Glutathione GSH

What is glutathione and what are the side effects and risks of taking glutathione are questions many people have been asking, not only of themselves, but of their doctors. First, glutathione is considered the antioxidant that is in charge of all the antioxidants within the body – or often referred to as the body’s Master Antioxidant.

One of the most important things that anyone considering using glutathione as a supplement should do is speak to their doctor first. For the most part there are no side effects of taking glutathione supplements, but there are certain aspects of glutathione of which potential users should be aware.

Those who are have undergone an organ transplant should not take a glutathione supplement without first conferring with their doctor.

People who are allergic to milk products should be extremely careful about using glutathione supplements as they can cause the same type of allergic reaction as milk.

It’s also important that those eating a protein reduced diet be sure to get advice about the amount of glutathione to add to their daily diet. Remember that it is considered best to take glutathione supplements on an empty stomach.

It is very important that those taking glutathione make sure to rehydrate themselves because not doing so can lead to cramps and bloating. Headaches, sometimes severe ones, may be experienced by those using glutathione supplements, primarily as the result of dehydration.

There are clinical trials being done to see if adding glutathione to their diet can help individuals with HIV, AIDS, Parkinson’s Disease, glutathione’s role in anti-aging, lung cancer, healing wounds, prostate cancer, and how glutathione can also help to enhance athletic performance.

The body does produce glutathione on its own but if there is a severe deficiency the liver will be unable to rid itself of toxins and liver failure could be a result and the rest of the organs in the body could shutdown and there is the possibility of death. Keep in mind though that it would require a very severe deficiency in glutathione to bring about death.

If someone is considering trying to add glutathione to their diet the most effective dietary sources of glutathione are through natural foods containing glutathione and undenatured whey protein powder supplements.

Glutathione is a naturally occurring substance produced by our bodies that protects the human body in a number of ways. Produced in the liver from the peptide linking of the amino acids glycine, cysteine, and gamma-glutamic acid, glutathione is used by nearly every cell in the body to reduce free radicals and prevent environmental damage. This is especially important to the immune system, which bears the brunt of many of the attacks the human body faces on a daily basis.

The body’s immune system has a difficult job to do. It must accurately assess whether a foreign substance is potentially harmful, and react accordingly. Sometimes, as in asthma, arthritis, and auto-immune disorders, some confusion can occur and the immune system enacts a response when one is not necessary. One of the primary defence mechanisms typically employed is inflammation, a reaction that is useful when a broken bone needs to be held immobile or extra blood needs to be shunted to the site of an infection, but less helpful when you have simply inhaled a bit of ragweed pollen.

Inflammation is the primary agent responsible for the swelling and pain associated with arthritis, and for the airway restriction associated with asthma and bronchitis. One of the key players in the inflammatory response, a small lipid molecule known as a leukotriene, is actually inhibited by the presence of glutathione.

Leukotriene antagonists are among the most commonly prescribed medications for relieving the symptoms of asthma, arthritis, and other inflammation-related disorders. However, because there is a naturally occurring antagonist produced right in the body – glutathione – it could be a natural option to try to increase the natural synthesis of glutathione to help support the reduction of incidents of inflammatory conditions. Indeed, safely increasing glutathione levels shows great promise as a potential option for many inflammatory conditions.