Glutathione: Antioxidant Supplement

Glutathione is an antioxidant that helps to slow the oxidation of substances, thereby protecting the body's cell from harmful effects of free radicals. Chemically, glutathione is a protein made up of three basic amino acids - cysteine, glycine and glutamic acid. There are two forms of glutathione, namely, reduced-type (monomer) and oxidized-type (dimmer). The former is the active glutathione, whereas the latter is acted upon by reductase enzyme to convert into active molecules.

Glutathione is synthesized by the human body on its own and is present in every cell, including those of immune system. During the synthesis of glutathione, the body first extracts the three amino acids from the foods. The amino acids are then combined to form glutathione. Medical researches have revealed that this antioxidant regulates the functioning of the immune system and stimulates the generation of lymphocytes (present in white blood cells). A deficiency of this antioxidant may lead to nervous system disorders such as lack of coordination and mental problems. It also speeds up the process of aging.

Glutathione: Antioxidant Supplement

According to studies, patients with cancer, heart disease and other chronic health problems show comparatively lower amount of glutathione than a normal healthy person. Glutathione supplement is used for treating various diseases and disorders. Some of the common diseases treated by using glutathione antioxidant are cancer, eye problems (especially cataract), Parkinson's disease, heavy metal poisoning, Alzheimer's disease, HIV and infertility. Apart from this, some people opt for glutathione in order to detoxify the body, skin whitening and for improving the overall health and fitness. Very often, physicians recommend glutathione inhalation for treating airway restriction.

Natural sources of glutathione are asparagus, orange, grapefruit, watermelon, potato, tomato, strawberries, spinach, cabbage, parsley, broccoli and meat. Whey protein is another rich source of this antioxidant. Glutathione is available commercially as a dietary or nutritional supplement in the form of white powder. One of the drawbacks of this antioxidant supplement is that there is no significant effect of external or oral administration of glutathione in the intracellular level. The gastrointestinal tract of humans does not absorb glutathione, when taken orally. Some studies claim that ingestion of glutathione supplement in high does (about 3 grams) can raise the intracellular level. An effective method of increasing glutathione in the body is by means of intravenous injections.

Glutathione: Side Effects

Similar to other dietary supplements, glutathione may cause certain adverse effects. Possible side effects of this antioxidant supplement are difficulty in breathing, tightness in the chest, chest pain and other allergic reactions such as itching, hives, skin inflammation, etc. An individual allergic to dietary supplements should abstain from glutathione. As there is no standard regulation for manufacturing nutritional supplements, it is always advisable to purchase glutathione supplements from reliable sources, in order to avoid unpredictable results. Make sure to check the label for any additives like sugar, starch and silica.

Glutathione supplement is not recommended for pregnant women, those planning a pregnancy and breastfeeding mothers. Patients of hypertension, heart disease and those with a compromised immune system should not administer glutathione without the supervision of a qualified physician. In order to prevent the potential side effects or complications of glutathione, one can supplement the diet plan with glutathione-rich foods.