Glutathione

Glutathione is a molecule formed from three peptides:  cysteine, glycine and glutamic acid.  Glutathione levels are at the same concentration in most cells as glucose, cholesterol and potassium.  

Glutathione exists in two forms:  reduced and oxidized.  A healthy cell will have a ratio of greater than 100 while a cell that has been exposed to oxidant stress has a ratio of 1 to 10.  

Glutathione directly quenches some free radicals, shields cells from reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and reduces oxidative stress.  Glutathione has a direct role in recycling Vitamin E and Vitamin C.  Glutathione plays a role in apoptosis by activating the SAPK/MAPK pathway.

 

Glutathione depletion has been associated with:  

1. Cystic Fibrosis
2. Pulmonary Disease
   1. ARDS
   2. COPD
   3. Asthma
3. Liver disease
4. Neurodegenerative disorders
   1. ALS
   2. Alzheimer’s
   3. Hunington’s
   4. Parkinson’s
5. Cardiovascular disease
   1. MI
   2. HTN
   3. Cholesterol
6. Immune disease
   1. HIV
   2. Auto-Immune
7. Age related disease
   1. Glaucoma
   2. Cataracts
   3. Macular degeneration

Do you have any patients with these conditions?

Benefits of Glutathione

Glutathione levels have been found to correlate with telomerase activity.  Glutathione has the ability to protect the mitochondrial DNA which is directly proportional to longevity (1).  Glutathione may improve insulin sensitivity.  A 2003 study found that glutathione can improve damage from ulcerative colitis.  Glutathione is involved in several different physiological processes in the body including immune function and tissue building and repair.  Glutathione has been used to treat cataracts, glaucoma, asthma, cancer, heart disease, peripheral artery disease and memory loss.  

 

Testing

Gamma-glutamyl transferase is upregulated when glutathione is needed (2).  This increase in gamma-glutamyl transferase is needed to provide cysteine.  

Total glutathione level

 

Ways to increase Glutathione

 

1. Alpha lipoic acid increases mitochondrial glutathione levels (3)
2. N-acetylcysteine 1000mg/d (4) (side note increasing NAC 600mg/d for 4 wk decreased GGT 25%) (5)
3. 500 ml of alcohol free beer per day raises RBC Glutathione 29% (6)
4. 83g/d of almonds increased glutathione in smokers by 16% and decreased DNA damage by 29% (7)
5. Meditation produced 20% higher levels of glutathione (8)
6. Increase sulfur rich vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale and mustard greens
7. Eat food rich in glutathione to lower oxidative stress:  spinach, avocados, asparagus and okra
8. Start a program in your office offering glutathione IV and injections

 

Clinical

Studies have shown that increasing glutathione is effective in a wide range of diseases:  COPD, Emphysema, Parkinson’s, contrast induced nephropathy, otitis media and much more (9-19).

Intravenous glutathione 100mg/min for 30 min was an effective therapy against contrast induced renal oxidative stress (20).  

Intravenous glutathione 600mg twice daily for 30 days provided a 42% decline in disability in patients with Parkinson’s Disease and possibly retards progression of the disease (21)

Glutathione is a powerful molecule that virtually every patient probably needs in 2020.  With the typical diet of the American and the fact that chronic disease is vastly distributed throughout every socio-economic strata people need something that can improve there overall health.  Glutathione offers that to each and every patient that begins taking this wonderful molecule.  

 

 

In your practice how many patients can you think of that have a need for glutathione?  I know that there are several dozen at least.  You can start improving their health by adding a glutathione program to your practice.  If interested please call: 

References:

 

1.  MacDonald Baker S. The metaphor of oceanic disease. Integrative Med Clin J. 2008;7(1):40–45.
2. Pompella A, Emdin M, Franzini M, Paolicchi A. Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase: linking together environmental pollution, redox equilibria and progression of atherosclerosis? Clin Chem Lab Med. 2009;47(12):1583–1584.
3. M, Ingersoll RT, Lykkesfeldt J, et al. (R)-alpha-lipoic acid-supplemented old rats have improved mitochondrial function, decreased oxidative damage, and increased metabolic rate. FASEB J. 1999;13(2):411–418.
4. Pendyala L, Creaven PJ. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies of N-acetylcysteine, a potential chemopreventive agent during a phase I trial. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 1995;4(3):245–251.
5. Pamuk GE, Sonsuz A. N-acetylcysteine in the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2003;18(10):1220–1221. 
6. Martínez Alvarez JR, Bellés VV, López-Jaén AB, Marín AV, Codoñer-Franch P. Effects of alcohol-free beer on lipid profile and parameters of oxidative stress and inflammation in elderly women. Nutrition. 2009;25(2):182–187.
7. Li N, Jia X, Chen CY, et al. Almond consumption reduces oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation in male smokers. J Nutr. 2007;137(12):2717–2722. 
8. Sharma H, Datta P, Singh A, et al. Gene expression profiling in practitioners of Sudarshan Kriya. J Psychosom Res. 2008;64(2):213–218.
9. Hauser RA, Lyons KE, McClain T, Carter S, Perlmutter D. Randomized, double-blind, pilot evaluation of intravenous glutathione in Parkinson’s disease. Mov Disord. 2009;24(7):979–983. 
10. Arosio E, De Marchi S, Zannoni M, Prior M, Lechi A. Effect of glutathione infusion on leg arterial circulation, cutaneous microcirculation, and pain-free walking distance in patients with peripheral obstructive arterial disease: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Mayo Clin Proc. 2002;77(8):754–759. 
11. Bishop C, Hudson VM, Hilton SC, Wilde C. A pilot study of the effect of inhaled buffered reduced glutathione on the clinical status of patients with cystic fibrosis. Chest. 2005;127(1):308–317. 
12. Stav D, Raz M. Effect of N-acetylcysteine on air trapping in COPD: a randomized placebo-controlled study. Chest. 2009;136(2):381–386. 
13. Cooke RW, Drury JA. Reduction of oxidative stress marker in lung fluid of preterm infants after administration of intra-tracheal liposomal glutathione. Biol Neonate. 2005;87(3):178–180. 
14. Kern JK, Geier DA, Adams JB, Garver CR, Audhya T, Geier MR. A clinical trial of glutathione supplementation in autism spectrum disorders. Med Sci Monit. 2011;17(12):CR677–CR682. 
15. Saitoh T, Satoh H, Nobuhara M, et al. Intravenous glutathione prevents renal oxidative stress after coronary angiography more effectively than oral N-acetylcysteine. Heart Vessels. 2011;26(5):465–472. 
16. Testa B, Testa D, Mesolella M, D’Errico G, Tricarico D, Motta G. Management of chronic otitis media with effusion: the role of glutathione. Laryngoscope. 2001;111(8):1486–1489. 
17. Kasperczyk S, Dobrakowski M, Kasperczyk A, Ostałowska A, Birkner E. The administration of N-acetylcysteine reduces oxidative stress and regulates glutathione metabolism in the blood cells of workers exposed to lead. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2013;51(6):480–486.
18. Ghanizadeh A, Derakhshan N, Berk M. N-acetylcysteine versus placebo for treating nail biting, a double blind randomized placebo controlled clinical trial. Antiinflamm Antiallergy Agents Med Chem. 2013;12(3):223–228.
19. Medved I, Brown MJ, Bjorksten AR, et al. N-acetylcysteine enhances muscle cysteine and glutathione availability and attenuates fatigue during prolonged exercise in endurance-trained individuals. J Appl Physiol. 2004;97(4):1477–1485. 
20. Saitoh T, Satoh H, Nobuhara M, et al. Intravenous glutathione prevents renal oxidative stress after coronary angiography more effectively than oral N-acetylcysteine. Heart Vessels. 2011;26(5):465‐472. doi:10.1007/s00380-010-0078-0
21. Sechi G, Deledda MG, Bua G, et al. Reduced intravenous glutathione in the treatment of early Parkinson’s disease. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 1996;20(7):1159‐1170. doi:10.1016/s0278-5846(96)00103-0