Have you been hearing about glutathione injections and pills but don’t know what they are? Glutathione is king of all antioxidants, as it is one of the most essential and potent ones. Your body naturally produces glutathione in the liver. Glutathione is known as the master oxidant for its many benefits for your overall health. It consists of amino acids, such as glycine, cysteine, and glutamine.
Glutathione levels can decrease due to factors such as old age, severe disease, stress, and infection. It increases your need to increase your intake through diet, supplements, or injections. Skin specialists usually use glutathione injections for skin whitening, though glutathione has other uses too. This article will discuss glutathione benefits, ways to increase glutathione naturally, and what to avoid when taking glutathione.
Table of Contents
What Is Glutathione?
Glutathione is a vital tripeptide that your body produces, but it can decrease with time. Glutathione is responsible for creating proteins and chemicals that your immune system needs. It also helps in building and repairing muscles and cells. It also protects against cell damage.
Moreover, it also supports liver health and aids in the production of Vitamins C and E. You can increase your intake of glutathione by eating foods that contain glutathione. It is available in the form of pills, injections, capsules, inhalants, and IVs. You can also apply it topically.
What To Avoid When Taking Glutathione?
Glutathione is considered safe for most individuals, but its effectiveness may be reduced due to a few factors. Here is what to avoid when taking glutathione:
1. Limit alcohol intake:
Alcohol can impair your liver by significantly lowering glutathione levels in your liver. It can also affect liver function and worsen alcoholic fatty liver disease. It is vital to drink alcohol moderately when taking glutathione.
2. Medicine interactions:
Glutathione can interact with certain medications and make them less effective. Some medicines can also reduce glutathione levels. If you are taking medicines that support the immune system, consult your doctor before taking glutathione.
3. Avoid fried and processed foods:
Oily and processed foods can lead to inflammation in your body and cause cell damage. They are also unhealthy and can cause other health problems. Processed foods contain harmful additives, such as chemicals and preservatives, which can lower the positive impact of glutathione’s antioxidant qualities.
4. Control dairy intake
Glutathione contains certain components that may interfere with its absorption. It can also cause oxidative stress in some people and can lower the efficiency of glutathione. If you have lactose intolerance, consuming dairy can inhibit the absorption of essential nutrients like amino acids. It can prevent you from getting the desired results of glutathione.
Glutathione Deficiency
Some people may produce less glutathione due to their genetics. Others may have low glutathione levels because they have a poor diet, take too much stress, or have a chronic illness or infection. Whatever the cause is, glutathione deficiency can have serious consequences, and you need to consult a doctor if you feel any symptoms of glutathione deficiency. Some common symptoms of glutathione deficiency are:
- Fatigue
- Allergies
- Frequent infections
- Weight management problems
Glutathione deficiency can lower your productivity and make you lose concentration easily. It also decreases your immunity and makes you more susceptible to different health conditions.
The deficiency can range from mild to severe. Mild deficiency can worsen with time and cause other health problems. These issues include kidney disease, liver disease, and neurological disease, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. It can also have a negative impact on male sexual health by causing infertility.
8 Benefits Of Glutathione
Here are 8 benefits of glutathione:
1. Lowers cell damage in fatty liver disease
Antioxidant deficiency can result in cell death and can cause diseases such as hepatitis and alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Glutathione protects your liver from cellular damage. Optimal levels of glutathione enhance protein, bilirubin, and enzymes and can protect your liver from oxidative stress. Some studies suggest that it can also treat alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. You may need to take glutathione supplements to prevent deficiency as you age.
2. Reduces oxidative stress
Oxidative stress is the culprit behind many diseases, such as cancer, arthritis, and diabetes. It occurs when your body is not able to fight the free radicals effectively. Glutathione lowers oxidative stress and combats free radicals by increasing antioxidant levels. It can decrease the risk of certain diseases in your body.
3. Enhances insulin sensitivity
Diabetes type 2 can cause insulin resistance in your body. Research suggests that people with diabetes have low glutathione levels, and older people may be more susceptible to diabetes due to low glutathione levels. Moreover, it can lower fat burning and increase fat storage in your body. Taking glutathione can improve fat-burning and insulin resistance in older people.
4. Fights autoimmune diseases
Autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and celiac disease, can raise oxidative stress by causing inflammation in your body. Glutathione restores or reduces the immunological response of the body. It also attacks the cell that causes autoimmune conditions by reducing free radicals.
5. Helps control diabetes
People with diabetes have low glutathione levels, which can damage tissues and increase oxidative stress. Increasing glutathione levels can reduce them and protect your body from the effects of uncontrolled diabetes.
6. Calms respiratory symptoms
Glutathione produces a byproduct, N-acetylcysteine, which is useful in treating respiratory issues like asthma. It can also lower inflammation and improve your health. It is used as a medicine or inhaler.
7. Decreases Parkinson’s symptoms
Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder that causes loss of nerves in a part of your brain. As oxidative stress contributes to this disease, you may have low glutathione levels in your body. It can also impact the intensity of Parkinson’s disease. Glutathione can protect the nerves in your brain by lowering oxidative stress.
8. Benefits for skin
Glutathione has numerous advantages for the skin. It can improve your skin structure and prevent ageing. It evens your skin tone and reduces blemishes and dark spots that can make your skin look dull. It can also reduce acne scars and make your skin look brighter and fresh. To get a smooth and neat skin, consult a skin specialist through oladoc.com to get skin treatment that can increase glutathione in your skin.
Risks Of Taking Glutathione
In addition to being careful about what to avoid when taking glutathione, you should also know about its risks. Glutathione can cause pain, cramping, and bloating in rare cases. Additionally, some individuals can be allergic to glutathione and should avoid it. Inhaling glutathione may also trigger asthma symptoms in a few asthma patients, so take it after consulting your doctor.
Using glutathione for long periods can also reduce zinc levels. You should consult a doctor before taking glutathione in any form. If you are applying it topically, do a patch test to avoid any adverse side effects on your skin. Ensure that you take glutathione intravenously in the correct way or seek medical supervision along with the correct dosage. Avoid taking glutathione if you are pregnant or lactating.
Ways To Increase Glutathione
While many people may opt for supplements or injections, you can also get glutathione from food sources. Some ways to increase your glutathione levels are:
- Eat sulfer and selemium rich foods
- Eat foods with high glutathione levels, such as chicken, fish, cottage cheese, beef, organ meat, brown rice and many more
- Restore glutathione levels with turmeric extract
- Increase amino acids through foods that contain cysteine, such as whey protein
- Take more Vitamin C
- Get proper sleep
- Stay physically active
Conclusion
Glutathione is a crucial vitamin that your body makes naturally. It is responsible for preventing cell damage in your liver. Glutathione can be taken orally, topically, or intravenously. It is beneficial in many ways. Glutathione is mainly known for its benefits for skin health, but it has many other benefits you should know about.
It protects your overall well-being by reducing oxidative stress, which is the cause of many diseases, including cancer. It fights off free radicals in the body and can combat the effects of chemotherapy. Similarly, it has many advantages for the skin, and it can make your skin look fresh and smooth.
Glutathione decreases in your body as you age. Glutathione deficiency can be problematic for your body. A doctor may suggest glutathione in some form to increase glutathione levels. However, you should know what to avoid when taking glutathione. You should drink less when taking glutathione, as it can increase oxidative stress.
Additionally, avoid taking them with certain medications as they can interact with them. You should also avoid processed and oily food when taking glutathione, as it can reduce its effectiveness. You should also be aware of your allergies and avoid glutathione if you are allergic to it. Nonetheless, it is important to consult a doctor before taking glutathione. You can also increase glutathione naturally if you have low levels of it.
