Glutathione is so important to your good health that it's found in nearly every cell in your body. It helps to neutralize free radicals and detoxify harmful chemicals in the environment, the processed foods you eat, the water you drink, and the household and health and beauty products you use. It also supports immune function and reduces inflammation. Glutathione and the building blocks for making glutathione naturally are found in foods and light therapy.
"Glutathione is the body's master antioxidant. Outside the United States, especially in Asia, the role of glutathione in improving health and improving immune function is more readily understood and accepted. Because of marketing efforts in the United States, people are familiar with vitamins A, C and E and their important role as antioxidants, but it turns out our bodies manufactured the most important antioxidant, and that antioxidant is glutathione."
Biologists David Schmidt — LifeWave, LLC
What is glutathione?
Glutathione is a tripeptide made of the amino acids cysteine, glutamic acid, and glycine. It's one of the body's most important antioxidants. Glutathione is produced naturally by the liver. This is yet another reason to keep your liver working correctly. You can read more about how the liver works and download our step-by-step plan for doing a daily, gentle lemon water detox in past articles. Glutathione levels decrease with age and can be depleted by stress, poor nutrition, environmental toxins, and certain diseases.
What is a free radical?
Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that have an unpaired electron, making them unstable and looking to react with other substances in your body to achieve stability. Think of them as molecular thieves, snatching electrons from nearby compounds, including vital cell components like DNA, proteins, and lipids. This process, known as oxidative stress, can lead to cellular damage, contributing to aging and potentially increasing the risk of diseases like cancer, heart disease, and neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's and ALS.
However, your body isn't defenseless; it produces antioxidants, which act like security guards, neutralizing free radicals by donating electrons without becoming unstable themselves. A balanced diet rich in antioxidant nutrients, found in fruits, vegetables, and specific vitamins, plays a critical role in maintaining this delicate balance.
Making more glutathione can level up your overall good health, boost your immune system, and reduce your risk of cancer. A National Institute of Health (NIH) study on the effectiveness of glutathione and other antioxidants in blocking the toxicities of chemotherapy during cancer treatments had this to say.
"The majority (24) of the 33 studies included reported evidence of decreased toxicities from the concurrent use of antioxidants with chemotherapy."
Keith Block et al.
In other words, when glutathione or other antioxidants are given along with chemotherapy treatments, patients have fewer toxicities in their bodies.
The NIH and cancer specialists weren't looking into the effectiveness of natural antioxidants to inform their patients of this good news so they could use glutathione and other antioxidants to prevent and treat cancer.
Instead, they used the success of this study to prove that it could give people higher doses of chemotherapy without making them substantially sicker than they already are. Suppose you want to know what your doctor knows about changes you could make at home to prevent and treat cancer or keep yourself healthy while undergoing cancer treatment. In that case, you have to read research studies like this one. Because otherwise, unless you hear it from me and others in the natural health and wellness movement, you won't hear about the master antioxidant — glutathione.
Benefits of glutathione to your body
- Antioxidant: Glutathione protects cells from damage by free radicals, which can contribute to aging and diseases like cancer.
- Detoxification: Glutathione plays a crucial role in liver detoxification by aiding in the biotransformation and elimination of toxins and heavy metals.
Biotransformation refers to the series of biochemical processes by which the body converts potentially harmful substances, including drugs, toxins, and metabolic byproducts, into less toxic or more easily excretable forms that you eliminate in the bathroom. This process mostly happens in the liver but can also take place in other organs like the kidneys, lungs, and intestines. So, take care of your liver with a daily lemon water detox.
- Immune Support: Glutathione supports the immune system by aiding in the proliferation (or spread) of lymphocytes, which are critical for immune response.
- Anti-inflammatory: By reducing oxidative stress, glutathione can decrease inflammation, potentially relieving symptoms of conditions like lymphedema, which we covered in a previous article, chronic fatigue syndrome, and Lyme disease.
- Neuroprotection: Glutathione has shown potential in protecting brain cells from oxidative stress, which is beneficial in neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson's disease.
What are natural glutathione sources in foods
Here's a list of foods, fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, seafood, and more known to contain glutathione or support its production in the body.
Fruits:
• Avocados
• Watermelon
• Grapefruit
• Oranges
• Peaches
• Strawberries
Vegetables:
• Asparagus
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Kale
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Garlic
• Onions
Meats:
• Freshly cooked meats (especially organ meats like liver)
• Chicken
• Turkey
• Beef
Dairy:
• Fresh, unprocessed milk and almond milk
• Yogurt (mainly when it contains live cultures)
Seafood:
• Freshly caught fish (like cod, salmon, or trout)
Nuts and Seeds:
• Brazil nuts (also rich in selenium, which aids glutathione production)
• Walnuts
Legumes:
• Lentils
• Beans (black, red, pinto)
Grains:
• Unprocessed oats
Miscellaneous:
• Eggs
• Whey protein
Pro-tip on preserving glutathione in foods during cooking
Cooking methods can affect glutathione levels. Raw or lightly cooked foods tend to retain more glutathione than those that are heavily cooked. Additionally, some foods listed here don't contain glutathione directly but are rich in cysteine, which is a precursor to making glutathione in the body. Eating a diet rich in these foods can help support your body's glutathione levels.
How to naturally increase your body's glutathione levels
Phototherapy, also known as light therapy, is a medical treatment using specific wavelengths of light to treat various conditions. It's commonly known for treating skin disorders like psoriasis, neonatal jaundice, and mood disorders such as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The principle behind phototherapy involves exposing the skin or other tissues to ultraviolet (UV) light or visible light to create therapeutic effects. The mechanism for phototherapy varies depending on the condition treated.
- Skin Disorders: UV light therapy for psoriasis.
- Mood Disorders: Bright light therapy for seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
- Sleep Disorders: Light therapy to adjust circadian rhythms.
- Wound Healing: Red and near-infrared light promote healing by reducing inflammation and increasing circulation.
Increasing glutathione production with phototherapy
Remember, glutathione is a critical antioxidant in the body, helping to neutralize free radicals, detoxify harmful compounds, and maintain cellular health. While direct phototherapy does not produce glutathione, certain light-based methods can indirectly enhance glutathione production. My product of choice for increasing glutathione production is the LifeWave Y-Age® Glutathione patch.
How the LifeWave Glutathione Patch Works
The LifeWave Y-Age® Glutathione patch is a phototherapy patch that claims to elevate glutathione levels in the body through light therapy or phototherapy. It uses a technology where copper is embedded in the patch to reflect the body's own infrared light, which supposedly stimulates the body's natural production of glutathione.
The patch is applied to the skin for 12 hours. It increases glutathione levels over time without the need for taking supplements or glutathione injections. This non-invasive method aims to bypass the issues associated with oral glutathione supplements, which have poor bioavailability since the molecule is broken down in the digestive tract.
These connections and explanations are based on current understandings and research available online. Still, individual responses to treatments like light therapy or glutathione supplementation can vary. Always consult with healthcare providers for personalized medical advice.
However, from my experience, I lowered my inflammation markers — C-reactive protein (CRP) by 20 points in less than 90 days using the LifeWave Y-Age® Glutathione patch.
C-reactive protein (CRP) is a marker of inflammation in the body. Elevated levels, as I experienced, can indicate a wide range of problems, from infections to chronic diseases like autoimmune disorders or even certain cancers. High inflammation can lead to symptoms like swelling, weight gain, and general fatigue, explaining my physical changes.
Actress and health advocate Suzanne Somers, who passed away in 2023 at age 76, was a notable ambassador for LifeWave. She's discussed the benefits of LifeWave's Glutathione patches in various public forums.
"Glutathione is the master antioxidant and primary antioxidant for detoxification. It's found in nearly every human cell, and medical experts say that lifespan is directly equivalent to the amount of Glutathione in your body."
Suzanne Somers
In her book "Tox-Sick: From Toxic to Not Sick," Somers praises LifeWave's products, including the Glutathione patches, for their role in helping her maintain a chemical-free body.
While actor Danny Glover is known to be associated with LifeWave and has endorsed their products, specific quotes from Glover about using the Glutathione patches are less directly available in public records. However, LifeWave's official materials and promotional content have featured Glover, indicating his use and endorsement of the company's products, including patches.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding glutathione is crucial for understanding the complex dance of cellular health and defense within our bodies. As the body's master antioxidant, glutathione plays a key role in neutralizing free radicals, those unstable molecules that can lead to cellular damage and contribute to aging and disease.
By maintaining optimal levels of glutathione through diet, lifestyle choices, and potentially innovative methods like phototherapy, we empower our bodies to more effectively combat oxidative stress. This knowledge not only highlights the importance of antioxidants in our diet but also opens avenues for further research into how we can enhance our body's natural defenses.
As we continue to explore the depths of glutathione's capabilities, we unlock potential strategies for health maintenance and disease prevention, emphasizing the significance of this molecule in our search for longevity and well-being.
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