Glutathione. Phew, what a mouthful! What exactly is it, and how does it affect our body?
Glutathione is an antioxidant that is produced in cells, which means it is naturally produced by the body. It is mainly comprised of three amino acids: glutamine, glycine, and cysteine.
We all know that antioxidants are beneficial to us, and we’re always trying to fit them into our diets with different foods or supplements. But often, our glutathione levels in our body are reduced. This can be due to a number of a factors, including poor nutrition, environmental toxins, stress, and also age.
What are the benefits of Glutathione?
Reduces Oxidative Stress
Oxidative stress occurs when there is an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the body’s ability to fight them off. Glutathione can help fight off the impact of oxidative stress, which can help reduce diseases like diabetes, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis which are increased due to oxidative stress. In fact, one study suggest that the abundance of glutathione in the cells can help predict the life expectancy of that human. Increasing the intake of glutathione can actually help replenish or replace the antioxidants that are lost from aging, and in turn, slow down the aging process.
Helps Boost Your Immune System
Not only can it help reduce oxidative stress but it has been shown to be a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. Glutathione helps inhibit the production of the most inflammatory cytokines. In addition to being anti-inflammatory, it has also been shown to help repair cells that were damaged by radiation, pollutants, stress, infection, and a range of other ailments. Living in Utah, with all the smog in the Salt Lake valley, repairing our body from the pollutants we come in contact with daily is incredibly important.
Increases Energy
A decrease in glutathione can cause your body to become exhausted and sluggish. Naturally, when your body is properly nourished, you’re going to feel great, and all of your systems will function smoothly. However, when your body is lacking something essential, things are going to have to work harder to perform, leaving you exhausted. Glutathione also helps keep your mitochondria pumping out energy.
Improves Mental Focus and Clarity
We mentioned oxidative stress before, and unfortunately, the brain is particularly susceptible to oxidative stress. If your brain cells are not continuously neutralized by antioxidants, it can cause a lot of damage to the brain. Resulting in brain fog and decreased mental clarity. Not only can oxidative stress become an issue but as you age, inflammation in your brain increases. As you age, you start to experience a decline in mental faculties which keep your brain functioning, but glutathione can help slow down or even reverse these declines.
Improved Sleep
We all know sleep is important, but it’s often something we sacrifice for other things. Sometimes our minds fight against us and we simply cannot fall asleep, and other times we simply decide to stay up too late. No matter what the reason is, a lack of sleep increases the risk of obesity, stroke, heart disease, and diabetes. Experts have found that high levels of glutathione in the body can help you sleep better. Not only does glutathione help you sleep better, but it can even help you fall asleep easier and wake up feeling refreshed. Sleep also encourages the body’s natural production of glutathione, making it doubly beneficial!
In conclusion, glutathione is a naturally produced antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that helps combat free radicals in the body. It can help strengthen and repair cell walls, which promotes better, younger-looking skin! It can also prevent cancerous tumors from forming in the body and stops DNA damage in its tracks! It’s an absolutely vital component of good health and wellness. Here at East West Health we can help you develop a wellness plan that helps naturally promote glutathione production, and we also have glutathione supplements available at our four Utah locations.
Give us a call to learn more!