Glutathione (GSH) Supplementation

GSH is a tripeptide composed of glutamate, cysteine and glycine. For details see...

Functions

How the body makes it

Oxidation

Recycling (Reduction)

Destruction

Testing

My glutathione experience

For more information

Supplementation

1. Oral supplements exist,
   1. for example Recancostat, which contains
      • GSH (reduced Glutathione; they make a big deal about how easily Glutathione oxidizes, resulting in the form GSSH)
      • Anthocyans (phenols, which require sulfation to detox )
      • L-Cysteine
   2. However the enzyme gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase breaks down glutathione in the gut.
2. Foods:
   1. Banana - see Antioxidant activity of banana flavonoids. Vijayakumar S, Presannakumar G, Vijayalakshmi NR.:"The antioxidant activity of flavonoids from banana (Musa paradisiaca) was studied in rats fed normal as well as high fat diets. Concentrations of peroxidation products namely malondialdehyde, hydroperoxides and conjugated diens were significantly decreased whereas the activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase were enhanced significantly. Concentrations of glutathione were also elevated in the treated animals."
   2. Burdock (sometimes called gobo) root (related to Milk Thistle, see below) increases production of GSH and also increases activity of enzymes that metabolize it. (This sounds useful for those of us with a GST SNP.) High in sulfur.
   3. The polyphenol antioxidant curcumin, a natural constituent of curry spice turmeric (Curcuma longa) variously regulates GSTs - apparently inducing some beneficial ones and inhibiting cancer-cell aiding GSTP1-1. High in sulfur.
   4. Kim chi (Korean fermented vegetables)
      • Recipes include nappa cabbage and other high-sulfur vegetables
      • See Inducement of detoxifying hepatiac glutathione S-transferase activity in mice administered with various kimchi extracts. Kim et al, Department Of Food And Nutrition, Chungnam National University, Korea.
   5. [check these; where did I get them from?]
      1. Brassica (cabbage -family) vegetables (high in sulfur)
      2. Allium vegetables (high in sulfur)
      3. Colorful vegetables and fruits.
3. Supply other substances which assist GSH:
   1. SAMe
   2. L-Cysteine and substances which easily convert to L-Cysteine: Cystine, N-acetyl Cysteine (NAC) and L-Methionine.
   3. Lipoic acid, which reduces cystine back to cysteine, increasing the cysteine pool for GSH synthesis.
   4. Glutamine plus Glycine: CFS Nutrition's Glutathione Precursors. On their page. They have four formulations: two have other supplements; two are just free-form amino acids:
      • Detoxification Enzymes
        • 257mg N-acetyl L-cysteine (NAC)
        • 128mg L-glutamic acid
        • 64mg L-glycine
      • Cysteine Complement: "For people with elevated plasma cysteine and intolerance of foods such as onions, garlic and broccoli. This formula "complements" (makes a whole with) the overabundance of cysteine to provide the three amino acids required to manufacture glutathione within the cell.
        • 257mg L-glutamic acid
        • 153mg L-glycine
   5. Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C). See Effects of the sulforaphane analog compound 30, indole-3-carbinol, D-limonene or relafen on glutathione S-transferases and glutathione peroxidase of the rat digestive tract. van Lieshout EM, Posner GH, Woodard BT, Peters WH.
   6. Sulforaphane?
      • More effective than I3C.
      • But contains sulfur / is found in sulfur-rich sources I don't tolerate well, if at all.
      • Caution, Sulforaphane alone may not be effective; plant extracts may contain important cofactors. See Eye Health.
      • However, in other research, "sulforaphane analogs" were effective. For example, see
        • Cancer chemopreventive potential of sulforamate, a novel analog of sulforaphane that induces Phase 2 drug-metabolizing enzymes, by Gerhäuser et al, Cancer Res. 57, 272-278 (1997).
        • van Lieshout, in I3C above
        • I wonder if I'd tolerate an analog any better than a plant extract.
   7. Another study concludes that sulfides, not sulfuraphanes, induce GST (see Kim chi, above)
   8. Silymarin (milk thistle) increases glutathione levels [how?]
   9. Quercetin - but not if you have a COMT SNP: Inhibition of Catechol O-Methyltransferase-catalyzed O-Methylation of 2- and 4-Hydroxyestradiol by Quercetin.
   10. Limonene (from Orange Peel, Citrus sinensis)
       see van Lieshout, in I3C above
       [not sulfur, but I can't tolerate this either]
   11. Vitamins C and E: since these need GSH to reduce/recycle them, providing a fresh supply may spare available GSH for other functions.
4. Use routes for GSH supplementation other than oral:
   • nasal irrigation
   • inhaled aerosol (to lungs)
   • transmucosal (under tongue, or between teeth and cheek)
   • intravenous infusion
5. To raise GSH levels, it also helps to avoid substances the body uses GSH to detox:
   • Cigarette smoke
   • herbicides, fungicides, insect sprays, industrial solvents.