Glutathione: why all the hype?

Glutathione (GSH) is a very simple molecule and powerful antioxidant that the body produced naturally all the time. It is a critical and integral part of your body’s detoxification system. Environmental toxins stick to the molecule and get eliminated from the body. The bad news is that poor nutrition, pollution, toxins, mediations, stress, aging, infections and radiation all deplete your body's ability to produce this antioxidant.

Normally GSH is recycled in the body; however with over 80,000 toxic industrial chemicals found in our environment today, the toxic load is too great. At the time humans evolved, our genetic detoxification system was adequate. Today our system is overloaded.

However, problems occur when we are overwhelmed with too much oxidative stress or too many toxins. GSH becomes depleted and we can no longer protect ourselves against free radicals, infections, or cancer and we can't get rid of toxins. (Note: Research has shown a link between toxins and weight gain.)

Research has shown that raised levels decrease muscle damage, reduce recovery time, increase strength and endurance and shift metabolism from fat production to muscle development. Increasing the body’s ability to building lean muscle is great for anyone looking for weight loss and body tone.

Keeping yourself healthy, boosting your performance, preventing disease and aging well depends on keeping your levels high. It is critical for immune function and controlling inflammation. It is the master detoxifier and the body's main antioxidant, protecting our cells and making our energy metabolism run well.

Best source

The good news is that bioactive whey protein is a great source of cysteine and the amino acid building blocks used by the body for GSH synthesis. The whey protein MUST be bioactive and made from non-denatured proteins ("denaturing" refers to the breakdown of the normal protein structure). Look for whey derived from non-pasteurized and non-industrially produced milk that contains no pesticides, hormones, or antibiotics.

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