You’ve been reading about some products touted as ways to boost your glutathione (GSH) levels without taking a harsh drug. Today you’ll see two more products readily available at your health food store.

Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)

Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) is an important antioxidant and is particularly important because it helps recycle glutathione (GSH) back into its active, fighting form. ALA’s effectiveness is due to its intimate involved with glutathione (GSH). Therefore, research shows that ALA benefits people with diabetes, HIV/AIDS, liver disease and cataracts. It also increases the endurance of body builders and speeds up muscle recovery time.

ALA is easily absorbed, can travel across cell membranes and it is both fat- and water-soluble so...it is effective inside and outside the cell and against a wide range of free radicals. Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) can be found in very small amounts in foods such as spinach, broccoli, peas, Brewer's yeast, brussel sprouts, rice bran, and organ meats.

You’re beginning to recognize how critical glutathione (GSH) is for good health and by now you’re probably very curious about how you can raise your glutathione (GSH) levels naturally, without drugs.

Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to do because your food does not contain enough building blocks, however, there is a supplement proven to do it. You’ll learn more about it very soon!

In the meantime, here’s a list of supplements touted as ways to raise glutathione (GSH) levels. You’ll also see their precautions...

Oral glutathione (GSH) and cysteine:

Both glutathione (GSH) and cysteine are available in pill or powder form. But...I don’t recommend you buy them.

Read this...

You’ve been reading about the drugs doctors use to raise glutathione (GSH) levels. Last time, you read about N-acetyl-cysteine, the drug most commonly used. Today you’ll learn about two other drugs used in research and very rarely by doctors.

As you can see, S-adenosyl-methionine (SAM) contains methionine, a building block of cysteine. In other words, cysteine needs methionine just like glutathione (GSH) requires cysteine as a building block. SAM is used to treat cirrhosis and cholestasis, both conditions that prevent the liver from functioning properly. There is also some research being done into its use as an anti-depressant. This drug is an expensive one and it interacts negatively with other drugs. If you take SAM as a therapeutic treatment, it can cause dry mouth, agitation and stomach upset.

In addition, methionine is a building block of homocysteine, a molecule linked to heart disease.

You would only want to take SAM and methionine for very unique reasons and under strict doctor’s guidance and monitoring.

If you are simply looking to elevate glutathione (GSH) levels, there is a better, safer way.

A molecule of the Drug: N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC)!

Most of the studies about glutathione (GSH) have been done using pharmaceutical drugs; many of these drugs have been around for years. The most common drug used is called: N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). You may have even seen it at the health food store. An ‘acetyl’ molecule is added to enable the cysteine to travel through your digestive system.

Doctors use NAC to treat diseases like cystic fibrosis, chronic bronchitis, asthma and emphysema because it breaks up mucus in the lungs. Emergency room doctors reach for NAC when they treat an acetaminophen overdose. This is the drug most commonly used in glutathione (GSH) studies on people.

Cancer research has shown that NAC has the ability to substantially raise glutathione (GSH) levels. Even more exciting is the fact that NAC shows promise as an anti-carcinogen because it elevates glutathione levels (GSH). Good news for all you smokers out there! NAC also has an anti-tumour effect and we already know that elevated glutathione (GSH) is a detoxifier that can counteract the side effects of chemotherapy. If you are a cancer patient considering NAC, be sure to talk to your oncologist. He or she will probably recommend a more natural, non-drug, non-toxic alternative.

Some time ago, you learned cysteine, an amino acid, is a building block of glutathione (GSH). I also mentioned a healthy, balanced diet includes foods that provide some of the essential amino acids so important for good health. Unfortunately cysteine is difficult to get through diet alone.

I stress the need for a healthy diet because the supplement and vitamin market is a big one but not all of the claims made are accurate and some of the research is contradictory....if any exists in the first place. I’m not saying you shouldn’t take your multi-vitamin or other supplements. I am saying and recommend you become informed about what you are putting into your body.

Now, I need to refresh your memory about the precursors for glutathione (GSH); the building blocks: cysteine, glycine and glutamate. These building blocks travel into the blood stream and through the cell wall. The cell then joins them together making glutathione (GSH). Think of these building blocks like 3 Lego Blocks; a red one...a blue one and...a yellow one. When the red, blue and yellow make it to your cells, they join forces to become glutathione (GSH).

Today you will learn more about how glutathione (GSH) supports your body’s detoxification efforts. Specifically, we’ll talk about the harmful effects of radiation.

Most of your exposure to radiation comes from natural sources such as the sun but a small amount also seeps out of soil and rocks, particularly bedrock, in the form of radon gas. Of these natural sources sunlight represents the biggest threat because of ozone layer depletion. The ozone layer filters out the harmful ultra-violet light that enters our atmosphere.

The biggest source of man-made radiation comes from medical procedures such as x-rays; radiograph, mammogram, and CT scan equipment emit very weak levels of radiation but the effect is cumulative...it builds with repeated exposure.

You are also exposed to radiation through waste from nuclear plants, other industrial waste, building materials and combustible fuels. Obviously the people who work in these industries are the most at risk but you are exposed to some degree; we all need to think about detoxification to protect our health.

We know radiation exposure causes approximately 3% of all cancers. This fact has been studied extensively. When you are exposed to radiation a very reactive type of free radical is formed called a “hydroxyradical”. Studies have shown glutathione’s (GSH) detoxification abilities play a key role in neutralizing hydroxyradicals and cancer specialists are now raising glutathione (GSH) levels in patients who are undergoing radiation therapy as part of their cancer treatment.