In the intricate dance of health and disease, few molecules have garnered as much attention as glutathione. Each cell in our bodies needs to produce its own supply of this powerful antioxidant. They do this by first joining the amino acids glutamate and cysteine to form the dipeptide gamma-glutamylcysteine (GGC), which is then followed by the addition of glycine to produce the tripeptide, glutathione. Normal levels of glutathione (homeostasis) are maintained by a feedback inhibition mechanism that inhibits the production of GGC when cellular glutathione is at homeostatic concentrations.
Role of Glutathione
Glutathione stands as a sentinel against oxidative stress, protecting our bodies from a myriad of health challenges. Glutathione is a guardian of cellular integrity and plays a crucial role in cellular detoxification processes. Acting as a scavenger for free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can cause oxidative stress and damage cellular components, glutathione's capacity to neutralize these harmful substances makes it essential for maintaining overall health.
Liver Health and Oxidative Stress
The liver, often referred to as the body's primary detoxification organ, is particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress. Prolonged exposure to toxins, heavy metals, and other environmental pollutants can disrupt liver function, leading to conditions such as liver disease and cirrhosis. To facilitate detoxification, liver cells contain and maintain the highest concentrations (10 mM) of glutathione of all the body’s cell types.
Maintaining and Boosting Glutathione Levels
To maintain healthy glutathione levels it is essential to include in our diet, foods rich in sulphur amino acids (methionine, cystine and/or cysteine). This can be readily met by most Western diets. Chronic problems occur during aging and when we are ill, as our cells become exposed to increased streams of free radicals that result from the onset of disease related dysfunctional metabolism. When this happens, our cells are still making glutathione at normal (homeostasis) levels but these are now just not enough to keep these aging/disease related additional free radicals at bay. The only theoretical and clinically demonstrated way of boosting cellular glutathione levels is through the administration of gamma-glutamylcysteine (GGC), which effectively by-passes the regulatory control mechanism of maintaining homeostasis. Other supplements like glutathione itself, and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) can only, at best, help your cells maintain homeostasis and as such cannot help in neutralizing these additional free radicals.
Clinical Evidence
Numerous clinical studies have been performed over the last 60 years to investigate the bioavailability of various supplements to increase cellular glutathione levels. None, except for those performed with gamma-glutamylcysteine (GGC), have shown any capacity to boost glutathione levels above homeostasis. NAC is the standard antidote for liver cells that have been acutely depleted of glutathione during the detoxification of overdoses of acetaminophen (paracetamol). NAC simply supplies the liver with the cysteine it needs to return to and maintain glutathione homeostasis, it cannot boost it above homeostasis to deal with aging and disease related additional free radicals. Glutathione supplements also cannot boost cellular glutathione levels above homeostasis. There is no active transport system for cells to take up glutathione from the plasma, and due to a negative concentration gradient (uM in plasma, mM in cells), exogenous glutathione cannot diffuse passively into our cells. Instead, exogenous glutathione is effectively hydrolysed into its three component amino acids by the enzyme gamma glutamyl transferase, which is found on all cell types except red blood cells, and as such does not provide a mechanism for bypassing the regulatory control of homeostasis.
Ethical Considerations in Health Reporting
By understanding biological mechanisms such as glutathione homeostasis, we can better navigate the complex world of dietary supplements to maintain our health and well-being.
In an era where health information is increasingly accessible but often misinterpreted and even misrepresented, it is imperative to rely on credible sources and scientific evidence.
Disclaimer: This Helpful Resources content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical, health or wellness advice. Please consult a medical, health or wellness professional before making any choices or decisions.
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