Glutathione Benefits: What It Is and How It Works

The antioxidant your own body makes, explained with human studies.

What are the benefits of glutathione? In short, it is the main antioxidant defense inside your cells. It also plays a role in your body’s defenses and in energy production. In this guide, you will learn what science says, and what is just hype.

Key takeaways

• Glutathione (GSH) is the main antioxidant your own cells produce.
• Levels tend to drop with age, stress, and intense exercise.
• A 6-month trial showed that taking it daily increases the body’s stores.
• Therefore, the smartest approach is to maintain healthy levels consistently.

What is glutathione?

Glutathione is a small molecule your body builds from three amino acids: glutamate, cysteine, and glycine. It is present in every cell. Its main job is to neutralize the free radicals your body produces every day. To learn more, read our guide What is glutathione?.

Why do glutathione levels drop?

Your body uses glutathione every day. However, production does not always keep up. These are the most studied factors:

• Age. In a Baylor College of Medicine trial, older adults had 66% less glutathione in their muscles than young adults.
• Oxidative stress. Stress, a poor diet, and pollution increase the use of antioxidants.
• Intense exercise. Physical effort creates free radicals that the body must keep in check.

Glutathione benefits according to science

1. Antioxidant defense

Glutathione is the most abundant antioxidant inside your cells. In addition, it helps recycle other antioxidants, such as vitamin C. In the trial by Richie and colleagues (2015), taking glutathione daily lowered markers of oxidative stress in the blood.

2. Support for your defenses

Immune cells need glutathione to work well. In that same trial, the group taking 1,000 mg a day doubled the activity of their NK cells at 3 months, compared with placebo. We explain this in detail in Glutathione and the Immune System.

3. Energy and physical function

Mitochondria, the “power plants” of your cells, depend on glutathione. In a trial with adults aged 61 to 80, raising glutathione with its precursors improved walking speed and grip strength in 16 weeks. That said, it was a small study with 24 participants.

4. Skin

Glutathione is very popular in beauty, but the evidence is more modest than often claimed. In a trial with 60 women, taking it for 12 weeks improved some wrinkle measurements. However, the effect on dark spots was not significant across the whole group.

Does taking glutathione as a supplement work?

Yes, although the form matters. For years, people believed the stomach destroyed it. However, the Richie trial (2015) showed that taking it daily for 6 months raised body stores by 17% to 35%, depending on the dose. Levels also returned to baseline after stopping. That is why consistency is key.

The sublingual route, under the tongue, skips digestion. To compare options, read Sublingual Glutathione vs. Liposomal Glutathione.

How does GlutaDose® Wellness fit in?

Each vial of GlutaDose® Wellness combines glutathione, vitamin C from acerola, and zinc in an exact dose:

• Helps maintain healthy immune function*
• Supports healthy cell function*
• Increases body energy, reducing fatigue*

Take one vial every morning on an empty stomach, and hold it under your tongue for 10 to 15 seconds. To learn more, read What Is GlutaDose Used For? How It Works. Always talk to your doctor before combining supplements with any treatment.

Frequently asked questions

How long does glutathione take to work?
In the Richie trial, blood levels had already risen after 1 month. However, the largest increases were seen at 6 months.

Can you get glutathione from food?
Partly. Foods such as broccoli, avocado, and asparagus contain it, although in small amounts.

Does glutathione have side effects?
In the trials reviewed, it was well tolerated. Still, if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medication, talk to your doctor.

Conclusion

In short, glutathione benefits come from its role as the main antioxidant in your cells. The strongest evidence shows that taking it daily raises the body’s stores. Therefore, maintaining healthy levels every day is a simple habit to support your wellbeing.

Scientific references

1. Richie JP et al., “Randomized controlled trial of oral glutathione supplementation on body stores of glutathione,” European Journal of Nutrition, 2015, 54(2):251–263, PMID 24791752.
2. Kumar P et al., “Supplementing Glycine and N-Acetylcysteine (GlyNAC) in Older Adults…: A Randomized Clinical Trial,” Journals of Gerontology: Series A, 2023, 78(1):75–89.
3. Weschawalit S et al., “Glutathione and its antiaging and antimelanogenic effects,” Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017, 10:147–153.
4. Buonocore D et al., “Bioavailability Study of an Innovative Orobuccal Formulation of Glutathione,” Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2016, PMC4663342.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.