some of the puzzle pieces together, the picture is coming into view. I have shingles neuralgia, EBV, and chronic sinus infections, and, and,..all those things you believe are related to glutathione deficiency. It all makes sense now.
With the help of an energy chiropractor, I have found some nutritionals. Six months ago I started on methy-B12 at very high doses (100 ug/drop... 25 drops). Miracle for the pain from the shingles and stenosis. I added B6 as pyroxidine-6-phosphate, choline, PS, etc. I am off the antidepressants. .
Several months ago added "ASEA" ( the amazing molecules that increases gluathione, CoQ10, SOD and calalase 500%. They are amazing molecules (redox signaling molecules) that turn the antioxidants on.
I invite you to explore this information and this product.
www.healthybalance.teamasea.com www.amazingmolecules.com

[1lifeatatime]

03:36 PM on 04/21/2010

Dr. Mark

Do you know if there is any research into persons with chronic RSD/CRPS (Reflex Sympathetic Dystropy/Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) having lower-than-normal levels of glutathione?

Do you know if anyone has used an increased level of glutathione to treat the symptoms of RSD?

Any thoughts on this subject?

thanks in advance for replying.

[dalaevans]

11:57 AM on 05/17/2010

There is an institute in Seattle that treats RSD/CRPS. They teach you tapping exercises that basically permanently resolve that neurological disorder. Go to www.handle.org and you can find their contact information there. They can answer questions.
Dala Evans R.N.

[tkrash]

03:57 PM on 04/19/2010

Mark can you take a moment to look at Protandim. It increases Glutathione naturally 300% along with CAT 54% and SOD 34%. Dr Mccord developed Protandim and is the Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado. Also Dr David Perlmutter of the Perlmutter Clinic in Naples Fl is a proponent
of Protandim. Goto www.lifevantage.com. Thank You Tony

[JBlu2]

12:44 PM on 04/19/2010

I'm hoping Dr. Hyman will read my previous post and comment as to why I reacted to the products he is recommending (Methyl B-12 and folate, NAC). Regarding the whey protein, I would be nervous to take it since I have problems with digesting whey in protein drinks, extreme stomach cramps. I just started to use a rice based protein powder that has several amino acids in it.

I was searching the net trying to find a reason as to what happened to me and why my body pain and muscle spasms are still so high. I found this article which talks about high levels of histamine and under-methylation. I think the over-methylation from the methyl Bs I was taking caused my anxiety and leg cramps. This dr's advice is to stay away from folate.

http://www.nutritional-healing.com.au/content/articles-content.php?heading=Major%20Mental%20Illness%20Biochemical%20Subtypes

I am definitely limiting my Bs. Recently, I've had two people, one a RNP and another person who studies thyroid/adrenal problems, say that B's should be kept at the same level in the gut, e.g., B 50s or B 100s, 50 mg or 100 mg of each B.

My husband has been on Deplin (for 2 years now) and high sublingual methyl-b12 doses (recently) and it doesn't seem to bother him.

Tests need to be done before administering high doses of methyl Bs to people. I lost 2 months of my life from them.

[dalaevans]

11:59 AM on 05/17/2010

Good new for you. The cheapest and easiest way to increase glutathione by 300% is a new supplement on the market called protandim. Brand new, new category of supplementation, inexpensive, and saves you the trouble of doing all the other things that are costly and complicated. Protandim. Go to www.protanim.com/health4you.

Dala Evans R.N.

[KarenJensen]

09:04 PM on 04/18/2010

My husband and I have been doing #2 in taking an undenatured whey product listed in the PDR (Physicians Desk Reference) for almost 6 years. My husband is turning 70 this next month and has more energy and stamina than men 20 years younger.. He does heavy physical labor (chopping out trees, moving trees, hauling rocks and dirt, etc. as a gardener for our church. As a kindergarten teacher, I used to get bronchitis all the time, but that stopped when I started taking Immunocal. My asthma and allergies have greatly improved. I can over-do it in exercising and am sore that evening, but not sore the next day. I am very fairs skinned but now I also don't sunburn easily any more. http://www.immunotec.com/karensjensen