Get an Antioxidant Boost from Glutathione

There's been a lot of talk about antioxidants lately. Experts warn against taking super-sized doses of them, but it's still important to make sure your body is getting the required antioxidants on a daily basis.

Considered one of the most important antioxidants, glutathione is essential for overall health and is showing positive effects in regard to some of the most dangerous chronic diseases.

Glutathione Basics
Glutathione is a molecule produced by the liver made up of three amino acids: glutamine, cysteine and glycine. What makes this antioxidant so effective at benefiting your health is the naturally occurring sulfur. Your body naturally produces glutathione, however the amount it produces can be negatively impact by lifestyle. Poor diet, stress and our environment can all cause the amount of glutathione in the body to deplete. This is when supplementation may be necessary.

Who Can Benefit from Glutathione?
Glutathione supports the immune system as well as the repair of tissues and production of proteins. As an antioxidant, glutathione helps the body destroy free radicals, which can cause oxidative damage to the cells of the body, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This damage results in aging as well as illness.

Conditions known to be impacted by oxidative damage include diabetes, cancer, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's. This oxidative damage can result in brain degeneration as well as negative impacts on the body's tissues and nerves. For cancer patients, specifically, glutathione also helps flush carcinogens out of the body and can be used to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy.

Glutathione may also be beneficial for vision, asthma and heart disease, with research continuing. Everyone can benefit from having antioxidants in their body to keep illness at bay and help them look and feel their best for longer.

How to Get More
If you're concerned you're deficient in glutathione, the first place to start is your diet. Eating foods like cruciferous vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower), garlic, onions, olives and avocado can help you support natural glutathione production within the body, since they all contain sulfur. Try adding these foods to your daily diet -- they're all good for you anyway!

The next step would be supplementation. Glutathione is available in pill form at various strengths. Speak with your doctor before adding glutathione to your daily health routine to determine the correct amount. You should check with your physician before adding any supplement to your routine, especially if you're pregnant or breastfeeding or have a diagnosed medical condition like those mentioned above.

According to Dr. Mark Hyman, there are also supplements that support production of glutathione, which include alpha lipoic acid, n-actyl-cysteine, B vitamins, selenium and milk thistle. He also suggests regular exercise, which is part of a healthy lifestyle anyway.

Now that you know more about glutathione, do you want to try it? Shop our entire selection at eVitamins and live well!