Glutathione is known as the "Master Antioxidant." Without antioxidants, nature's free radicals would cause endless damage to our bodies and living healthy would be quite difficult. Fortunately, we have a built in system of antioxidant power that when operating optimally, the dreaded effects of aging can be thwarted and youth preserved.
Glutathione is revered because of it's amazing power over free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules in our body that cause damage to our tissue and organs because of their erratic behavior. Glutathione, like other antioxidants, grab on to the unruly free radical and remove an electron, the bad influence on the free radical, and render it harmless. Glutathione is our most abundant antioxidant found in our cells and livers, and even stored in our protein. Science has observed that when there is marked illness, glutathione levels plummet. It is crucial to maintain adequate levels of glutathione, especially for those with chronic disease and autoimmune conditions. Those with autoimmune conditions are often low in glutathione levels.
Key Points About Glutathione
Low levels of glutathione are a harbinger for illness and premature death- It is the primary water-soluble antioxidant and able to restore Vitamin C to it's usable form
- Glutathione levels are boosted by lipoic acid (another antioxidant)
- Glutathione is crucial for the detoxification of drugs and other pollutants, and for the health of the liver
- Glutathione is key to a strong immune system
- Glutathione assists in the storage and transport of amino acids, our building blocks for proteins
- The best way to boost glutathione levels is to take 100 mg. of alpha lipoic acid daily
Sources and Supplementation
Glutathione is abundant in many fruits, vegetables and fresh cooked meats. However, the digestive process breaks it down. It is believed that the molecule of glutathione is too large to
oral glutathione supplementation is not recommended unless it's liposomal, which is an updated form of delivery that protects the 
glutathione from the stomach acid. There are also topical creams that do deliver a beneficial dosage of glutathione when applied to vascular areas of the body.
Lifestyle choices like smoking and eating too many nitrate laden foods (i.e., luncheon meats) can work against your glutathione levels. Alcohol consumption also robs our stores of glutathione in our liver. If you are concerned about cancer and inflammation in the body, work heartily at keeping your glutathione levels in check.One of the best ways to boost glutathione levels is to supplement with nutrients that assist the body in recycling already used glutathione. As mentioned, glutathione takes an electron from a free radical to calm it down. Once it has accepted that electron, it is no longer able to perform again unless the body recycles it. Fortunately for us, many of our antioxidants work in tandem. Alpha lipoic acid works well with glutathione. ALA is easily absorbed in supplements and it partners with glutathione to restore its antioxidant power. The amino acid N-Acetyl Cysteine is also able to boost glutathione levels, but not nearly as efficiently as ALA. Supplements with ALA and NAC work well at boosting our miracle antioxidant.
You've probably heard that free radicals are a big part of the human aging process. Glutathione is probably nutrition's greatest defense against the battle of aging and loss of vitality. A diet high in the other key antioxidants that work with glutathione, like Vitamin C and E, and alpha lipoic acid, as well as a simple supplementation with a glutathione recycling supplement can ensure a healthier more respectable aging process.
A holistic nutrition expert like Primo Health Coach can assist you with creating a nutrition plan and supplement schedule that is unique to you. Stop buying low quality vitamins that you may not even need! My BodiHack Program uses cutting edge assessment tools for designing a personalized protocol for you.
Sources:
The Antioxidant Miracle, by Lester Packer, PHD
Dr. K News, http://drknews.com/glutathione-recycling-for-autoimmune-disease/
