What To Look Out For When Buying Glutathione

You may already be aware of the benefits of Glutathione, and you are looking to buy some so that you can see the results for yourself. Before we go into the actual buying process, let's do a brief recap on the benefits of Glutathione. That will help explain why Glutathione is gaining popularity in recent times.

Benefits of Glutathione - a brief recap.

As Glutathione is a natural antioxidant that exists in the body, it has the ability to protect the body from toxic substances such as pesticide, lactic acid, or metabolic byproducts. Toxins are high destructive substances, in the sense that they attempt to break down anything that they come in contact with. You can imagine what toxins can do to the body when they come in contact with cells. Cells actually get broken down very quickly when they come in contact with poisonous toxins. If nothing is being done to stop this process, it eventually leads to death.

The body has a natural defense to harmful toxins - Glutathione. Glutathione is produced within the cells and helps to protect the cells by neutralizing the toxins through a process called anti oxidation. When anti oxidation takes place, harmful substances become soluble, and is eliminated by the system as quickly as possible.

The health benefits provided by Glutathione are obvious. This nutrient helps to prevent cancer other diseases such as diabetes, nerve disorders, etc. This happens because the immune system is strengthened. Active Glutathione reduces the chances of toxic substances damaging cells in the body.

In addition, Glutathione has an amazing side benefit. It actually helps to smooth out wrinkles in the skin and remove freckles and pigments. It achieves this by eliminating excess Tyrosinase in the body. Tyrosinase is an enzyme that helps promote the growth of Melanin, and Melanin is responsible for dark skin color. When Tyrosinase is absent, the skin will start to whiten.

For this reason, many people start using Glutathione as a skin whitener.

Glutathione is commonly known as L-glutathione, and is promoted as a health supplement or a skin whitener by retail stores. There are also several online retailers who offer this wonderful health supplement for sale.

When buying L-glutathione, there are some things to look out for.

Firstly, you must remember that Glutathione must be produced from within the cells. In other words, amino acids must be present to simulate the environment of the cell before Glutathione can be produced. The three precursor amino acids are glycine, glutamate and cystine.

You should also determine the credibility of an online retailer by performing some due diligence. Visit online forums to read what others are saying about the products and the retailers. Are they overcharging? Are the products working like they are supposed to? If there are any concerns about the L-glutathione products, you will see others complaining about them.

A little bit of legwork is necessary to help safeguard yourself from buying counterfeit L-glutathione supplements. So spend some time to learn more about what Glutathione can or cannot do, and find out which are the established retailers who are offering genuine products.

by Gen Wright

Glutathione - Anti-Oxidant Enzyme

Glutathione Supporting Immune System.

Glutathione is a dominant anti-oxidant enzyme. It is protein that is physically occurring in your body and protects each cell. Glutathione is the body's master antioxidant to maintaining health. An abundant and important antioxidant found within the cells that plays a massive role in the cell's ability to fight free-radical damage. Glutathione is a small molecule made up of three amino acids, which exists in almost every cell of the body. However, Glutathione must be generated within the cell from its precursors before it can work effectively in the body.

Glutathione is a water-soluble antioxidant complex made in the body and provided by the diet Glutathione is present in the diet in amounts usually less than 100 milligrams daily, and it does not emerge that much of the oral intake is absorbed from the intestine into the blood. Glutathione is not an essential nutrient since it can be synthesized from the amino acids L-cysteine, L-glutamate and glycine. The liver is the major site of glutathione synthesis. In healthy tissue, more than 90% of the total glutathione pool is in the reduced form and less than 10% exists in the disulfide form. The enzyme glutathione disulfide reeducate is the principal enzyme that maintains glutathione in its reduced form.

What does Glutathione do?

Glutathion is essential to keep the normal function of the immune system. It is known to play an important role in the multiplication of lymphocytes (the cells that mediate specific immunity), which occurs in the development of an effective immune reaction. Glutathione has three major roles in the immune system: Antioxidant (A cell''s most important Antioxidant), Immune booster (A component of the Immune response) and Detoxifier (A Detoxifying agent in our body). The cells of the immune system produce many oxygen radicals as a result of their normal functioning, resulting in a need for higher concentrations of antioxidants than most cells. Glutathione plays an essential role in fulfilling this requirement. Glutathione also acts as a chelator to bind and conduct out of the body heavy metals that source the free radical damage.

Benefits of Glutathione

* Glutathione is fundamental in supporting the immune system.
* Antioxidants play vital roles in health protection.
* Low Glutathione levels with poor endurance in AIDS patients.
* It is a powerful antioxidant and thus neutralizes free radicals and prevents their development.
* Glutathione is capable to reduce oxidized Vitamin C and Vitamin E back to their unoxidized state.
* It maintains the cellular redox likely.
* Protects the reliability of red blood cells.
* Glutathione is implicated in maintaining normal brain function.

Glutathione Precautions

Pregnant women and nursing mothers should keep away from the use of supplementary glutathione. Glutathione is a stray drug for the healing of AIDS-associated cachexia. Its use for this suggestion must be medically supervised.

Suggested Use

Dosage ranges from 50 to 600 milligrams daily, or as recommended by your health care professional.

by Jenny

Glutathione - How Does It Give Me Energy, And How Is It Anti Aging?

Glutathione - how does it give me energy and how is it anti aging? Many today are dealing with fatigue, and so we would like to know how glutathione can give us the energy we need to get us through our day. We all want to stay younger and resist aging too, so how is glutathione anti aging?

There is a new generation of what are now called mitochondrial disorders surrounding us at every turn. Conditions such as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and lupus may be grouped into this category. The mitochondria are like the batteries for your cell. If they become damaged due to oxidative stress or other factors, then the power is drained from them and they cannot power your cells, which in turn cannot power you to have energy to get through your day. Very often, low energy means that your mitochondria are damaged in some way at the cellular level. Mitochondria are your cell's power source, so you want to keep them healthy for great energy!

Glutathione actually repairs and regenerates your mitochondria at the cellular level. If you have high glutathione levels, your cells will have the energy to do what they need to do, and keep you going all day long!

So now we would like to know, how is glutathione anti aging? Human aging is a hot topic. Interest in finding the best anti aging product that really works is at an all-time high today. It has been found that glutathione levels are highest in the healthy elderly. Could there be a connection between glutathione and anti aging? The average human life span is getting longer with advances in health care, but along with that, humans most importantly want not only to live longer, but better, with a higher quality of life as they age.

And they are looking for the best anti aging product to help them to do just that. Is that true of you? Chances are, if you are looking for the best anti aging product, your friends are probably looking too. Regarding the length of our human life span, note what Duke University demographer James Vaupel said: “There is no evidence that human life expectancy is anywhere close to its ultimate limit.” Perhaps we were indeed made to live much longer than we do? Could we have been created to live even forever?

Is the secret to unlocking this scientific secret somehow connected to this precious little glutathione molecule?

What does research tell us about glutathione as the best anti aging product? Note what some other noteworthy professionals are now saying. In the bestseller “Stop Aging Now!”, Jean Carper is quoted as saying, “You must get your levels of GSH (glutathione) up if you want to keep your youth and live longer. High blood levels of GSH predict good health as you age and a long life. Low levels predict early disease and death.” Think of that!

High Glutathione = Youth + Health + Longer Life!

Low Glutathione = Early Disease + Death!

Which of those sounds better to you? These experts are joining a growing list of researchers who are publishing their findings about anti aging nutrients, and the results are astounding to say the least. How many people do you know that would like to keep their youth, live longer and have optimal health? Probably every single person you know.

If you knew you had just found the best anti aging product, would you let them know? Absolutely, you would. I would too, and that is why I am letting you know about it here. And therein lies the tremendous value of this information. You have just struck gold. Human aging touches each and every one of us and those that we love. And now you know about the best anti aging product, and you and all you know can benefit from using it. Since human aging affects all of us, glutathione is for two groups of people - the sick and the healthy. Have I left anyone out?

It is very interesting to note that decreases in GSH due to age are seen in all tissues of the body, including the liver, kidney, lung, heart, spleen, and the brain. If we raise these levels, this will indeed dramatically affect our aging process. As one of the anti aging foods, it will help us to age better.

So now you know how glutathione works to restore cellular energy and also has an anti aging effect on the body. Stay tuned for the next report in the Glutathione Series - “What does and doesn't work to raise glutathione?” Here's a hint - you can't just eat it!

by Laura McCallum

What Glutathione Is, And How It Works

Glutathione sounds like a medical term and traditionally, very few people know what it is. However, this term is becoming more and more commonly known. It is a type of antioxidant that offers tremendous health benefits.

Glutathione in the body is responsible for getting rid of harmful toxic substances. As we go about our daily activities, the human body is absorbs harmful toxins from food and our surroundings. Usually, we are not aware that this is happening because we don't see or experience the harmful effects of the toxins. For example, we may take in pesticide, which is a harmful toxin, when we consume vegetables that have not been properly cleaned. As such toxins are invisible, it is almost impossible to prevent this from happening.

Fortunately, our body has a natural form of defense against such harmful substances - Glutathione.

Glutathione naturally exists in our human bodies. When it comes in contact with harmful toxins, the toxins become soluble, and they are then easily ejected from the body through urination. Because of it is a very powerful antioxidant, doctors like to use it to treat a variety of illnesses and diseases that are related to harmful toxins. For instance, you may find Glutathione being consumed by cancer patients to improve general health. Consumption of Glutathione actually helps improve the immune system and promotes general health.

But the problem with Glutathione is that it depletes with age. The older a person grows, the less Glutathione the body produces. Hence, as an individual starts to age, the body natural defenses also weaken.

On top of that, Glutathione levels may sometimes not be enough to combat damage caused by harmful toxins. In other words, the level of harmful toxins in the body is much higher than what Glutathione can deal with. As a result, the body starts to break down, and becomes vulnerable to diseases.

So what can be done to rectify such situations?

The first step to take, is to find some kind of antioxidant that is powerful enough to replace or replenish the level of Glutathione in the body. Fortunately, Glutathione is available in capsule or pill form as supplements. The actual dosage depends on individual needs. If unsure, always seek medical advice on the appropriate dosage to consume.

However, when consuming Glutathione supplements, bear in mind that Glutathione can only be produced inside the cells. Therefore, the precursors for Glutathione has to be present in the supplements. These amino acids are glycine, glutamate and cystine. The reduced form of Glutathione is actually known as L-glutathione. This is the label you should be looking out for if you are considering buying such supplements.

Finally, be reminded that L-glutathione is just like any other type of supplements - they must be taken in moderation. Usually, L-glutathione that is sold as health supplements also come with other types of vitamins such as vitamin C or some other type of antioxidant.

by FastSubmitArticles.com

Glutathione Therapy And Parkinson's Disease

Today, the number of people with Parkinson's disease is way too high. This disease brings with it discomfort, frustration, and pain. However, Dr. Perlmutter has discovered a new form of treatment, pioneering what is called Glutathione Therapy.

Glutathione therapy was pioneered by Dr. Perlmutter, showing impressive results that have exceeded anything imagined. Keep in mind that having IV Glutathione therapy is not designed to make the symptoms disappear but to slow down the progression of Parkinson's disease by reducing free radicals.

Studies show that as many as 90% of people who have undergone Glutathione therapy have seen huge changes. With Parkinson's disease, dopamine receptors begin to lose their ability to be sensitive.

However, by using this particular type of treatment, the brain's dopamine begins to function more normally, which improves levels of sensitivity. Additionally, studies also show that serotonin levels within the brain are also brought back to a normal range, which alleviates problems of depression.

In most cases of Glutathione therapy and Parkinson's, the patient is given 1,400 milligrams on a daily basis with saline. Using an IV drip for ten minutes, three times every week allows the medication to enter the bloodstream so it can get to work quickly.

There are also other forms of Glutathione to include supplements and liquid but for Parkinson's disease, IV Glutathione is the only method that works. In addition, some doctors prefer to add in various types of amino acids and milk thistle to make the treatment even more effective.

One of the greatest breakthroughs associated with IV Glutathione therapy is that medication used for treating Parkinson's disease such as Levodopa that has a number of side effects, can often be decreased or eliminated altogether. Of course, no patient should stop taking prescribed medication unless directed by the treating doctor but with Glutathione therapy, studies show that this is a real possibility.

Another huge benefit of using IV Glutathione therapy is that there are no major side effects. Unlike many medications, this means that serious problems such as heart attack and stroke are gone. Then, the affordability of Glutathione therapy has many people excited.

To get started on Glutathione therapy, the price ranges between $300 and $400 a month but usually, this FDA-approved drug is covered by insurance.

For the patients with Parkinson's disease who have gone the IV Glutathione therapy route, they are pleasantly surprised at how quickly they improve. Regaining some sense of normalcy is a huge blessing. Because of the quick turn-around, doctors and patients are thrilled with this treatment option. Today, IV Glutathione is used often for people with Parkinson's disease but patients with irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and other illnesses are also finding relief.

As you can see, this is without doubt, an exciting breakthrough. Using Glutathione therapy, people can start to take back some control over their lives. The results have surprised many and continue to make huge improvements in people's lives. This treatment option is getting more and more attention as being the best solution not only for Parkinson's but other diseases too.

by Renee Dietz

Truckers Driving To Better Health With Glutathione

Professional, over the road truck driving can take its toll on the human body. Stress, poor diet, low excercise and lack of rest often lead to health problems for truck drivers. Even local drivers experience the side effects of a professional driving career. Nothing is more important to the OTR driver than being able to start the day feeling rested and having the mental alertness that is needed for the safe operation of that 18 wheeler.

Thanks to years of research and over 60,000 published papers, people are now discovering the health benefits of a powerful antioxidant. Truckers can literally drive themselves to better health with Glutathione.

A very small molecule, Glutathione is produced by the body and found in every cell. It is the body's most important antioxidant because it is actually within the cell itself. Antioxidants, such as Vitamin C and E are important for good health because they inactivate the effects of free radicals, which build up in our cells and cause damage. Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms that have an unpaired number of electrons. Once formed, these radicals will start a chain reaction within the body and by interacting with cellular components such as our DNA or the cell membrane, can lead to health problems such as cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, cataracts and Aids...just to name a few. Antioxidants are needed in order to fight against these free radicals in order for us to maintain good health.

Since Glutathione exists within our cells, studies have shown that it is in the greatest position to neutralize these free radicals. Medical research has also shown that Glutathione is found in all types of cells, including the cells of our immune system. The powerful effect of Glutathione shows that it keeps our cells running smoothly. Research has also shown that Glutathione assists the liver in removing foreign chemicals from our bodies.

Years of research have shown that people suffering from serious illnesses, such as cancer and Aids, almost in every case, are depleted in Glutathione. Why their bodies are depleted of this self producing antioxidant is unclear, but the studies have shown that Glutathione is extremely important for maintaining intracellular health. Glutathione studies continue to show that it has the ability to fight nearly any disease, even those associated with the aging process.

The common aches and pains brought on by truck driving, along with fatigue, is a common sign of Glutathione depletion. Taking pure Glutathione will not help because the molecules are destroyed by the digestive system. Therefore, one must take the precursors of Glutathione, glutamine and acetyle cysteine, which will allow the body to produce Glutahtione naturally.

If I had not experienced it for myself, I never would have believed it. Now, professional truck drivers are discovering the importance of Glutathione. The trucking life can bring about stress, fatigue and all those little aches and pains commonly associated with the aging process. Glutathione is proving itself for its worth among the medical field. Remember that name, Glutathione...I'm sure you're going to be hearing more about it in the years to come.

by Aubrey Allen Smith

How Is Glutathione Important To Your Health?

Here are some things that you might like to know about glutathione: glutathione is a compound made naturally in the body it is our bodies primary detoxifier and acts as an immune system enhancer, it is the most important and abundant antioxidant in the body, as an antioxidant it has the ability to recycle itself and it recycles other antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E. Since glutathione has the ability to recycle itself, it never becomes a free radical itself unlike other antioxidants which do become free radicals after neutralizing free radicals.

We are born with glutathione in our bodies and it decreases with age due to environmental toxins and poor nutrition. Normally glutathione recycles itself except for when toxic levels become too high. These days we have polluted our environment with heavy metals pesticides and various other nasty items. Generally speaking we tend to have a pretty poor diet that consists largely of prepackaged and processed food. So environmental toxins and other stressers tend to cause us to deplete our glutathione levels and then, due to our poor diet, we don’t eat correctly to replace those levels and that is why over time our systems get depleted levels of glutathione.

It turns out that glutathione is made up of the amino acids cystine, glycine and glutamine. The secret of its power is the sulfur molecules, sulfur is a very sticky molecule and allows heavy metals and free radicals stick to it so it can flush them out of the body. So eating sulfur containing foods, such as, sulfurous vegetables like broccoli, garlic and asparagus are good. Alpha Lipoic acid, folic vitamin B12 and B6 and milk thistle will all help your body to produce more glutathione. Bioactive whey protein is also a good source to replenish glutathione levels.

So increasing the glutathione levels in your body will not only help you recover from stress and enhance your immune system but it will also help you recover faster from exercising and it will increase your mental acuity and the ability to concentrate and focus. Another interesting fact about glutathione is that its results are verifiable and quantifiable through blood tests, specifically, through lymphocyte blood tests.

Glutathione therapy is now being used on Parkinsons disease patients, it is not used to make the symptoms disappear but it is used to slow down the progress of Parkinsons and the nice thing about it is that it has no major side effects. As much as 90% of the people who’ve gone on glutathione therapy have experienced dramatic results. This disease causes dopamine receptors in the brain to lose their sensitivity. With this treatment dopamine is allowed to function more effectively, which means dopamine sensitivity is improved as well as the brain serotonin levels that help decrease levels of depression.

This type of glutathione therapy consists of people getting IV drips with saline approximately 1400 mg along with saline. This is done for 10 minutes three times weekly. Glutathione has to be taken with an IV because it is if it is taken orally it is broken down and rendered ineffective by the digestive system.

So if you have Parkinsons disease or any other type of illness this could be a good solution for you. However, the logic of improving your nutrition and taking supplements that will allow your body to create, increase and maintain its own levels of glutathione makes a whole lot of sense. Finding a supplement that is engineered with the right nutrition to help your body produce and maintain its glutathione levels would be a good thing.

by Kurtwill

Glutathione Levels Indicate Your State Of Health

Glutathione, pronounced gloo-ta-thigh-on and known as GSH, is the body's master antioxidant. Because glutathione exists within the cells, it is in a prime position to neutralize free radicals. It also has potentially widespread health benefits because it can be found in all types of cells, including the cells of the immune system, whose job is to fight disease. However according to research, this precious antioxidant's production begins to decline dramatically at age 20.

Dr. Robert Keller, a leading researcher on the benefits of Glutathione, suggest Glutathione supplements themselves may not be the best solution for this problem. Through clinical studies Dr. Keller found that taking even the best Glutathione supplements are not effective in reversing falling Glutathione levels.

This is because Glutathione is, for the most part, destroyed by stomach acid prior to being absorbed into the body and benefiting the cells. Then even if it passes through the digestive system the molecule would still have to penetrate the cell wall. Due to the fact that it is so large it cannot.

Dr. Keller found that each cell in the body acts as a manufacturing center of Glutathione when supplied with the right "building blocks". Ingesting these smaller "components" provides the cells what is needed to produce Glutathione.

Dr. Keller found that after supplying his patients "the right components" their body's Glutathione levels increased significantly. Several benefits were observed including...
1)Dramatically Raising Energy Levels
2)Strengthening the Immune System
3)Slowing Down the Aging Process
4)Fighting Inflammation
5)Improved Athletic Performance & Recovery
6)Detoxifying of the Body

Dr. Robert Keller was named one of America's "Top Physicians in 2003, 2004 and 2005 in the fields of Internal Medicine, Immunology and Hematology.

Here is what the former president of the American Medical Association had to say regarding Dr. Keller's research on Glutathione and its benefits:

"...In my opinion, represents the single most important breakthrough in health that I will witness in my life time. I believe it will revolutionize, change, and transform the practice of medicine world-wide and make Dr Robert Keller more famous than Jonas Salk who created the polio vaccine."--Dr. John C. Nelson, 159th President of the American Medical Association.

Dr. Keller has served on the faculties of the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Wisconsin and the Medical College of Wisconsin (Marquette Univ.) He has published more than 100 original articles in various scientific and medical journals and has been awarded several patents. Dr Keller has dedicated his life to helping critically ill. He was recognized for his many achievments and was elected to The Board of Governors of the American Academy of HIV medicine.

by Walter Bell

Glutathione Side Effects - What Are They?

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

Parkinson's Disease And The Glutathione Discovery

If you have Parkinson's Disease, you may have heard whispers about the results people with PD are experiencing by raising their glutathione levels. Their symptoms are vastly diminishing and even disappearing altogether. As the news of glutathione travels around the world, those whispers are becoming a roar.

The roar is: Glutathione repairs cellular damage.

If you have Parkinson's, the free radical damage to your cells is already very advanced. What's really scary is, it is also likely that you have extremely low levels of glutathione, your body's master anti-oxidant and most important free radical fighter. If you have PD, the free radicals are winning, and you're paying the price.

Your glutathione levels could be as low as 2% of normal. This is why people with Parkinson's Disease who are taking the steps necessary to raise their glutathione levels are experiencing freedom from their symptoms. This is big news in the war against PD.

The battle cry is growing louder as more and more studies are coming out every month that positively validate the connection between Parkinson's, free radical damage, and low glutathione levels.

So, What Is Glutathione?

Glutathione is produced in every single one of your cells. It is your body's master anti-oxidant. This means four big things:

Glutathione neutralizes free radicals.
Glutathione repairs cell damage already done by free radicals.
Glutathione detoxifies you and flushes toxins out of your body.
Glutathione recharges all of your other anti-oxidants.

If you're a little fuzzy on the nature of free radicals and the extensive damage that they do, or the vital importance of anti-oxidants (free radical fighters.)

Recent research has analyzed the brain tissue of people with Parkinson's, and scientists have found that the damage is consistent with extensive oxidative stress. Oxidative stress IS free radical damage. Basically, the brain tissue of people living with Parkinson's, and other neurodegenerative diseases, is 'rusting.'

Fighting free radicals means fighting the rust. Glutathione is the master rust-fighter; it can actually repair cellular damage. And what this means for people with PD is that their symptoms can be greatly alleviated, and even reversed, if their glutathione levels are increased.

How Do I Get More Glutathione Inside Me?

It used to be very expensive and inconvenient to raise your body's glutathione levels. You'd have to go to the hospital and have intravenous treatments three or four times a week. Those days are gone.

There is now a safe, easy and natural method of elevating the glutathione levels in your cells. Its effectiveness has been proven by scientists and by people with PD who are experiencing increased freedom from their symptoms.

Where there's a will, there's a whey.

This new treatment is an un-denatured whey supplement. 'Un-denatured' means that the whey's bioactivity is still intact. This is key. If a whey product has been heated during processing, its bioactive qualities have been destroyed. If a whey product is sold in a pail or jar, it will only be a short matter of time before its bioactivity is oxidized and thus destroyed.

Choosing your 'whey' back to health means selecting a whey supplement that is… a) un-denatured and b) packaged in single serving portions. If your whey is still bioactive, then it's armed and ready to fight the free radicals that cause your cells to rust and die.

Science Finds A Whey

Glutathione is made up of three amino acids - glycine, glutamine and cysteine. Both glycine and glutamine are easy to get from your food, but getting cysteine from your mouth into your bloodstream is much more difficult. This is why so many people have low glutathione levels.

Scientists needed to find out how to get cysteine into the body. They already knew that taking cysteine orally, in a capsule, wasn't working. The body was destroying the cysteine before enough of it could get into the cells. Why? Because the body sees a cysteine cell as a threat.

Scientists discovered that when a cysteine cell traveled with another cysteine cell, the body let 'the dynamic duo' move through the stomach and into the blood. Hurray! All the building blocks for producing glutathione were in place.

Was there somewhere in nature where this double-bonded cysteine existed?

Yes, in un-denatured whey.

This was a massive discovery because it meant that the all-important cysteine could get into the cells without being destroyed. Finally, glutathione could be readily made because all three amino acids were together!

There's A Whey to Take Back Your Life From PD

There is now scientific evidence that raising your glutathione levels will improve your Parkinson's symptoms. Many people with PD are already experiencing these results. The most exciting discovery about glutathione is that it promotes cellular repair. This is way beyond 'managing your symptoms,' it is actually repairing the damage that is causing your symptoms.

Glutathione is like the general or commander in chief of all the anti-oxidants in your body. It recharges the hundreds of other anti-oxidant soldiers that you have fighting for you. Glutathione provides the artillery and organizes the 'charge!' against the free radical attack. It is your most earnest ally.

Research proves that there is a 'whey' to help glutathione fight the good fight for you: an un-denatured whey supplement. You can support your body in its battle against Parkinson's by making an informed decision about your treatment. And you can help other people living with PD by sharing this information with them, too.

It's a new age of responsibility, and of information. The research is at your fingertips. Find Your Whey Out.

by Tara Hart