Glutathione GSH

Glutathione is an antioxidant polypeptide that is synthesized naturally in the human body. Normally produced in the liver, it protects nearly every cell and organ in the body from free radical damage by donating a loosely held valance electron from one of its peptide bonds.
Free radicals are highly reactive chemical substances, either ions, molecules, or atoms, that are missing a single valence electron. These substances will react with the body’s structures and oxidize them in much the same way that acid rain will oxidize metal substances. Over time, the oxidation of the body’s cells can lead to a number of health conditions, including liver damage and cancer.

The liver is the primary filtering organ of the body. Any harmful foreign substance, be it alcohol, drugs, or environmental toxins such as dioxins or PCBs, is filtered through the liver to clean the bloodstream and protect the rest of the body’s organs and systems. As a result, the liver bears the brunt of much of the damage people inflict upon themselves, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Additionally, the metabolisms of these harmful substances as well as normal metabolic functions are known to produce free radicals as a by-product. As we age, these free radicals do increasing damage to the delicate tissues of the liver, rendering it less capable of doing its job and eventually damaging the tissues so badly that the liver itself fails. Alternatively, the genetic coding within the liver cells’ DNA can be damaged, resulting in liver cancer.

Glutathione protects the liver by reducing these naturally occurring or ingested free radicals, thereby avoiding much of the cellular damage that would otherwise occur. In this way, glutathione supports the prevention of liver cancer and sclerosis of the liver, making it perhaps one of the most important substances produced within the body.