Not All Glutathione Supplements are Equal

By Cesar Collado

What is Glutathione? Glutathione is the body’s “Master Antioxidant.”

Antioxidants are compounds produced both in your body and found in many foods we eat. They help defend your cells from damage caused by potentially harmful molecules known as free radicals.   These free radicles are created when the body suffers oxidative stress. 

Oxidative stress occurs when oxygen in the body splits into single atoms with unpaired electrons. Electrons like to be in pairs, so these atoms, called free radicals, scavenge the body to seek out other electrons so they can become a pair. This causes damage to cells, proteins and DNA. When free radicals accumulate, they cause oxidative stress. This may damage your DNA and other important structures in your cells.  Because glutathione exists within the cells at high levels, it is in the ideal position to combat free radicals in the cell.

Substances that create free radicals can be found in the food, medicines, water, and the air we breathe. These substances include fried foods, alcohol, tobacco smoke, pesticides, air pollutants, mold and mycotoxins. According to the late Jack thrasher Ph.D., renowned environmental toxicologist, “The toxins produced by mold are basically free radicals, i.e. they have reactive oxygen radicals that bind to fabrics and can be released (into the air) over time.” Thus, mold and mycotoxins in the home environment can be a significant source of oxidative stress.

Fortunately, eating a diet rich in antioxidants can help increase your blood antioxidant levels to fight oxidative stress and reduce the risk of chronic disease. Foods like chocolate, berries, beets, cabbage, kale, and sulfur rich foods are high in glutathione.  Glutathione is also produced internally by the liver in three ways: De novo synthesis, regeneration, or recycling.  Recycling is normally effective, except when the toxic load is to great.    

Glutathione is also the most critical and integral part of your detoxification system. All the toxins stick onto glutathione, which then carries them into the bile and excreted and out of your body. Glutathione is also critical in metabolizing and excreting toxic heavy metals like mercury and managing an array of other antioxidants and nutrients.

Mold and mycotoxin exposure take a terrible toll on our inflammation status, toxic burden, immune system, and depleted glutathione levels. Maintaining adequate glutathione levels is critical to strengthen the body’s immune system and ability to metabolize and remove toxins. 

Oral Glutathione

Oral Glutathione supplements seem like the easiest way to increase glutathione levels. The biggest challenge with oral glutathione supplements is that it can be broken down or oxidized in the digestive tract before absorption.  Many oral glutathione products on the market are not effective because they are broken down during the digestive process before they are absorbed in your gut.

Because of the low absorption or bioavailability, there is a wide variance on pricing and quality of supplements.  Like many supplements, companies that source materials from China or India based on price are often be lacking in quality and purity. In addition, it is important to differentiate supplements that are pharmaceutical grade ingredients.  These ingredients are manufactured with quality control, quality assurance, and testing by an independent lab before being formulated into supplements. Physicians who manage detoxification often rely on pharmaceutical grade supplements that they prescribe or dispense themselves to ensure quality.

To improve the effectiveness of Glutathione, many producers have taken new approaches or formulations to get the glutathione past the gut and into the body. 

Different Forms of Oral Glutathione

• Reduced Glutathione because it is the most commonly found and least expensive.  When the product is called “Glutathione”, it most often is reduced or l-glutathione, which means it has an extra electron and is ready to neutralize free radicals. l-glutathione breaks down during the digestive process prior to reaching the blood stream. Higher doses of glutathione are used in this form to compensate for low bioavailability.
• Liposomal Glutathione. This second-generation reduced or l-glutathione has enhanced absorbability due to being delivered inside a protective barrier made of a fat that keeps it safe in transport through the stomach lining and into the blood stream.  Liposomal delivery of medications is proven and validated by the pharmaceutical industry.
• NAC or N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine is one of the most common pre-cursor supplements that turn into Glutathione. N-Acetyl-Cysteine is effective for a spike of shorter boosts to GSH levels.
• Acetyl Glutathione.  Another validated pharmaceutical method of improving supplement  effectiveness is by adding acetyl function group to an existing molecule. The theory is that acetyl function group makes the molecule more stable and enhances delivery through the blood stream, including to the brain.

CitriSafe Ovation Acetyl Glutathione

Ovation Acetyl Glutathione was formulated to be the optimal delivery of Glutathione for the sickest of patients suffering from severe toxic exposure and chronic disease.  The product begins with a quality standard to be utilized by Physicians.  The supplement market is not regulated by the FDA; however, providing a “pharmaceutical grade” product was a critical component.

• The highest quality of raw materials sourced from Italy and Switzerland.
• Production employs Good Manufacturing Practices (having the GMP seal),
• Quality Control/Quality Assurance including 3rd party tested for purity, quality, potency, and composition.

Ovation Acetyl Glutathione is different from other Glutathione products

• The most bioavailable formulation and highest quality of acetyl glutathione is used for maximum absorption into the blood stream
• Proprietary nanotechnology employs “micro-clusters” to encapsulate the acetyl glutathione to ensure that it does not break down in the gut.
• Dosing requirements are lower than the glutathione products found in vitamin stores or online due to improved efficiency in reaching the proper blood levels
• Product is physician prescribed and recommended

When faced with debilitating symptoms, Ovation Acetyl Glutathione provides the highest quality glutathione to help you heal and excrete toxins and achieve wellness.

1. Szalay, Jessy. “What are Free Radicals?.  Pure Science.  May 27, 2016
2. “Cross Contamination”, Truth About Mold. https://www.truthaboutmold.info/cross-contamination
3. Pizzorno, Joseph. “Glutathione”. Integrative Medicine. February 17, 2014