You may have seen “Glutathione” often on TV shopping channels or advertisements. Watching the ads, it seems like if you take or apply glutathione, your skin will instantly become whiter, and you can escape aging. Known as the king of antioxidants, glutathione is dubbed the mother of all antioxidants. But is it effective just by applying or eating it?
What is Glutathione?
Glutathione is a tripeptide bioactive substance composed of three amino acids: glutamic acid, cysteine, and glycine. It exists in two forms, reduced and oxidized, and can be synthesized in all cells in the body. Glutathione is mainly produced in our body, with about 70% made in the liver, 15% in the kidneys, and 15% in the lungs. If you feel deficient, you can consume it through dietary supplements.
Why is supplementation necessary?
Glutathione decreases by 15% every 10 years, peaking in our 20s. By the time we reach our 60s, it is less than 50%, and by the time we reach our 80s, it is almost non-existent in our bodies. Therefore, it is necessary to supplement glutathione according to age. Also, if you are usually under a lot of stress or enjoy smoking and drinking, consuming glutathione can be helpful.
Powerful Antioxidant
Our bodies can protect themselves from oxidative stress by removing reactive oxygen or healing damaged cells. Glutathione neutralizes harmful reactive oxygen in the body to prevent cell damage. It helps maintain the overall health and function of the body’s cells, tissues, and organs by regenerating antioxidants like vitamins C and E.
Improves Brightening Skin
Glutathione is popular because of its “skin lightening injection,” which is suitable for the skin. You can often see advertisements for “skin-lightening injections” or “whitening injections” in dermatology clinics and general hospitals. The melanin pigment determines the color of our skin, and glutathione inhibits the enzyme that produces the dark-colored melanin pigment, changing it to red and white melanin.
Fixes Hormonal Imbalance
If your hormones become unbalanced, your menstrual cycle can become irregular, your weight can increase, and you can get acne. One cause of hormonal imbalance is the body’s oxidative stress and inflammation, but glutathione, as a powerful antioxidant, reduces oxidative stress and inflammation, helping to improve hormonal balance.
What is the correct way to take it?
Glutathione can be consumed in various ways, such as orally or by applying it. Recently, sublingual tablets that melt under the tongue and go directly into the blood vessels or nervous system and film types attached to the oral mucosa to avoid the digestive system and be absorbed directly into the body have been released. Also, glutathione is best taken before meals to increase absorption in the body. Still, it is also acceptable to take it after meals, depending on the condition of the digestive system.
Are there any side effects?
Generally, there are no side effects when taking glutathione. However, excessive intake can cause abdominal bloating, abdominal pain, and nausea, so it is advisable to stick to the daily recommended intake of 250 to 600 mg. Also, since glutathione contains milk protein, caution is required if you have a lactose allergy, and it is best to consult a specialist before taking it if you are in a specific situation, such as pregnancy.
What form is best for supplementation?
If it’s hard to take medicine, you can just eat more glutathione food. Glutathione can be obtained from fresh fruits and vegetables, notably asparagus, avocado, watermelon, spinach, cucumber, and tomatoes. Eating about five stalks of asparagus or half an avocado a day is sufficient, and you should also accompany it with a quality low-fat protein meal. However, when consuming it through food, be careful, as the glutathione content can be smaller if you overcook or store it improperly.
Is Glutathione Injection Effective?
As mentioned earlier, glutathione can also be supplemented through injections. However, continuously injecting high doses can cause conditions like vitiligo or hypopigmentation, and its half-life is short, making it less efficient for its price. Therefore, if you consider the long term, it’s more effective to consistently consume it as a supplement.
Be Careful of False Advertisements
Glutathione is one of the rapidly growing foods in the inner beauty market recently, and various products are available on the market, with innumerable advertisements. As much as that, there are many incorrect advertisements, with the most being those that mislead it as a healthy and functional food, followed by false and exaggerated advertisements. Therefore, when purchasing on the market, you must confirm the glutathione content and carefully check whether it has received a dried food certification mark.
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