Written by Dr. Sanjana V.B Bhms,dbrm,cdn

Founder & medical director of siahmsr wellness.in

All rights reserved with siahmsr digital healthcare[siahmsr wellness]

Reviewed by SIAHMSR medical team.

Natural glutathione to nourish your skin & body

     Recently glutathione has gained much popularity as a skin brightening , nourishing & anti-ageing antioxidant molecule as well as a peptide useful in many other medical conditions related to oxidative stress.

Glutathione is produced naturally by your body from  a few amino acids. Therefore consumption of foods rich in compounds which are precursors for glutathione production can help your body to produce glutathione which has many positive impacts on your health. Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant found in every cell in human body. It is made of three types of molecules known as amino acids. Glutathione is a tripeptide made of cysteine, glycine, and glutamic acid amino acids.

Eating sulfur rich foods may help glutathione production naturally. 

Sulfur containing amino acids — methionine and cysteine — are precursors for glutathione. Foods rich in Sulphur include vegetables, such as onion, garlic, broccoli, kale, and cabbage and non-vegetarian foods such as meat, eggs, and fish.

A few grains including rice, bread, and pasta also contain glutathione precursors.

 Dairy products contain the protein beta-casein, which can enhance glutathione levels in the body. 

According to studies higher dairy consumption help higher glutathione concentrations in the brains of older adults. However, increase in glutathione seem to vary depending on the type of beta-casein. Different types of the beta-casein proteins are A1 and A2. Dairy milk containing only A2 beta-casein showed a spike in plasma glutathione concentrations.

  Whey is another type of protein found in dairy products and contains cysteine amino acid which is also a precursor for glutathione.

 Human body can produce glutathione in the liver, unlike other antioxidants which must be taken in through diet. Liver produces glutathione from amino acids derived from glutathione precursors obtained through food.

     A study shows that 83 g/d of almonds increases glutathione levels  in smokers by 16% and decreases their DNA damage by 29% [ 1] These results suggest almond intake can enhance antioxidant defenses and diminish biomarkers of oxidative stress in smokers.

 Moderate exercise can reduce oxidative stress by increasing glutathione levels.

 Research involving glutathione suggests strongly that it has an important role in preventing oxidative stress-associated lipid peroxidation. In response to regular vigorous exercise training, resting levels of glutathione increase as an adaptation by the body. It can help body effectively deal with the increase in free radicals that commonly results secondary to the exercise training.

How does glutathione help nourish your body?

   Glutathione plays very important roles in human body protecting all vital organs.

Naturally synthesized glutathione of your body is an important free radical scavenger and antioxidant activity promoter and it also helps removal of chemical toxins out of your body.

This is achieved through following actions of glutathione:

·   Direct chemical neutralization of free radicals  [oxygen, hydroxyl radicals, and superoxide radicals]. Thus glutathione helps to prevent oxidative stress damage to the vital organs.

·   Act as cofactor for several antioxidant enzymes and help antioxidant action.

·   Regeneration of vitamins C and E, both of which are very effective antioxidants in the body.

·   Neutralization of free radicals produced by liver metabolism of chemical toxins.

·   Glutathione can remove mercury from the brain and cells as this molecule facilitates the plasma membrane transport of toxins.

·   Glutathione regulate cell growth and death [apoptosis of cells].Cell cycle has crucial role in maintaining health and in preventing cancer.

·   Glutathione helps to maintain mitochondrial DNA. Cellular and mitochondrial levels of glutathione are closely associated with health and longevity.

How does glutathione help in disease management?

      ·   Reduces inflammation and oxidative damage

Glutathione is an effective free radical scavenger and therefore prevents oxidative stress damage to vital organs such as heart, lung and brain. It also helps to prevent oxidative stress injury to skin.

      ·   Promotes cardiovascular health

 Hypertension, myocardial infarction, cholesterol oxidation are associated with low glutathione levels.

     ·    Glutathione slows down  cancer progression

     ·    Glutathione may slow aging processes

  Glutathione is an effective free radical scavenger and antioxidant promoter. It reduces the impact of oxidative stress on skin either way. It acts as cofactor for several antioxidant enzymes and help antioxidant action. Glutathione helps regeneration of vitamins C and E, both of which are very effective antioxidants in the body.

       · Improves immune function

      HIV, autoimmune diseases show low glutathione levels. It indicates that immunodeficiency reduces glutathione levels.

      ·   Prevents neurodegenerative conditions

Neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis & Friedreich’s ataxia are associated with glutathione depletion. Glutathione synthesized by the body has key role in preventing occurrence of these diseases.

·    Glutathione minimizes cell damage from liver disease

·     Improves insulin resistance

.     Prevents oxidative stress associated lung diseases

 Pulmonary diseases (COPD, asthma, and acute respiratory distress syndrome) are associated with glutathione depletion.

Oxidative stress has been implicated as a major cause in  pulmonary fibrosis. Proper glutathione production by your body can prevent oxidative stress associated lung  diseases.

How does glutathione brighten & nourish your skin?

 Healthy ageing potential of glutathione. Glutathione is an effective free radical scavenger and therefore prevents oxidative stress damage to skin.

Its anti-melanogenic properties [ prevention of melanin production] result from  a few mechanisms including stimulation of pheomelanin synthesis rather than darker eumelanin, its antioxidant effects, and interference with intracellular trafficking of melanogenic enzymes.

Glutathione  blocks the membrane-bound T3 tyrosinase enzyme and prevent melanin formation[3].

How does Glutathione slow down the aging processes ?

It helps in healthy ageing by preventing mitochondrial damage. Depletion of glutathione shows up as progressive loss of mitochondrial function due to accumulation of damage to mitochondrial DNA, which is one of the major ageing associated dysfunction or cellular change. Glutathione in adequate amounts in the body can prevent this DNA damage.

 Glutathione is an effective free radical scavenger and antioxidant promoter. It reduces the impact of oxidative stress on skin either way. It acts as cofactor for several antioxidant enzymes and help antioxidant action. Glutathione helps regeneration of vitamins C and E, both of which are very effective antioxidants preventing oxidative stress in the body. 

References 

1.       https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18029489/
2.       https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5413479/
3.       https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2501395/
4.       https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684116/ 
5.       https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323936#benefits 
6.       https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-2-2-38