Glutathione GSH

On December 18th 2009, the World Health Organization reported that the swine flu (H1N1) death toll reached 10,000 people. “As of 13 December 2009, worldwide more than 208 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 10,582 deaths,” the WHO reported. The swine flu poses a major threat to healthy individuals worldwide. In fact, in some geographic regions, swine flu cases are still increasing. Luckily, recent scientific studies have shown that increasing levels of glutathione, a nutrient already produced in small amounts by your body, allows healthy adults to resist infection and symptoms of the swine flu. Arguably more importantly, increasing glutathione levels in individuals who are already infected by swine flu has been shown to reduce the duration and severity of the illness. Because swine flu vaccines are being limited for distribution to only certain age groups and occupations, increasing glutathione levels is the only line of defense for some individuals. Persons who have not received the swine flu vaccine are advised to increase their glutathione levels in order to decrease their chances of being affected by the possibly deadly swine flu virus.

How can individuals raise their glutathione levels enough to protect against the swine flu? A simple nutritional addition to your normal diet can help to elevate glutathione levels, increasing your body’s protection from illness. Because pure glutathione is not efficiently absorbed when taken orally, individuals can consume precursors, or building blocks, to glutathione, allowing the body to produce increased amounts of glutathione within its cells, thereby protecting the body against illnesses like the swine flu. N-acetylcysteine is one of the most prescribed precursors to glutathione. Because cysteine is the only amino acid necessary for the body’s production of glutathione that can run short, taking supplements like N-acetylcysteine allows the body to increase glutathione levels effectively. In medical trials, the administration of N-acetylcysteine has been proven to reduce the prevalence of swine flu amongst at-risk populations.

Although glutathione is an effective treatment for many diseases, it seems to be able to specifically target the influenza virus. In fact, glutathione attacks the swine flu virus at multiple levels. First, it degrades the virulence of the virus by directly affecting the virus itself. Next, glutathione prevents the virus from replicating itself by allowing healthy cells to continue to function normally, unaffected by the virus. In addition, glutathione’s properties prevent the virus from transferring its genetic material into the host cells. Finally, glutathione protects the lungs and other major organs from the virus and oxidative damage caused by free radicals and the oxidative stress caused by illness. Glutathione achieves this final achievement by exhibiting its powerful antioxidant properties during times of the greatest need.

New methods of administering glutathione have been developed in recent times due to its proven effectiveness at fighting viruses like swine flu. Glutathione lozenges, oral sprays, and nasal sprays have emerged as effective applications of pure glutathione, but only when used to prevent primary infections in the nose or mouth. However, studies have shown that users of these new glutathione products become infected by viruses far less often than the control group, who received no such protective supplements. These new forms of glutathione are effective because they are delivered directly to the most common initial infection sites of flu viruses. When the cells in and around the mouth and nose are protected from infection, viruses are faced with an insurmountable obstacle, preventing them from taking hold and making the victim sick.

Why is glutathione so effective at supporting the prevention of infection by the swine flu and supporting the suppression of symptoms in those already infected? Glutathione is the human body’s main antioxidant, immunity booster, and detoxifier. Glutathione is made within every living human cell because it is necessary for multiple cellular functions. Basically, glutathione performs the function of the immune system for each individual cell. When free radicals threaten to destroy a cell, glutathione’s antioxidant properties neutralize the free radicals, rendering them harmless, and allowing the cell to survive. Swine flu affects the body on a cellular level, infecting individual cells and reproducing its own genetic code, meanwhile killing each cell it comes into contact with. Glutathione prevents swine flu from performing the very functions that make it virulent, effectively suppressing swine flu’s symptoms and preventing initial infection of the individual cells by the virus.

With the swine flu virus on the verge of becoming pandemic the past two years, it is to understand that people who are not able to be vaccinated should build a plan to increase their cellular glutathione levels. Glutathione is capable of preventing initial infection by the swine flu, and is also capable of suppressing swine flu’s symptoms, sometimes preventing death of the swine flu patient. For prevention of infection by the swine flu, glutathione lozenges, or oral/nasal sprays are indicated for use. For individuals already ill with swine flu, nutritional methods of increasing glutathione levels are advised.

Sources: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9230243?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16624496?