
How to Boost Glutathione Naturally
Have you heard of glutathione? If not, you should become familiar with it. Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant that helps to correct many conditions and diseases. Keep reading to learn how to boost glutathione naturally.
In fact, glutathione is so significant that over 100,000 medical papers have been written about it. Let’s discuss glutathione so you understand what it is and how important it is to your body. Then we can discuss how to boost it, and how to boost it in a cost-effective way.
What is it and how to boost Glutathione?
Glutathione is a powerful and potent antioxidant. In fact, it is even more potent than Vitamin C.(1) “Glutathione is produced in the liver from the amino acids cysteine, glycine, and glutamine.”(2) It is responsible for protecting against cellular damage from free radicals. It defends the body against damage from environmental toxins such as:
- Cigarette Smoking
- Radiation Exposure
- Cancer Chemotherapy
- Household Cleaners
- Pollution
- Pesticides
- Fertilizers
These environmental toxins are a cause for concern. They affect the quality of our water and food supply. For instance, fertilizers seep into the soil, and therefore our food. Food additives, preservatives, and food coloring saturate the products in grocery stores. Fruits and vegetables are sprayed, treated with ripening agents, and then waxed to make them appear more appetizing. Toxic chemicals and hazardous waste have contaminated our air and water.
Indoor pollution is a very serious issue as well. Studies conducted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have shown that indoor air pollution (in places such as homes, schools, and workplaces) are often five times greater than outdoor levels. However, sometimes, it can be up to a hundred times greater. People spend up to 90 percent of their time indoors, which increases their exposure to toxic elements.
Needless to say, when it comes to indoor and outdoor toxins, glutathione has a very big job to do.
The Importance of Glutathione in Protecting Against Chronic Illness
Normally glutathione is produced and recycled in the body. However, the amount of glutathione naturally produced by the body decreases by 30 to 35 percent with age. (5) Health and lifestyle conditions can contribute to a decrease in glutathione levels as well. Some of those factors include:
- Poor Diet
- Medications
- Trauma
- Aging
- Chronic Stress
- Infections
- Diseases
6 out of 10 adults in the United States have chronic diseases. Not only that but 4 out of 10 have more than one chronic disease. (5) Now you are probably starting to understand what glutathione is and why it is so important to the body. The next topic we will discuss is how to increase your glutathione level.
Boost Glutathione Naturally Video
Benefits of Glutathione
Glutathione protects cells and tissues in several ways. It neutralizes oxygen molecules before they can harm cells. It also protects the tissues of the arteries, brain, heart, immune cells, kidneys, lenses of the eyes, liver, lungs, and skin against oxidant damage.It plays a role in preventing cancer, especially liver cancer. It has many other benefits such as:
- Reduces Oxidative Stress
- Improves Psoriasis
- Reduces Cell Damage in Alcoholic and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
- Improves Insulin Resistance
- Increases Mobility for People with Peripheral Artery Disease
- Reduces Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease
- Helps Fight Against Autoimmune Disease
- Reduces the Impact of Uncontrolled Diabetes
- Reduces Respiratory Disease Symptoms
Boost Glutathione Using N-Acetyl Cysteine
Oxidative stress is an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants in the body. This can lead to cell and tissue damage. Oxidative stress occurs naturally and plays a role in the aging process. Scientific evidence suggests that “long-term oxidative stress contributes to the development in a range of chronic conditions.”(5) Such conditions include:
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Heart Disease
Without glutathione, your cells will become damaged. This leads to chronic diseases and conditions. In fact, “studies have discovered that glutathione deficiency is found in nearly all ill patients. These include people with chronic fatigue syndrome, heart disease, cancer, chronic infections, autoimmune disease, diabetes, autism, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, asthma, kidney problems, liver disease, peripheral artery disease and more.”(5) Imagine if we could decrease the prevalence of those diseases by simply increasing the amount of glutathione in our bodies.
You need glutathione to help your immune system fight off infections and prevent cancer. Additionally, studies show that it can help in the treatment of AIDS. (4)
Glutathione is a critical part of the detoxification system as well. “The secret of its power is the sulfur chemical groups it contains. Sulfur is a sticky molecule. In a healthy body, all the bad things in the body stick to it, including free radicals and toxins like heavy metals.”(3)
Additionally, glutathione helps our mental and physical function. Research has shown that “raised glutathione levels decrease muscle damage, reduce recovery time, increase strength, improve endurance and shift metabolism from fat production to muscle development.”(6) Raising your glutathione levels will help to keep yourself healthy, boost your performance, and prevent disease. Now that you know about the benefits, let’s move on to ways to boost glutathione.
How to Boost Glutathione
Increasing glutathione is not easy or convenient to do. However, studies have shown that the following ways are the most successful:
- Taking an Active Form of Glutathione
- Recycling Glutathione in the Body
- Using an N-Acetyl Cysteine Supplement
Unfortunately, taking an active form of glutathione can become very expensive. The problem with recycling glutathione is that it doesn’t work for everyone. The ability to recycle glutathione decreases with age. Environmental factors also can contribute to a decrease. This leaves the best option, which is using an-acetylcysteine supplement.
Benefits of N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)
N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) is a supplement of cysteine. Cysteine is an amino acid that is necessary to produce glutathione and to maintain an adequate amount of it. There are many benefits to taking a n-acetyl cysteine supplement.
They include:
- Making Glutathione
- Keeping Liver and Kidneys Healthy
- Improving Psychiatric Disorders and Addictive Disorders
- Relieving Symptoms of Respiratory Conditions
- Boosting Brain Health
- Improving Fertility in Both Women and Men
- Stabilizing Blood Sugar
- Reducing Heart Disease
- Improving Immune System(8)
As you can see, there are many n-acetyl cysteine (NAC) benefits. Taking a n-acetyl cysteine (NAC) supplement is essential to keep your body healthy, improve your performance, and prevent chronic diseases.
In addition to the benefits listed above, n-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is a powerful detoxifier of tobacco smoke, alcohol, and environmental pollutants. Taking a n-acetyl cysteine (NAC) supplement can boost the levels of protective enzymes in the body. Therefore, it slows the cellular damage that comes from aging. It also decreases the frequency and duration of infectious diseases. (8) N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) has also been used successfully in the management of AIDS(4) and chronic bronchitis. (8) However, people with diabetes should not take this supplement without first consulting with their health care provider. This is because it can interfere with the effectiveness of insulin.
References
1. https://www.healthline.com/health/glutathione-benefits
2. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-increase-glutathione
3. https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/135/7/1609/4663895
4. https://www.emedicinehealth.com/glutathione/vitamins-supplements.htm
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3048347/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2696075/
7. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324863.php
8. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/nac-benefits#section8