What Is Glutathione?
Your cells contain glutathione, which is a substance made from three amino acids: cysteine, glutamate, and glycine.
Glutathione acts as an important antioxidant in your body. That means it helps combat free radicals, molecules that can damage your body’s cells.
Glutathione plays a role in many chemical reactions in your body. It also helps detoxify chemicals, including some that your body creates naturally, as well as pollutants and drugs.
Your supply of glutathione seems to drop as you get older, possibly because your body can’t create as much. Lower glutathione levels seem to go hand-in-hand with poorer health. For instance, lower levels may play a role in many conditions that are more likely to develop in older people.
Your glutathione levels may also fall if you have certain conditions, such as:
Some people take glutathione:
People also take glutathione to try to boost weakened immune systems and help with infertility and many other conditions.
It may not be effective to take glutathione by mouth, as it is thought that glutathione may be broken down by enzymes in the stomach.
There’s no standard dosage for oral glutathione. In most studies, people take daily amounts in the range of 250-1,000 milligrams.
Oral glutathione is controversial in the medical community. Some research suggests your body may not effectively use the pill. But other studies have found glutathione taken by mouth may raise glutathione levels in your body. A special form of the supplement, called liposomal glutathione, may be more effective than standard glutathione.
Your body might absorb sublingual glutathione better. This form dissolves under your tongue. In some studies, people take 100 milligrams of sublingual glutathione twice a day.
You can also take glutathione via inhalation or injection.
