Also known as the “master antioxidant”, glutathione is naturally produced in the body, and it consists of three amino acids: l-cysteine, glutamine, and glycine.
Glutathione can be found in almost every cell of our bodies. The most potent sources of it are found in the liver, heart, lungs, brain, kidneys, and the central nervous system. One of the most interesting things about it is the fact that you don't need to consume it through food since it's produced naturally by our bodies.
Glutathione has the ability to renew itself and recycle other antioxidants found in your body. In addition, it manages inflammation and fights free radicals, which is why it's not only useful for battling illnesses - but also for preventing them.
Glutathione also does wonders for your skin. So if you've tried everything under the sun for acne, we'll show you how to up your glutathione intake. (Psst... you can also try Misumi's Complete Clear 3-Step System.)
How Glutathione Works on the Skin
Glutathione Reduces Oxidative Stress
One of the most critical functions of glutathione is stopping free radicals, peroxides, and toxins from spreading in the body. By doing this, glutathione reduces oxidative stress on cells, helping them survive for longer. This is what antioxidants actually do - glutathione is one of many antioxidants that benefit our health, including our skin.
We all know that sebum naturally occurs in our bodies, and maintaining a healthy amount of it is actually crucial for keeping our skin clear. However, when its constituent squalene comes into contact with common environmental pollutants (like smog particles or cigarette smoke), it oxidizes into squalene peroxide, which blocks our pores far more than regular sebum would. Things like pollution can also cause several skin disorders and reduce skin elasticity.
Another great glutathione benefit is it can also reduce melanin production, acting as a skin-lightening agent to reduce hyperpigmentation and brighten skin.
Since glutathione is an antioxidant found in our skin layers, it manages to act on these free radicals and stops them from spreading. All of this amounts to healthier, more resilient cells, which makes for better skin. This is why glutathione would make a great addition to your skin care routine.
Glutathione Helps Treat Acne
Clogged pores in combination with the buildup of acne-causing bacteria is one of the major causes of acne. With that being said, you might be wondering which factors influence the clogging of the pores.
Environmental pollutants, stress and poor dietary choices can cause congestion and clogged pores. Even though the skin has the ability to get rid of toxins on its own, the skin can become susceptible to breakouts when the toxins become too much to bear.
Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant and helps by eliminating these unwanted substances from the skin.
If you take glutathione as an acne treatment, you may notice that your symptoms worsen before they improve. This means your skin might initially break out due to the toxins being pushed to the surface of the skin. However, once the glutathione tackles those toxins and completes their removal, you will start noticing an improvement.
Glutathione Helps to Get Rid of Acne Scars
This powerful antioxidant also has skin-brightening and skin-lightening properties, with the ability to even skin tone. So, not only does it treat acne directly, but it also helps reduce the number of acne scars, and any marks of hyperpigmentation, which is important for keeping the skin healthy in the long run.
The quickest and most effective application of glutathione in terms of reducing acne scars is through injections. By implementing glutathione injections as part of your skin care routine, you will notice a natural glow and increased skin smoothness.
The usual prescribed dosage is around 3,500 mg.
Glutathione Improves Psoriasis
Because glutathione helps repair tissue and keeps the immune system on the right track, it's no surprise that it's known to help with health conditions such as psoriasis and other autoimmune disorders.
Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disorder that causes the buildup of skin cells by speeding up their life spans. Although there are a few types of psoriasis, the most common one is called plaque psoriasis, characterized by dry, red skin lesions with scales.
A high level of glutathione can really do wonders for this condition, ensuring many health benefits. It reduces oxidative stress in the cells and helps boost the immune function, which is crucial for healthy skin. A buildup of toxins worsens the symptoms of psoriasis, and as we've already discussed, glutathione plays a major role in liver detoxification.
Patients suffering from psoriasis have seen incredible results by adding glutathione-rich food into their diet, including glutathione injections as a treatment, and taking oral glutathione supplements.
If you suffer from this condition, talk to your doctor before taking any glutathione supplements.
Glutathione Has Anti-Aging Properties
Glutathione helps slow down the effects of aging.
Aging is the result of oxidative stress that's caused by high amounts of free radicals and not enough antioxidants to combat them, which leads to faster skin aging.
As we've discussed before, providing the body with an abundance of antioxidants is the best way to ensure that we're not subject to premature aging. The glutathione benefits for skin are many - especially when it comes to anti-aging. This vigorous antioxidant will not only help you with the physical signs of the aging process, such as improving skin elasticity wrinkles, gray hairs, dark spots, and fine lines, but it will also protect your brain and memory.
Major Benefits of Glutathione
Other than getting rid of acne, hyperpigmentation, improving skin tone, and giving you glowing, youthful and healthy skin, glutathione is also famous for providing overall health benefits.
So what are they?
It can help treat nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by reducing cell damage and detoxifying the body. Glutathione might also reduce the damage to the colon for those suffering from ulcerative colitis.
In addition, it also has the potential to protect the gastrointestinal tract of people suffering from stomach-related issues. Some studies show that there is evidence that it can help reduce the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and help those with cystic fibrosis and peripheral obstructive arterial disease. It may even lower oxidative stress in those with diabetes or people with an insulin resistance. It can also improve the oxidative stress of those with autism spectrum disorders.
Possible Side Effects of Glutathione
For the vast majority of people and situations, glutathione supplementation is perfectly safe and will have beneficial effects on our skin properties. Being naturally produced by our bodies helps immensely.
However, even an excess of otherwise natural substances (like hormones, for example) can carry certain risks or cause complications.
For example, prolonged supplementation with acetyl glutathione has been linked to lower zinc levels, and just like other antioxidants, glutathione may protect cancerous cells if it gets trapped inside them. So, should you find yourself fighting that particular dragon, you should rethink supplementing with glutathione and discuss it with your doctor.
Otherwise, taking moderate doses is perfectly safe for healthy individuals.
Regarding pregnancy, we still don't know if taking oral glutathione tablets while pregnant and breastfeeding is safe or not.
So with all this said, make sure you're transparent with your doctor regarding all the supplements you're taking. As they say, honesty is the best policy, and seeking a professional medical opinion can go a long way.
How to Increase Glutathione Levels Naturally
Now that we've covered all the benefits of raising the glutathione levels in the body, you might be wondering if there is any way to increase the levels of this particular antioxidant in your body.
Luckily, there are a few things you can do to naturally boost glutathione levels and ensure that you're making the most of this acne-fighting molecule.
Add More Glutathione-Rich Food to Your Diet
Even though glutathione is naturally produced within the body, adding certain foods is a safe way to stimulate glutathione production. Avocados, onions, garlic, okra, asparagus, spinach, and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, and brussels sprouts are some of the most potent sources of glutathione. You can reap the glutathione benefits just by adding these simple vegetables into your diet. Experience skin lightening and skin brightening, and more.
Increase Your Vitamin C Intake
Vitamin C can be found in lots of fruits and veggies. It's a water-soluble vitamin that can also work as an antioxidant with a similar function to that of glutathione, which is to protect the cells from damage. Vitamin C is important for the skin in its own right, but research suggests that it might help increase the levels of glutathione. This is because it lowers its workload by performing the same function in the body.
Similarly, vitamin C can convert oxidized glutathione back to its active form, which is how you want it to be. You can increase vitamin C levels by adding more fresh fruits to your diet, especially citrus fruits, bell peppers, kiwis, and berries, or by supplementing.
Choose foods rich in micro-nutrients like selenium, zinc, magnesium, riboflavin, healthy protein sources, and vitamin B6 to help increase glutathione production and brighten dull skin.
Manage Stress Levels
Cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, lowers the levels of glutathione, which, in turn, causes more oxidative stress. High stress levels are also correlated with high levels of inflammation in the body, which can also lower the overall amount of antioxidants.
Glutathione can reduce high blood pressure.
Incorporate HIIT in Your Exercise Routine
While any type of exercise does wonders for your skin and overall health, long-distance, strenuous training can potentially create more oxidative stress and cell damage. Choosing HIIT (high-intensity interval training) will save you time and keep your glutathione levels steady. Combine this type of cardio with strength training for optimal results.
Avoid Excessive Alcohol
Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol is associated with increased levels of oxidative stress. If you consume alcohol regularly, chances are the glutathione levels in your lungs have decreased by more than 70%, which is a shocking amount. Limiting the amount of alcohol you consume will help you avoid reduced glutathione levels.
Other Ways to Take Glutathione
There are a few ways to add glutathione treatments into your life. Those with Parkinson's disease or other diseases may use intravenous glutathione (otherwise known as an IV drip) to manage their symptoms. Intravenous glutathione delivers this anti-oxident directly into your bloodstream. Others take oral glutathione through a glutathione supplementation. Dietary supplements are a non-fuss, easy way of upping your intake.
Final Thoughts
Glutathione, otherwise known as the master antioxidant, offers the incredible ability to help the body repair itself from the inside out. Since the amount found in our bodies decreases as we age, supplementation is often recommended.
You can do this by taking oral supplements, injections, taking it in liposomal form, or simply including more glutathione-rich food in your diet.
Living a healthy lifestyle is another important factor if you want to maintain healthy antioxidant levels - not to mention that it's just the best thing for your health overall. It's the only way to ensure that your liver is producing the optimal amount of antioxidants crucial for a healthy body. And with it, healthy, young-looking skin.
Other Ways to Get Younger-Looking Skin
Want to even skin color, reduce inflammation and dark spots, and improve the appearance of acne breakouts? Besides taking glutathione tablets, try the Misumi Range to improve skin properties. Misumi's products are packed full of goodness. From their Complete Clear 3-Step System to their Wrinkle-Free All Day Moisturizer, you can get the skin you deserve.
References
Potential use of glutathione as a treatment for Parkinson's disease
Ask the MD: Glutathione and Parkinson's
The Benefits Of Glutathione For Autism Go Beyond Controlling Inflammation
This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances, and its goal is to offer a general view of the subject. In case you are suffering from a severe case of acne, you should consult with a dermatologist or a certified medical professional.
