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.
Detoxification benefits from boosted glutathione (GSH) levels and helps cancer patients better tolerate their treatment.
Studies have also been done around the world, from Switzerland to Spain to India to Germany, on the effect of glutathione (GSH) on radiation damage. Low levels of glutathione (GSH) were connected with an increased risk of developing cancer from radiation exposure. Patients undergoing cancer treatment experienced stronger side effects and greater injury from radiation therapy when they had low glutathione (GSH) levels. And white blood cells, the cells used by the immune system, have been shown to be better able to withstand radiation therapy when cancer specialists raised glutathione (GSH) prior to treatment.
The implication here is...glutathione (GSH) does and will, to a greater degree, play a major role in the treatment of cancer by using detoxification to reduce the damaging effects of radiation.
We’ll look more closely at this detoxification, radiation and cancer role in upcoming installments.
Steps to Improve Your Health
Dr. Steven Dell
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