Every single day, your body is exposed to toxins like formaldehyde, chlorine, and arsenic. Formaldehyde is in everything from carpets and new clothes to gas stoves and furniture. Chlorine lurks inr drinking water, your shower, swimming pools, and hot tubs. Arsenic can be found in fish, unfiltered water, rice, and even apples. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Your body also makes toxic compounds (something you probably don’t think about!), such as hydrogen peroxide. You might recognize hydrogen peroxide as the brown bottle you use to disinfect wounds. But this compound is also produced by your immune system to fight infections. It’s a brilliantly made disinfecting system, but it can be toxic in high amounts. ( 10, 11, 12)
All of these toxins—whether made by your body or found in the environment—aren’t easily removed from your body. They can accumulate in organs and tissues, like your brain. Accumulation of these heavy metals and toxic compounds can lead to health issues that are often vague and hard to evaluate. Some of these health issues include brain fog, fatigue, inflammation, sore muscles, chemical sensitivity, poor vision, mood swings, and even cognitive impairment (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12)
Thankfully, your body makes something that helps you eliminate these toxins quite efficiently—as long as you have enough of it.
It’s called glutathione.
What is Glutathione?
Glutathione is your body’s “master” antioxidant. It is found everywhere: your liver, brain, heart, lungs, and eyes. It is present in surprisingly high levels, even as high as glucose, potassium, and cholesterol levels! ( 13, 14, 15)
Glutathione is responsible for eliminating arsenic, formaldehyde, chlorine, excess hydrogen peroxide, and much more from your body. As with most antioxidants, it helps support healthy cell structures and processes. Without antioxidant properties, we may age prematurely, leading to things like premature grey hair and health issues affecting the heart, brain, and kidneys, While aging is a natural process, premature aging is completely different and can have dangerous health outcomes. (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
Good glutathione levels can help support healthy aging and keep your detoxification system well-oiled. In fact, glutathione has been studied for its significant role in brain and liver health.† (19, 20, 21, 26, 27)
But it’s not easy for your body to make glutathione. (13, 14, 15)
Not only is it difficult to make, but once it’s made, it is constantly used up because of your exposure to life’s many toxins and stress. (16, 18, 19)
How is Glutathione Made?
Glutathione is a tripeptide made up of cysteine, glutamic acid, and glycine. ( 14)A large portion of glutathione in the body is created, starting with a compound called homocysteine. Homocysteine is converted through two enzymes into the amino acid cysteine. Cysteine requires two more enzymatic reactions before being finally converted into glutathione. Each enzyme that does the “converting” requires specific nutrients, called cofactors, including glycine, magnesium, and vitamin B6. ( 13, 14, 15)
This delicate, multifunctional, multistep process weakens our ability to make glutathione and neutralize harmful compounds if disrupted.
Some people think that supplementing with the building blocks of glutathione, like N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), helps to make glutathione, but this isn’t always true. Yes, it does give you cysteine, but what if you’re low in cofactor nutrients that allow glutathione manufacturing enzymes to work? Or what if genetic variations cause your enzymes to work slowly?
In a world without as many toxins and stress as we are facing, your glutathione production may be working just fine. But this isn’t the case. We have a constant demand for detoxification, so there needs to be a constant supply of glutathione.
Did you know that once your glutathione levels are in a healthy range, your body can reuse it? (13, 14, 15)
Yes, glutathione has its own recycling system! ( 13)
So, how do you keep up with this toxic world and ensure that you are getting enough glutathione?
You give your body glutathione in a form that it can actually use. Supplementing with a bioavailable form of glutathione may help to sustain, recycle, and reuse to support a healthy stress response and promote healthy aging.*† ( 22, 23)
How Do You Supplement With Glutathione?
You can supplement with it directly to take the weight off of your body’s own production of glutathione.†
Even if your glutathione production enzymes are not functioning at their best, you can directly support healthy glutathione levels.†
Glutathione is a vulnerable, unstable nutrient that will quickly oxidize (degrade) in supplement form. This is why you want to ensure you always get it in a highly absorbable form that helps stabilize and protect the glutathione. †
At Seeking Health, we’ve designed all of our glutathione products for adequate protection, stabilization, and absorption of glutathione.†
We offer four different glutathione products:
- Glutathione Plus Lozenges†
- Best-selling Glutathione Plus (capsules)†
- Best-selling and improved Optimal Liposomal Glutathione (liquid)†
- Best-selling and improved Liposomal Glutathione Plus (liquid)†
First, let’stalk about the “original version and then why you might benefit from one of our “plus” versions. It really comes down to preference, but let’s quickly explain why the liposomal delivery method is superior.†
What Is Liposomal Glutathione?
The liposomal delivery method works by binding the glutathione to a fatty liquid base called phospholipids. This phospholipid base, which is often sourced from soy in other brands, is sourced from non-GMO sunflower oil in our Seeking Health products.†
Phospholipids are well recognized by your cells and promote healthy absorption of the nutrients it’s attached to. And without being encased in a capsule, the liquid form is more immediately absorbed.*† (25)
Optimal Liposomal Glutathione
Optimal Liposomal Glutathione provides our highest serving of glutathione of all three glutathione products. It contains a powerful 100 mg of glutathione per ¾ tsp in the form of “reduced” L-glutathione.†
You will love this product if you are looking for a way to easily adjust your serving, like starting with a small droplet and working your way up to full serving size. Or maybe you want to adjust your serving depending on your stress and toxicity exposure that day. Since your nutritional needs constantly fluctuate depending on your environment, it is important to use glutathione with awareness and to be careful not to take too little or too much.†
Also, this versatile liquid allows for optimal immediate absorption of glutathione because no capsule encasing needs to be digested first. Because of this, it’s a great product if you want more immediate glutathione supplementation.†
Glutathione is made from the sulfur-containing amino acid cysteine. (13) Sulfur has a particular taste and smell that some do not enjoy, which is present in the liquid liposomal versions.
Remember, liquids are always great options if you can’t swallow capsules. Liquids are also absorbed faster than capsules because no encasing needs to be first digested.
In addition, our founder, Dr. Ben Lynch, recommends that everyone start with a low amount of glutathione and slowly work their way up to a higher serving if needed.†
Why?
Glutathione in high amounts is not easily tolerated by everyone. Some experience side effects due to a deficiency in processing nutrients, making it important to monitor glutathione intake.
This brings us to our next two glutathione products, our “plus” versions.†
What Nutrients and Enzymes Are Needed to Recycle Glutathione?
It is critical to remember that your body requires specific nutrients to produce, process, regulate, and transport compounds, especially important ones like glutathione.
If you are deficient in any of these nutrients, direct glutathione supplementation may not be broken down or recycled efficiently.
Have you tried glutathione in the past, and it hasn’t worked for you?
Have you experienced side effects from it, like unease, abdominal pain, dizziness, or nausea? (Of course, with any adverse reaction to a supplement, stop consumption immediately and speak to your health professional!)
Through years of research, Dr. Lynch has uncovered the biochemical reasons why some people tolerate glutathione beautifully while others don’t.
Your glutathione pathway is constantly working hard to produce glutathione, recycle it, and break it down. The byproducts of glutathione breakdown also need to be broken down. This process continues until all the by-products are excreted or recycled into something else.
Nutrients such as riboflavin, selenium, and molybdenum are essential for this glutathione recycling pathway.
Genetic variations or constant genetic stress also play a part. If any of the genes involved in this pathway contain single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that affect the function of the enzyme, it can cause dysfunction in the processing. Even without genetic variations, constant stress, like from toxins or environmental causes, also affects the activity of genes and, therefore, the enzymes.
For example, the enzyme that turns cysteine byproducts into sulfate in the glutathione pathway is called the sulfite oxidase (SUOX) enzyme. In some, the SUOX gene is working slower than ideal. It can further slow its activity if you are also deficient in SUOX’s key cofactor nutrient, molybdenum. If you’re deficient in this nutrient, you may experience mild flushing or restlessness due to the buildup of sulfites and sulfite byproducts.
Perhaps you have gotten flushed or anxious after drinking red wine or eating dried fruits? Both of these food products use sulfites as preservatives. If you already have a sensitivity to sulfites, supplementing with glutathione can possibly increase the sulfites if you are deficient in molybdenum.†
We added molybdenum to our Glutathione Plus products to support healthy SUOX function and to help avoid these issues for even the most sensitive of our clients.†
Anytime you increase your glutathione stores, the demand for enzymes that recycle and use it also increases. This is often why, even though you may not be deficient in the nutrients and enzymes, you may become more deficient by increasing glutathione.
When you replenish your body with glutathione, an enzyme called the GPX enzyme uses it to combat toxins. This GPX enzyme requires selenium. Any used glutathione is then recycled back into usable glutathione by your GSR enzyme. This enzyme requires vitamin B2. Both selenium and vitamin B2, therefore, support glutathione use and re-use.† (13, 14, 15, 24, 25)
For enhanced glutathione processing, recycling, and utilization,† Dr. Lynch created our three “plus” glutathione products:
- Glutathione Plus (capsules)
- Liposomal Glutathione Plus (liquid)
- Optimal Glutathione Plus (lozenges)
These “plus” versions contain the important glutathione processing and recycling nutrients:
- Molybdenum
- Selenium
- Riboflavin (B2)
Plus, Pyrroloquinoline Quinone (PQQ) with antioxidant properties helps protect the glutathione and promote a healthy response to oxidative stress.†
Enhanced Glutathione Support with the “Plus” Versions
Our Optimal Glutathione “Plus” versions are also available in either a liquid liposomal or capsule format. They are intelligently designed to contain glutathione, along with the exact amount of selenium, vitamin B2, molybdenum, and PQQ, for the ultimate functioning of your glutathione system.†
Glutathione Plus (capsules)
Glutathione Plus contains 100 mg of acetylated glutathione in an acid-resistant capsule and important processing and recycling nutrients. This version is great for those wanting a taste-free, easy-to-swallow capsule. This makes it easy to take your glutathione traveling or on the go. It’s also great for people who want to start with a lower dose of glutathione.†
Liposomal Glutathione Plus (liquid)
Liposomal Glutathione Plus contains 100 mg of glutathione per serving, along with the processing and recycling nutrients. However, just like our original liposomal glutathione, this S-Acetyl-glutathione is bound to a fatty phospholipid complex for optimal absorption and protection of glutathione. This is great if you want a more immediate absorption than capsule form, have a hard time swallowing capsules, and for maximum dose adjustability. Starting with a single droplet and working your way up to a full dose is easy with this formula!†
Optimal Glutathione Plus (lozenges)
Optimal Glutathione Plus Lozenges contain the gentlest dose of glutathione, at 25mg per serving. They also contain the same important processing and recycling nutrients as the other 2 products. This is a great option for those who cannot swallow pills, and the fruity flavor is favored by kids. If you absorb nutrients poorly, this will support nutrient absorption.†
The Bottom Line
Seeking Health’s glutathione product line is at the forefront of healthy aging and stress support.* Our three versatile “original” and”‘plus” formulas allow you to choose the one that perfectly suits your needs.†
Stress and aging go hand-in-hand and can have detrimental effects on your body. While removing stress and toxins from your environment is important, it’s your resilience that truly matters. Though we are always aiming for a cleaner, healthier world, it's probably not going to happen today or even in our lifetimes. Having tools to support your body’s healthy detoxification system, immune system, stress response, and normal aging processes might just be one of the best choices you make for yourself.†
Now that you have all this incredibly important information, it’s time for you to take action!
Having glutathione in your home provides the confidence you need to know you’re supporting your body's natural ability to eliminate chemicals you're exposed to daily. Choose the formula that’s best for you, and venture out feeling healthy!†
Choose your perfect Seeking Health Glutathione Supplement today!†.
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† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.