Glutathione: The Super Antioxidant For Immunity and Liver Health..
Glutathione
Glutathione (GSH) is an important antioxidant in plants, animals, fungi and some bacteria and archaea, preventing damage to important cellular components caused by reactive oxygen species such as free radicals and peroxides.It is a tripeptide with a gamma peptide linkage between the carboxyl group of the glutamate side-chain and the amine group of cysteine which is attached by normal peptide linkage to a glycine.
According to Dr. Mark Hyman MD, "It's the most important molecule you need to stay healthy and prevent disease -- yet you've probably never heard of it. It's the secret to prevent aging, cancer, heart disease, dementia and more, and necessary to treat everything from autism to Alzheimer's disease."
Glutathione has multiple functions:
It is the major endogenous antioxidant produced by the cells, participating directly in the neutralization of free radicals and reactive oxygen compounds, as well as maintaining exogenous antioxidants such as vitamins C and E in their reduced (active) forms.
Regulation of the nitric oxide cycle, which is critical for life but can be problematic if unregulated.
It is used in metabolic and biochemical reactions such as DNA synthesis and repair, protein synthesis, prostaglandin synthesis, amino acid transport, and enzyme activation. Thus, every system in the body can be affected by the state of the Glutathione system, especially the immune system, the nervous system, the gastrointestinal system and the lungs.
The secret of its power is the sulfur (SH) chemical groups it contains. Sulfur is a sticky, smelly molecule. It acts like fly paper and all the bad things in the body stick onto it, including free radicals and toxins like mercury and other heavy metals.
Under normal circumstances, Glutathione is recycled in the body except when the toxic load becomes too great. And that explains why we are in such trouble.
It has a vital function in iron metabolism. Glutathione is critical for one simple reason: It recycles antioxidants. Dealing with free radicals is like handing off a hot potato. They get passed around from vitamin C to vitamin E to lipoic acid and then finally to glutathione which cools off the free radicals and recycles other antioxidants. After this happens, the body can "reduce" or regenerate another protective glutathione molecule.
If you are sick, old or are just not in peak shape, you likely have glutathione deficiency.
The top British medical journal, the Lancet, found the highest glutathione levels in healthy young people, lower levels in healthy elderly, lower still in sick elderly and the lowest of all in the hospitalized elderly.
Exercise
Exercise boosts your Glutathione levels and helps boosts your immune system, improves detoxification and enhances your body's own antioxidant defenses.
Start slow and build up to 30 minutes a day of vigorous aerobic exercise like walking or jogging, or play various sports. Strength training for 20 minutes 3 times a week is also very helpful.
Diet
Eat Foods that Support Glutathione Production
1. Consume sulfur-rich foods. The main ones in the diet are garlic, onions and the cruciferous vegetables (Broccoli, Kale, Collards, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Watercress, Spinach etc.)
2.Take Glutathione Supporting Supplements
3. N-acetyl-cysteine. This has been used for years to help treat asthma and lung disease and to treat people with life-threatening liver failure from Tylenol overdose. It is even given to prevent kidney damage from dyes used during x-ray studies.
4. Alpha lipoic acid. This is a close second to glutathione in importance in our cells and is involved in energy production, blood sugar control, brain health and detoxification. The body usually makes it, but given all the stresses we are under, we often become depleted.
5. Methylation nutrients; Folate and vitamins B6 and B12. These are perhaps the most critical to keep the body producing Glutathione. Methylation and the production and recycling of Glutathione are the two most important biochemical functions in your body. Take Folate, especially in the active form of 5 Methyltetrahydrofolate.
B6, in the active form of P5P and B12, in the active form of Methylcobalamin.
6. Selenium. This important mineral helps the body recycle and produce more glutathione.
7. A family of antioxidants including vitamins C and E, in the form of mixed tocopherols, work together to recycle Glutathione.
