You’re Probably Not Getting Enough Of This “Master Antioxidant”

November 9, 2021 — 10:24 AM

With a nickname like “the master antioxidant,” glutathione is a one-of-a-kind bioactive that deserves your attention. Even if you’ve never heard of it before, this powerhouse compound is hard at work throughout your body in order to help you feel your best. Thing is, glutathione can only have its full impact if you’ve got ample amounts of it—and while your body can produce its own stash of the antioxidant (with some help from you in the form of a healthy diet and lifestyle), you might not be churning out enough to keep up with the stresses of modern living.

Here’s what you need to know about glutathione, what it does for your health, and how to make sure you’re getting what you need.

Glutathione is an antioxidant that’s made up of the three amino acids—glutamine, glycine, and cysteine—all of which are rich in the mineral sulfur. The main functions of glutathione are to fend off free radicals—or unstable molecules that can stress your cells and/or DNA—in order to control oxidative processes, as well as to remove toxins from the body.*

According to functional medicine doctor and mbg Collective member Mark Hyman, M.D., the sticky, flypaper-like nature of the sulfur in glutathione is what allows it to essentially grab on to free radicals and toxins (like mercury and other heavy metals) in order to usher them out of the body.*

Left unchecked, free radicals and oxidative stress contribute to a variety of health concerns, as well as the aging process.

You’ll find glutathione in every tissue and fluid throughout the body; it’s that important.

No surprise here considering all that talk earlier about glutathione being like flypaper for free radicals and toxins, right? It’s worth restating, though: According to Hyman, glutathione is a critical and integral part of the body’s intrinsic detoxification system. “Toxins stick onto glutathione, which then carries them into bile and the stool to discard,”* he told mbg.

Also unsurprising given its role in detoxification: The highest concentrations of glutathione in the body are found in the liver and kidneys.

Research suggests that glutathione helps “fine-tune” our immune response, helping the body to respond effectively when needed without kicking into unhelpful overdrive.* In addition to this role in daily immune function, Hyman also suggests that ample glutathione is crucial for long-term immunity, as well.*

Glutathione also works to maintain the epithelial tissues (the lining found in organs like the intestines), which act as barriers between compounds ingested by the body and the bloodstream and are crucial for maintaining immune balance.*

It even works to support the production of various cells that are essential for our immune response, including T-cells and natural killer cells, both lymphocytes (aka white blood cells).*

“Glutathione is naturally produced by the liver and works in that organ to combat toxins and turn them into bile,” explains Toronto-based dietitian Abby Langer, R.D. This pungent stuff then plays a role of its own: It’s actually a must-have for the optimal digestion of fat, she explains.*

Of course, properly functioning epithelial tissue throughout the digestive tract is also important for the digestion and absorption of the nutrients we consume.

Ultimately, glutathione’s function within the body is so powerful that it’s been identified as vital for overall health and longevity.* In fact, large-scale research has connected low levels with everything from suboptimal liver and reproductive health to changes in metabolic function and mental well-being.

Because of its interactions with the immune system, healthy levels of glutathione contribute to the body’s overall balance or homeostasis, supporting an overall environment that’s favorable for maintaining long-term health.*

There are some foods that naturally contain glutathione—fruits and vegetables have moderate amounts, while freshly prepared meats are high in the antioxidant. 

In addition to eating a diet rich in produce and consciously raised animal proteins, Hyman also recommends including sulfur-rich foods like garlic, onions, and cruciferous vegetables (think broccoli, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, and collard greens) in your daily diet. Since sulfur helps your body make glutathione, eating these foods regularly can contribute to keeping your levels in a good place.

And since glutathione consists of three amino acids, it’s also important to eat adequate protein, which ensures that your body has an ample pool of amino acids to produce glutathione from.

That said, thanks to stressors, like poor diet and/or regular exposure to toxins through food, household products, or our environment, our daily demand for glutathione may be higher than what we can support through food, according to Hyman. Basically, the more stressed you are, the more glutathione your body uses up. Because of this, you may want to consider taking a glutathione supplement (more on that later) to ensure your body gets as much as it needs, he suggests.*

Other important factors that come into play are exercise and sleep since not getting enough of either is linked with lower glutathione levels, Hyman notes. So, if exercise isn’t already a daily habit, build up to 30 minutes of sweat-inducing aerobic activity every day and 20 minutes of strength training three times per week. As for sleep, seven to nine quality hours per night is a good, science-backed goal.

In case you’re wondering whether glutathione supplements can really move the needle, research shows that they can make a major difference in serum levels of the antioxidant in the body.*

In fact, clinical trial evidence demonstrates that daily glutathione supplementation over six months in healthy adults is bioavailable to our bodies and effective at increasing levels in the circulation (aka, our blood); furthermore, this supplement regimen translates directly into elevated stores of this master antioxidant in red and white blood cells.*

What’s more, these improvements in glutathione status in the body were accompanied by less oxidative stress and improved natural killer cell activity (hello, immune function).*

Echoing the above findings, another study found that when people supplemented with glutathione daily for three months, they saw a 40% increase in blood levels of glutathione and simultaneously experienced reductions in markers of oxidative stress and increases in markers of immune health.*

In other words, a daily addition of targeted glutathione helps us ensure our body compartment stores of this whole-body relevant tripeptide powerhouse, with whole-body antioxidant balance and immune health benefits.*

With that in mind, know that just how much glutathione per day might be optimal for you varies greatly depending on individual factors, including the stressors you’re dealing with, your age, and lifestyle factors such as drinking and smoking habits. mbg formulated ultimate multivitamin+ to provide 100 milligrams of vegan Setria® glutathione from microbial fermentation, which is clinically backed for bioavailability and efficacy.*