Benefits of Glutathione
Glutathione is the body’s master antioxidant to maintaining health.
Glutathione is essential to keep the normal function of the immune
system. Glutathione has three major roles in the immune system:
Antioxidant (A cell's most important Antioxidant), Immune booster (A
component of the Immune response) and Detoxifier (A Detoxifying agent
in our body). Glutathione is implicated in maintaining normal brain
function
Glutathione (GSH)
Forms/Synonyms:
Reduced L-glutathione
Chemical Name:
Gamma-L-glutamyl-L-cysteninylglycine.
Chemistry/Function:
L-Glutathione is a biologically active
sulfur amino acid tripeptide compound containing three amino acids
L-Cysteine, L-Glutamic Acid and Glycine. Most glutathione is found in
the liver where it detoxifies many harmful compounds to be excreted
thru the bile. Some glutathione can also be found in red and white
blood cells, the lungs and the intestinal tract. The primary biological
function of glutathione is to act as a non-enzymatic reducing agent to
help keep cysteine thiol side chains in a reduced state on the surface
of proteins. Reduced glutathione is involved in the synthesis and
repair of DNA, helps to recycle vitamins C and E, blocks free radical
damage and enhances the antioxidant activity of vitamin C, facilitates
the transport of amino acids, and plays a critical role in the
detoxification of harmful compounds. It is also the base material for
several other key antioxidant enzyme systems including
glutathione-peroxidase, glutathione-reductase, and
glutathione-transferase. Declines in glutathione concentrations in
intracellular fluids correlate directly with indicators of aging.
Dietary Sources:
Glutathione is derived from L-Cysteine,
L-Glutamic Acid and Glycine and is not consumed directly as a food
constituent. Glutathione levels are enhanced via intake of vitamin C.
Supplemental Sources:
A daily dose of 500 mg of vitamin C
may be adequate to elevate and maintain reduced glutathione
concentrations in the blood. In contrast, direct consumption of
glutathione orally does not seem to be an effective means of enhancing
liver and intracellular gltathione levels. Following a small human
study with seven subjects Witschi et al concluded that "because of
hydrolysis of glutathione by intestinal and hepatic
gamma-glutamyltransferase, dietary glutathione is not a major
determinant of circulating glutathione, and it is not possible to
increase circulating glutathione to a clinically beneficial extent by
the oral administration of a single dose of 3 g of glutathione". On the
other hand, intravenous glutathione administration may provide a direct
and effective route for increasing intracellualr glutathione levels.
Evidence indicates that oral consumption of NAC (N-Acetyl-Cysteine) may
be an effective, but not necessarily safe or efficient, means of
enhancing glutathione levels.
(Johnston CS, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 1993 Jul;58(1):103-105; Witschi A, et al. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1992;43(6):667-669.)
Deficiency:
Symptoms of glutathione deficiency may include
coordination problems, generalized cell damage, mental disorders,
various nervous system disorders, tremors, and twitching. Red cells are
prone to burst, white blood cells decline in function, and nerve tissue
degenerates. A deficiency of intracellular glutathione has been
associated with a variety of conditions including AIDS, alcohol-induced
liver disease and some forms of cancer.
Proven or Potential Therapeutic Uses:
Antioxidant action, cancer, cataracts, liver disease, macular degeneration.
Mechanism:
Support of antidoxidant processes.
Maintenance Dose:
Usually not necessary. Optimal levels of intake have not been established. 50 mg is a common dose in supplemental forms.
Therapeutic Dose:
500 mg a day is used by some practitioners to treat various conditions.
Side Effects:
Glutathione is generally considered to be free of side effects.
Toxicity:
No toxicities have been reported or suspected as being associated with glutathione.
Contraindications:
None known, except for use during some
forms of chemotherapy and radiation where antioxidants are
contraindicated due to their inhibition of the free radical formation
which is an intentional part of the therapeutic mechanism.
HOW GLUTATIONE WORKS
BELOW: This is the inner layer of the skin called dermis and the outer
surface which is visible in our eyes is the epidermis. The primary
determinant of variability in human skin color is the melanin and
melanocyte is a cell that synthesizes it. L-glutathione, the whitening
pill"s main component, starts the lightening process in the dermis
working its way out to the surface.
BELOW: This is the point where the metabolic pathway of melanin begins. As you
see in the diagram GSH(reduced glutathione) intervenes the metabolism.
There are certain kinds of compounds that inhibits the tyrosinase
activity and L-glutathione is one of them.
DERMATOLOGICALS
DERMA DERMATOLOGY DERMATOLOGISTSDERMATOLOGICALS IS THE BEST DERMA
CLINIC IN THE PHILIPPINES BEST SKIN CARE CLINIC IN THE PHILIPPINES
MANILA'S BEST DERMATOLOGIST
PHILIPPINES' BEST SKIN CARE
SPECIALIST TOP DERMATOLOGISTS OF MANILA PHILIPPINES BEST SKIN CARE
TREATMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES BEAUTY HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER OF
MANILA PHILIPPINES DERMA PRODUCTS BEAUTY PRODUCTS SKIN CARE PRODUCTS
DERMA LINE SKIN ESSENTIALS BEST OF THE BEST DERMA CENTER CLINIC IN THE
PHILIPPINES DERMA SOCIETY OF THE PHILIPPINES TRULY WORLD-CLASS DERMA
CLINIC IN THE PHILIPPINES BEST DERMA DERMATOLOGICALS SKIN CARE CLINIC
