Glutathione is a key antioxidant that helps combat oxidative stress and regulate cell function. Although it has been studied for decades, scientists are still learning about the many ways this compound benefits our health. In this article, you’ll learn about of the distinct ways that glutathione supports your health and wellness goals.
Glutathione is a Powerful Antioxidant
When you hear about antioxidants you might think of vitamin C and how you need to eat more oranges. But one of the most powerful antioxidants is glutathione. The body can make glutathione naturally under the right conditions. Glutathione is essential for your immune function, protects against environmental toxins, and also protects against damage caused by other free radicals like peroxides, hydroperoxides, and lipid peroxides.
Glutathione Promotes Healthy Hormone Levels
Hormones are chemical messengers that tell the body how to function. Glutathione is critical for the production of hormones, which can affect overall health on a cellular level. As you age, hormone levels may decrease due to environmental factors such as diet and lifestyle choices. This may cause people to look to a supplement to balance hormones that also includes glutathione. This means that the body can use these nutrients to shore up deficiencies and ensure that the body can function properly.
There are many types of hormones that glutathione supports including insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), estrogen (female sex hormone), and even growth hormone (GH).
Higher Glutathione Levels are Associated with a Healthy Immune System
Glutathione is naturally present in your body, but you can also take it as a supplement. It’s important for a healthy immune system and helps fight off infections. Researchers have found that people with higher glutathione levels are less likely to get sick, and if they do get sick, their symptoms will be milder. Studies show that taking glutathione supplements reduces the severity of colds and flu and can sometimes reduce how long people are sick. Glutathione may also help treat autoimmune disorders by reducing inflammation in the body and improving tissue repair after injury.
It Helps Maintain Cell Health
Glutathione is important for maintaining the health of your cells. If a cell is not healthy, it cannot function properly and may become damaged. There are many things that can happen to damage a cell, but glutathione helps prevent many of them. Glutathione helps the body rid itself of toxins and harmful substances that build up in our cells over time. When these toxic substances are not removed from cells, they can cause cell damage or death by preventing certain chemical reactions from occurring within cells.
Glutathione also prevents damage caused by free radicals which are molecular fragments that have been deprived of an electron. These free radicals can cause oxidative stress—cellular damage due to exposure to oxygen—which contributes to diseases like cancer or heart disease in some people.
It Can Improve Insulin Sensitivity
Glutathione is important for insulin sensitivity, which means it can help the body use glucose efficiently. Glutathione helps with the production of insulin, and it also supports the conversion of glucose to energy. People with chronically low glutathione levels are more prone to insulin issues that can lead to diabetes. By focusing on getting enough glutathione through supplements and diet, you can reduce the risk of becoming diabetic.
High levels of Glutathione May Help Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
Glutathione is an antioxidant that helps fight free radicals, which are damaging molecules produced by the body during metabolism. These molecules can damage cells in the brain and nervous system which are linked to Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases. By increasing the levels of glutathione in the body you’ll be less likely to succumb to these diseases. A deficiency in this compound can also lead to diseases such as cancer or Parkinson’s disease.
Glutathione Improves Lung Function
One of the other ways that glutathione can improve your health is by treating asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The antioxidant helps reduce inflammation in the lungs, improving lung function and preventing infections. As the free radicals and other toxins are removed and neutralized by glutathione, the lungs can even heal from some damage. Glutathione is a powerful addition to your arsenal when you are looking for ways to stay healthy.
