Glutathione

Glutathione is often called the body's 'master antioxidant' — and for good reason. It is the most abundant intracellular antioxidant in the human body, present in virtually every cell, and serves as the primary defense against oxidative stress and environmental toxins. Unlike dietary antioxidants from food, glutathione is synthesized internally from three amino acids: cysteine, glutamic acid, and glycine. It plays a central role in detoxification, immune function, protein synthesis, and the recycling of other antioxidants like vitamins C and E.

Glutathione levels naturally decline with age and are depleted by chronic illness, poor diet, alcohol use, and exposure to environmental toxins including heavy metals, pesticides, and air pollution. Low glutathione is associated with accelerated aging, neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson's, Alzheimer's), cardiovascular disease, autoimmune conditions, and impaired immune function. Maintaining or restoring glutathione levels is therefore a key target in both longevity research and clinical medicine.

The challenge with glutathione supplementation is bioavailability. Standard oral glutathione is poorly absorbed — it gets broken down in the digestive tract before reaching cells. More effective approaches include liposomal glutathione (encapsulated in lipid spheres for direct cellular delivery), sublingual glutathione (bypasses gut), S-acetyl glutathione (acetylated form more resistant to degradation), and precursor supplementation — particularly NAC (N-acetyl cysteine), which directly supplies cysteine, the rate-limiting amino acid in glutathione synthesis.