What is Glutathione?
Glutathione is a molecule that is continuously made by the body and exists in every cell of the body. It is also found in vegetables, fruits and meats. Glutathione is a protein that is made up of three amino acids: glycine, glutamine and cysteine. It protects cells, tissues and organs against oxidative stress caused by free radicals.
Research over the last decade has shown that it is the most potent antioxidant and detoxifier surpassing vitamin A, C and E. Glutathione is essential for the immune system to function properly, and it helps the nutrients you eat do their job. Without it, even with a well-balanced diet, your body would not be able to make use of all the nutrition you were consuming.
Glutathione is second to no other nutrient or supplement because without it, there could not be life. An embryo that develops with a defect that prevents it from producing glutathione cannot live. Adults with a genetic defect that leaves them with the inability to control glutathione continuously have to deal with numerous health problems - some of them fatal.
The Role of Glutathione in the Body
Primarily, glutathione ensures that other nutrients and antioxidants do their job properly, and it ensures you get the energy you need to function. The result is you feel stronger, look younger and can live longer. The following are key benefits that explain why this is the case.
Glutathione helps to:
- Reduce intracellular inflammation
- Support the immune system and fight against minor as well as serious diseases
- Reduce muscle recovery time and build strong muscles
- Ensure the production of energy of each cell by protecting the mitochondria
- Fight against free radicals and prevent damage to cells
- Slow down the ageing process
A function of glutathione that needs special mentioning is its role in energy production. Each cell has a mitochondria, which is where respiration takes place and energy is produced. The mitochondria is extremely vulnerable to free radical damage. When the mitochondria is damaged, the cell quickly deteriorates. The presence of glutathione is what protects the mitochondria from free radical damage, allowing the cell to continue its normal function. Having all your cells equipped with a healthy mitochondria that can produce continuous energy enables you to be a stronger person.
Glutathione as a Leading Antioxidant and Detoxifier
Although glutathione is present throughout the body, it is specifically important for the functioning of the liver. The liver is one of the vital organs in the body, and it has one of the hardest jobs. It is responsible for getting rid of toxins, making biochemicals necessary for digestion and protein synthesis. It also stores glycogen, has a role in metabolism and the decomposition of red blood cells and assists in hormone production.
Medications such as acetaminophen and drinking too much of alcohol are some examples of what can greatly increase the toxic load of the liver. The toxins build up fast causing a huge amount of pressure on the liver, and if it doesn't have adequate amounts of glutathione, the liver can't do its job.
In fact, think of the liver as the cleaner and maintainer of your body, and every cleaner needs the proper tools to do the job properly. Glutathione is the tool the liver needs. It is the essential ingredient that will allow the liver to get rid of toxins, produce the biochemicals, hormones and energy required for the body to function.
Vitamins A, C and E have been known to be powerful antioxidants for years; however, nutritionist now believe that glutathione is the leader of all antioxidants in the fight against free radicals. An antioxidant is a molecule that prevents the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation can produce free radicals, which in turn can begin chain reactions in a cell. When this happens, it damages the cell and can kill it. A damaged cell leads to cancer and other diseases. Glutathione already exists in each cell and actually helps to get the most out of all the other antioxidants. This is what makes it a super antioxidant, and it is why nutritionist believe it is a very powerful tool against ageing, cancer and other diseases.
Glutathione has an important role as a detoxifier. Antioxidants also rid the body of toxins, which reduces inflammation throughout the body. Research has shown that inflammation is the leading cause of many diseases such as arthritis and heart disease. Persistent inflammation can also make a person age prematurely. Because the skin is not able to repair itself, it leads to puffiness and reduces the elasticity of the skin. This causes wrinkles to appear sooner than they normally would have to.
Natural Production and Decline of Glutathione
Nature does not usually get things wrong. If it is making glutathione in each cell in the body, that itself shows how important it is for the body to function. Even though the body makes this essential nutrient, daily exposure to medications, stress, pollution, infections, radiation and a poor diet all lead to the depletion of glutathione in the body. As you age, your body's ability to produce glutathione reduces.
A deficiency in glutathione has been associated with:
- Cancer
- Alzheimer's and other age related diseases
- Diseases related to inflammation, such as asthma and arthritis
- Slowing down of muscle recovery time
- General muscle weakness and low energy levels
- A failing immune system
Starting at about 20 years of age, the body begins to slow down the production of glutathione. By the time you are 50 years old, your body only has 60 to 70 percent of the glutathione it had in your teens. This shows a clear connection as to why diseases begin to set in as you grow older.
It is not possible to live without being exposed to all the things that reduce glutathione in the body. This is why it is important to ensure you are getting sufficient amounts through your diet and a supplement.
How to Boost Glutathione Levels in Your Body
Unlike most chemicals, nutrients and enzymes, glutathione cannot just be taken as a pill to increase levels in the body because it does not survive the digestive process, and so the body cannot absorb it. Researchers were frustrated by this fact for years. They saw that giving glutathione intravenously had a more positive outcome; however, it was only marginally more effective in the body's ability to absorb it. It was also an expensive and inconvenient way of having to take it.
Researchers finally discovered that giving the body the nutrients it needs to produce its own glutathione was the only way to increase and maintain high levels in the body.
Here is a look at some of the most effective ways you can help your body increase production of glutathione. These foods are high in amino acids, which is what the body uses to produce glutathione.
Vegetables and Fruits: Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, avocados, tomatoes and spinach, onions, garlic, kiwi, bananas, melons, strawberries and grape fruit. It is important to remember you only get the full benefits of these vegetables and fruits when they are eaten raw.
Dairy and Meat: To get the most benefit from dairy and meat products, they need to be consumed unprocessed and raw. This is because once they are cooked, their nutritional value for increasing glutathione is negligible.
Herbs: Milk thistle is a good source of the antioxidant compound silymarin, which helps to maintain high levels of glutathione in the liver.
Whey Protein: Whey is packed with amino acid building blocks essential for glutathione synthesis. However, you have to make sure you are buying whey made from non-pasteurized milk. It also needs to be made from dairy free of pesticides, hormones and antibiotics.
Exercise: Physical activity is just as important as your diet. Exercise boosts your glutathione levels.
Supplements: Researchers collaborated with Max International and patented a formula known as Max Cellgevity that allows the body to naturally increase glutathione. This formula has proven to be very effective, and in some cases, an increase of 300 percent was recorded. The immense positive evidence proves that it is the only product available today that is effective in increasing glutathione.
Unfortunately, research has shown that eating a healthy diet is not enough for your body to produce more glutathione. Clinical test showed that there was only a slight increase in those who tried to increase their levels by diet alone. A supplement such as Max Cellgevity will do wonders and give you results you can feel much quicker.
Although a supplement is the best way to increase and maintain glutathione levels, it does not eliminate the need for a healthy diet and exercise. Remember, the main role of glutathione is to ensure your body utilizes all the nutrients you consume, so they can do the best job possible.
