Many would like to know what are glutathione side effects. What are they? Find out here!
I am often asked the question, "What Are Glutathione Side Effects?" To start off with, it would be good to know what glutathione is and what functions it has in the body. Glutathione is a beneficial protein in every cell of your body, and it functions as an antioxidant, immune system optimizer, detoxifier , energy restorer, and antiaging protein. So now we need to know : What are the side effects of glutathione?
This is a tricky question, since this question usually comes up with drugs or pharmaceuticals. We want to know if we take drug X, what are its side effects? So naturally based on this reasoning, we may ask if we take glutathione, side effects that may follow would be what? You have already learned what glutathione or natural glutathione does in the body. So you could say that glutathione side effects are antioxidation, immune system building, detoxification, energy and anti-aging. Not bad for a list of so-called side effects!
To illustrate this, we all know that we have blood in our circulatory system, and this is made up of white blood cells, red blood cells, plasma, and platelets. We could ask the question, “What are the side effects of white blood cells?” Well, they fight infection, but really, we don’t ask that question, because we know they are naturally occurring, we need them, and they play a positive role in the body. They fight infection, and without them, we would be dead from some kind of illness or infection. It’s the same with glutathione, yet it is still such a new word to many that immediately the assumption is made that if we take it, there must be glutathione side effects.
Here's an interesting fact : You would be dead right now if you didn’t have glutathione in each and every one of your cells quietly doing its job.
So asking the question “What are the side effects of glutathione?” would be similar to asking “What are the side effects of white blood cells?” The answer is all positive things that are necessary to your bodily function. While that may be the exact answer to your question, what are glutathione side effects, it may not be what you were looking for. Let’s see if we can cover that now. You might want to know, "Can I just take a glutathione pill?" Glutathione, when taken orally as a glutathione pill, or in any other form, including reduced glutathione, is destroyed in the digestive tract, and so glutathione side effects when taken directly by mouth would be none, good or bad. It might make your wallet a little lighter though!
So now we may be asking : “Ok, I understand there are no side effects from taking glutathione. I can't take a glutathione pill. I must take in the building blocks or precursors. So what are the side effects on my glutathione system?” Perhaps a better way to phrase the question would be : “What would be the side effects of glutathione if I raise it in my body?” There are several ways to raise glutathione in the body, and we will cover two of the most thoroughly studied ways to raise glutathione here. Raising glutathione may have some side effects that vary depending on the building blocks you use. We will now discuss the two most well studied and effective ways to raise glutathione - N-acetyl-cysteine and the Undenatured Whey Protein called Immunocal. The glutathione side effects mentioned below will be in addition to the positive glutathione side effects that were already mentioned above. So in considering your choices, weigh all possible negative glutathione side effects against the positive ones which apply to all the ways to raise natural glutathione mentioned below.
Remember, you absolutely have to have glutathione in your cells to be alive and healthy. And if you are over 40 or have any chronic health condition, you are likely deficient in this, and will benefit from raising your glutathione levels. Now we will consider the side effects of raising glutathione with the first building block: N-Acetyl-Cysteine or NAC. N-acetyl-cysteine is a pharmaceutical drug that has been used in emergency medicine for years in treating acetaminophen overdose. It is very effective when given in large doses in an emergency room setting when someone is going into liver failure from an overdose of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol. There is also a popular glutathione enhancer on the market that contains N-acetyl-cysteine as its main active ingredient. This box label says: "Caution: This Product is for adult use only. It is not for use by young children, pregnant women or nursing mothers. Allergy warning: This product contains ingredients derived from shellfish and mushrooms."
What are the possible glutathione side effects of N-acetyl-cysteine? Always check with your medical practitioner before deciding on any treatment for raising your glutathione if you have any questions or concerns. The main side effects with N-acetyl-cysteine have to do with its short half life and toxicity. They include the following:
• Short half life, so has to be administered several times a day to be effective
• Rash
• Wheezing
• Nausea
• Anaphylaxis-like allergic reaction, which may include difficulty breathing due to bronchospasm*
• Decrease in blood pressure
• Angioedema ( rapid swelling of the skin)
• Vomiting
• Cramps
• Diarrhea
*Repeated overdoses will cause the allergic reaction to progressively worsen.
Although rare, death has been reported in association with N-acetyl-cysteine. Some find the taste and smell unacceptable, due to the sulfur content. Regular N-acetyl-cysteine usage for raising your glutathione is not recommended for infants and small children. More studies need to be done to determine the safety of N-acetyl-cysteine for long term usage. A recent study done at the University of Virginia School of Medicine indicated that N-acetyl-cysteine usage in rats developed pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) that mimicked the effects of chronic hypoxia. They also found that this was "an unanticipated adverse effect of chronic NAC administration and introduce(s) a new animal model of PAH." It should be noted that treating drug overdoses or acute pulmonary disease with N-acetyl-cysteine requires monitoring by a health professional. Suggested non-prescription oral doses range from 200-2,400 mg/day depending on one’s health.
Now we will discuss the glutathione side effects from raising glutathione with the undenatured whey protein Immunocal. Other terms that may be used to identify this substance is bonded cysteine, undenatured whey protein isolate, or undenatured whey protein concentrate. Two of the best well known ways for raising glutathione are with N-Acetyl-Cysteine, which was considered above, and undenatured whey protein. Immunocal has been extensively studied for over 30 years now. It is a nutraceutical, or medicinal food. It delivers bonded cysteine to the cells where you can make glutathione right there in your cells.
Here are the considerations for those evaluating Immunocal, taken from the product label:
• Patients with a known allergy to milk proteins , should not take this. This is different than lactose intolerance, since the lactose has been removed. It contains less than 1% lactose and is therefore well tolerated by lactose-intolerant individuals. The best way to know if you are allergic to milk proteins is if you know for a fact that you were allergic to your mother's breast milk as an infant, and as a result were unable to breastfeed. This is quite rare.
• Patients on a protein restricted diet should take into account that there is 9 grams of protein per pouch.
• Patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy should discuss the use of this product with their health practitioner. The reason for this is if you are on drugs to keep your immune system suppressed or working at a lower level, undenatured whey protein could theoretically interfere with these drugs by allowing your immune system to be stimulated. This would be especially important if you have recently received an organ transplant and are taking drugs to make sure you do not reject the organ. It should be noted that there are no documented cases of Immunocal interfering with an organ transplant, but this is stated as a general precaution.
Undenatured whey protein is a dry powder, and needs to be mixed to be consumed. Glutathione side effects with bonded cysteine powder may include the following if not mixed properly :
• Gastrointestinal Bloating
• Cramps
This can be prevented by mixing it appropriately with a liquid or food as instructed.
• A transient urticarial (hive)-like rash may appear in rare individuals that are undergoing a severe detoxification reaction. This rash goes away when the product intake is reduced or stopped.
I have not personally known anyone that has had this reaction, called a Herxheimer Reaction, but as mentioned, you can reduce the amount or stop it completely. I have known of individuals who were detoxing and felt sluggish or nauseous, and I recommended they get extra rest and drink plenty of water, half their body weight in ounces, and this phase usually passes within a few days depending on the individual. This is an indication that you have a heavy toxin load, and the glutathione, through your liver and kidneys, is trying to remove the toxins from your system. Since you detoxify in your sleep, and water hydrates you and keeps things moving, water and sleep definitely help you to flush these liquefied toxins from your system.
Lastly, you may want to know , "Can I take too much or accidentally overdose on glutathione? What are the side effects of a glutathione overdose?" The Physician's Desk Reference tells us that when we take the building blocks for glutathione, the cell makes just as much as it needs, and no more. If you take in more building blocks than you need, the excess is stored in your liver and kidneys until you need them. Additionally it is noted that overdosing on undenatured whey protein has not been reported. Always use good sense and follow recommended guidelines when taking any glutathione enhancer, whether it be pharmaceutical (drug) or nutraceutical (food).
In conclusion, what are the side effects of natural glutathione? They are anti-oxidation, immune system boosting, detoxification, energy, and anti-aging. There are many ways to raise glutathione, so we may also ask what are the glutathione side effects of raising it with several precursors? The best studied ones are with two forms of cysteine, N-acetyl-cysteine and bonded cysteine or Immunocal. Compare the potential side effects with each one, and weigh them against the positive glutathione side effects that are true of both of these substances. Do your research, and make the best choice for you!
by Laura McCallum
I am often asked the question, "What Are Glutathione Side Effects?" To start off with, it would be good to know what glutathione is and what functions it has in the body. Glutathione is a beneficial protein in every cell of your body, and it functions as an antioxidant, immune system optimizer, detoxifier , energy restorer, and antiaging protein. So now we need to know : What are the side effects of glutathione?
This is a tricky question, since this question usually comes up with drugs or pharmaceuticals. We want to know if we take drug X, what are its side effects? So naturally based on this reasoning, we may ask if we take glutathione, side effects that may follow would be what? You have already learned what glutathione or natural glutathione does in the body. So you could say that glutathione side effects are antioxidation, immune system building, detoxification, energy and anti-aging. Not bad for a list of so-called side effects!
To illustrate this, we all know that we have blood in our circulatory system, and this is made up of white blood cells, red blood cells, plasma, and platelets. We could ask the question, “What are the side effects of white blood cells?” Well, they fight infection, but really, we don’t ask that question, because we know they are naturally occurring, we need them, and they play a positive role in the body. They fight infection, and without them, we would be dead from some kind of illness or infection. It’s the same with glutathione, yet it is still such a new word to many that immediately the assumption is made that if we take it, there must be glutathione side effects.
Here's an interesting fact : You would be dead right now if you didn’t have glutathione in each and every one of your cells quietly doing its job.
So asking the question “What are the side effects of glutathione?” would be similar to asking “What are the side effects of white blood cells?” The answer is all positive things that are necessary to your bodily function. While that may be the exact answer to your question, what are glutathione side effects, it may not be what you were looking for. Let’s see if we can cover that now. You might want to know, "Can I just take a glutathione pill?" Glutathione, when taken orally as a glutathione pill, or in any other form, including reduced glutathione, is destroyed in the digestive tract, and so glutathione side effects when taken directly by mouth would be none, good or bad. It might make your wallet a little lighter though!
So now we may be asking : “Ok, I understand there are no side effects from taking glutathione. I can't take a glutathione pill. I must take in the building blocks or precursors. So what are the side effects on my glutathione system?” Perhaps a better way to phrase the question would be : “What would be the side effects of glutathione if I raise it in my body?” There are several ways to raise glutathione in the body, and we will cover two of the most thoroughly studied ways to raise glutathione here. Raising glutathione may have some side effects that vary depending on the building blocks you use. We will now discuss the two most well studied and effective ways to raise glutathione - N-acetyl-cysteine and the Undenatured Whey Protein called Immunocal. The glutathione side effects mentioned below will be in addition to the positive glutathione side effects that were already mentioned above. So in considering your choices, weigh all possible negative glutathione side effects against the positive ones which apply to all the ways to raise natural glutathione mentioned below.
Remember, you absolutely have to have glutathione in your cells to be alive and healthy. And if you are over 40 or have any chronic health condition, you are likely deficient in this, and will benefit from raising your glutathione levels. Now we will consider the side effects of raising glutathione with the first building block: N-Acetyl-Cysteine or NAC. N-acetyl-cysteine is a pharmaceutical drug that has been used in emergency medicine for years in treating acetaminophen overdose. It is very effective when given in large doses in an emergency room setting when someone is going into liver failure from an overdose of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol. There is also a popular glutathione enhancer on the market that contains N-acetyl-cysteine as its main active ingredient. This box label says: "Caution: This Product is for adult use only. It is not for use by young children, pregnant women or nursing mothers. Allergy warning: This product contains ingredients derived from shellfish and mushrooms."
What are the possible glutathione side effects of N-acetyl-cysteine? Always check with your medical practitioner before deciding on any treatment for raising your glutathione if you have any questions or concerns. The main side effects with N-acetyl-cysteine have to do with its short half life and toxicity. They include the following:
• Short half life, so has to be administered several times a day to be effective
• Rash
• Wheezing
• Nausea
• Anaphylaxis-like allergic reaction, which may include difficulty breathing due to bronchospasm*
• Decrease in blood pressure
• Angioedema ( rapid swelling of the skin)
• Vomiting
• Cramps
• Diarrhea
*Repeated overdoses will cause the allergic reaction to progressively worsen.
Although rare, death has been reported in association with N-acetyl-cysteine. Some find the taste and smell unacceptable, due to the sulfur content. Regular N-acetyl-cysteine usage for raising your glutathione is not recommended for infants and small children. More studies need to be done to determine the safety of N-acetyl-cysteine for long term usage. A recent study done at the University of Virginia School of Medicine indicated that N-acetyl-cysteine usage in rats developed pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) that mimicked the effects of chronic hypoxia. They also found that this was "an unanticipated adverse effect of chronic NAC administration and introduce(s) a new animal model of PAH." It should be noted that treating drug overdoses or acute pulmonary disease with N-acetyl-cysteine requires monitoring by a health professional. Suggested non-prescription oral doses range from 200-2,400 mg/day depending on one’s health.
Now we will discuss the glutathione side effects from raising glutathione with the undenatured whey protein Immunocal. Other terms that may be used to identify this substance is bonded cysteine, undenatured whey protein isolate, or undenatured whey protein concentrate. Two of the best well known ways for raising glutathione are with N-Acetyl-Cysteine, which was considered above, and undenatured whey protein. Immunocal has been extensively studied for over 30 years now. It is a nutraceutical, or medicinal food. It delivers bonded cysteine to the cells where you can make glutathione right there in your cells.
Here are the considerations for those evaluating Immunocal, taken from the product label:
• Patients with a known allergy to milk proteins , should not take this. This is different than lactose intolerance, since the lactose has been removed. It contains less than 1% lactose and is therefore well tolerated by lactose-intolerant individuals. The best way to know if you are allergic to milk proteins is if you know for a fact that you were allergic to your mother's breast milk as an infant, and as a result were unable to breastfeed. This is quite rare.
• Patients on a protein restricted diet should take into account that there is 9 grams of protein per pouch.
• Patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy should discuss the use of this product with their health practitioner. The reason for this is if you are on drugs to keep your immune system suppressed or working at a lower level, undenatured whey protein could theoretically interfere with these drugs by allowing your immune system to be stimulated. This would be especially important if you have recently received an organ transplant and are taking drugs to make sure you do not reject the organ. It should be noted that there are no documented cases of Immunocal interfering with an organ transplant, but this is stated as a general precaution.
Undenatured whey protein is a dry powder, and needs to be mixed to be consumed. Glutathione side effects with bonded cysteine powder may include the following if not mixed properly :
• Gastrointestinal Bloating
• Cramps
This can be prevented by mixing it appropriately with a liquid or food as instructed.
• A transient urticarial (hive)-like rash may appear in rare individuals that are undergoing a severe detoxification reaction. This rash goes away when the product intake is reduced or stopped.
I have not personally known anyone that has had this reaction, called a Herxheimer Reaction, but as mentioned, you can reduce the amount or stop it completely. I have known of individuals who were detoxing and felt sluggish or nauseous, and I recommended they get extra rest and drink plenty of water, half their body weight in ounces, and this phase usually passes within a few days depending on the individual. This is an indication that you have a heavy toxin load, and the glutathione, through your liver and kidneys, is trying to remove the toxins from your system. Since you detoxify in your sleep, and water hydrates you and keeps things moving, water and sleep definitely help you to flush these liquefied toxins from your system.
Lastly, you may want to know , "Can I take too much or accidentally overdose on glutathione? What are the side effects of a glutathione overdose?" The Physician's Desk Reference tells us that when we take the building blocks for glutathione, the cell makes just as much as it needs, and no more. If you take in more building blocks than you need, the excess is stored in your liver and kidneys until you need them. Additionally it is noted that overdosing on undenatured whey protein has not been reported. Always use good sense and follow recommended guidelines when taking any glutathione enhancer, whether it be pharmaceutical (drug) or nutraceutical (food).
In conclusion, what are the side effects of natural glutathione? They are anti-oxidation, immune system boosting, detoxification, energy, and anti-aging. There are many ways to raise glutathione, so we may also ask what are the glutathione side effects of raising it with several precursors? The best studied ones are with two forms of cysteine, N-acetyl-cysteine and bonded cysteine or Immunocal. Compare the potential side effects with each one, and weigh them against the positive glutathione side effects that are true of both of these substances. Do your research, and make the best choice for you!
by Laura McCallum
