Do you know what the most abundant and important anti-oxidant in your body is? It's a molecule called glutathione (if we're excluding fresh water which can also be a powerful antioxidant). Glutathione helps every cell in your body to detoxify. Our bodies synthesize glutathione from key amino acids so it is important to eat and digest quality proteins such as grassfed and wild animal products to make it. Glutathione provides a number of anti-oxidant processes in the body including the following:
*Heavy metal and chemical detox: Glutathione helps your body take harmful chemicals and metals and turn them into water-soluble chemicals to be excreted. Over time, glutathione levels made in the body can be depleted by exposure to toxins. If someone is exposed to lead or mercury, for example, liposomal glutathione is my go-to suggestion to help detoxify and eliminate the metals. Taking 1-2 tsp daily of Tri-fortify Orange or Tri-fortify Watermelon by Researched Nutritionals is the suggested dose for an adult. It is safe for children as well and the dose can be adjusted per weight of the child (1/4 or 1/2 tsp for most). For those who need a capsule form for convenience, we suggest Pure Encapsulations Liposomal Glutathione capsules in 30 or 60ct.
*Address auto-immunity and inflammation: Glutathione can play a big role in calming inflammation and auto-immunity via numerous pathways in the immune system. To quickly get ahead of auto-immune activity, liposomal glutathione may be taken daily in conjunction with a paleo auto-immune diet or similar protocol. Liposomal glutathione by Empirical Labs is a good choice for people following an auto-immune diet because it lacks added sweeteners like glycerin, though it does have a bitter taste. Trizomal Glutathione by Apex Energetics (available for sale over the phone or in office) is another good option for people with sensitivities as Apex uses auto-immune-friendly formulas. This one is my personal favorite, it tastes a little like pineapple.
*Helps overcome allergies and strong immune reactions: Along the lines of immune modulation, liposomal glutathione can be taken to address histamine and mucous production in response to foods and other environmental triggers. This can work for chronic skin issues and common allergy signs. When my youngest daughter was four years old, she suffered from chronic sinus issues and they were complicating her preparation for a surgery she needed to repair submucosal cleft palate. A doctor proposed steroids to get the sinus drainage under better control since they couldn't find any medical reason for the sinus issues. As an alternative, I gave her Tri-fortify Orange by Researched Nutritionals and Turmero by Apex Energetics (a orange-flavored liquid turmeric extract). Within days, her sinus congestion had cleared and she was ready for surgery, without the use of steroids. The immune-modulating effects of glutathione and turmeric helped reduce the congestion she was having. We were also able to do an elimination diet and identify that grains (including gluten-free ones) were the main trigger in her diet. This has helped to reduce allergies and sinus issues going forward.
*Maintains a healthy gut lining and repairs leaky gut: A reduction in glutathione is a key step in the development of leaky gut and auto-immune disease according to recent studies. This anti-oxidant can be very powerful in protecting the body against these unwanted outcomes. Visit this blog post for more information about leaky gut.
*Healthy preparation for surgery: Sometimes surgery is unavoidable. However, the side effects of the anesthesia can be difficult on the body. Glutathione is one of the safest and best supplements that may be taken to help quickly recover from exposure to harmful chemicals during surgery such as anesthesia.It may be taken in the days leading up to surgery as well as afterward with no contraindications, though it's always good to check with your pharmacist.
* Rapid support for head injuries and other traumas: Liposomal glutathione may be applied topically to reduce cell death after head trauma. Applied right after the injury to the skull, it is said to significantly reduce cell death from head trauma. I would suggest one of the Tri-fortify pastes for this.
*Protects against fatigue: All of the above functions translate to an increase in energy, resilience to stress, greater athletic performance, immune strengthening, reduction in inflammation and slowing down of the aging process. Liposomal glutathione can be a helpful support for the adrenals, thyroid, and pituitary without the side effects of other herbs typically used for adrenal fatigue. It has also been shown in studies to support weight loss.
*Keeps other anti-oxidants active: Glutathione helps maintain active forms of other antioxidants in the body like Vitamins C and E.
*Lowers free-radical activity: Neutralizes and/or regulates numerous oxidating compounds in the body such as hydrogen peroxide and the breakdown of polyunsatured fats.
Not all glutathione supplements are created equal. It is important to purchase a liposomal version (bound with fat) of glutathione as it will be more easily assimilated and more effective that a non-liposomal version. There were problems with the absorption of early forms of glutathione on the market and liposomal versions address that issue.
What about N-acetyl-cysteine or NAC? N-acetyl-cysteine is a compound in the body used to recycle glutathione in the liver. NAC may be taken with liposomal glutathione or as an affordable alternative, especially in the case where liposomal glutathione has been taken for several months already. NAC, like glutathione, has numerous anti-inflammatory benefits. Especially ones for the brain. Personally, NAC has helped me with my short-term memory in the rush of caring for a family and serving naturopathy clients. Apex Energetics makes a good formula called Glutathione Recycler that includes NAC (this formula is available for sale at the office and over the phone). I also like NAC with Selenium by NOW.
What to expect? Given all the benefits above, people typically feel pretty good on a liposomal glutathione supplement but if you have not done much body cleansing or natural detoxification from the standard american diet beforehand, you may experience some signs of detoxification with the first few doses. Typically, any type of reaction improves very quickly (within a week or less) especially if the diet is good and other support for proper digestion and detoxification are in place.
We can help you with a long-distance program or consultations at our office to help develop the right program for you. For long-distance clients, select Phone consultation 1 hr for initial clients: https://humannature.appointlet.com/