18 replies to this topic

[stablemind]

The recent NAC post concerns me so I haven't decided to purchase that for my Glutathione deficiency. What are other, safer ways, of increasing Glutathione? I have BPII so if NAC is the only way to significantly increase Gluthatione production then I'll just have to bite the bullet.

[stablemind]

I found two sources that say whey increases Glutathione as much as NAC. If this is so, then whey should be a much better alternative. What does consensus say about this?

[jazzcat]

Methylation.

[stablemind]

I've supplemented with sam-e, b12, methylfolate, p-5-p, and zinc, and while I have had great results and have used it for months, I no longer notice benefits from it. I'm looking for something that directly increases glutathione now.

[rwac]

I believe Selenium Methylselenocysteine increases glutathione.

[e Volution]

Art de Vany loves Glutathione and here is one that gets mentioned on his site:
http://setriaglutathione.com/

"Dr Harry Demopoulos owns a patent on a formulation of the stuff that enables it to be absorbed into the bloodstream. He's got a little company called HMP Science that sells the stuff - he calls it Ultrathione."

Here are the products available with it (including brands Healthy Origins, LEF, and NSI):
http://setriaglutath...re-to-find.html

Another link:
Dr. Harry Demopoulos to Debunk the Oral Glutathione Absorption Myth At Natural Products Expo West
http://www.npicenter...=26406&zoneid=2

[FunkOdyssey]

I like selenium (less than 200mcg daily) + obscene amounts of good quality whey isolate + choline from eggs or supplements for this purpose.

[pycnogenol]

I, too, take selenium (the glycinate form - 200 micrograms every other day) for boosting glutathione.

Anyone here take GliSODin ?

[dilenja]

Vitamin D - http://adhd-treatmen...s.blogspot.com/

Vitamin D can boost levels of the antioxidant glutathione in the brain. One way that vitamin D does this is by regulating an enzyme called gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, which plays a role in both the metabolism and recycling of glutathione. We have spoken at length about how antioxidant deficits can worsen ADHD symtpoms, and how fatty acids (namely omega-3's) are frequently administered for ADHD and related disorders. Given the high makeup of these omega-3 fatty acids in the brain, and their susceptibility to oxidation and damage in the central nervous system, protecting them by boosting antioxidant levels (either directly or indirectly) is a good bet.

[djmmm]

The recent NAC post concerns me so I haven't decided to purchase that for my Glutathione deficiency. What are other, safer ways, of increasing Glutathione? I have BPII so if NAC is the only way to significantly increase Gluthatione production then I'll just have to bite the bullet.

R-Lipoic acid increases glutathione production. I believe you can also purchase transdermal glutathione patches and cream.

[stablemind]

Is selenium yeast a good form?

[platypus]

Anyone here take GliSODin ?

I'm taking LEF:s SODzyme with GliSODin...I'd like to see more studies about it.

[kilgoretrout]

The recent NAC post concerns me so I haven't decided to purchase that for my Glutathione deficiency. What are other, safer ways, of increasing Glutathione? I have BPII so if NAC is the only way to significantly increase Gluthatione production then I'll just have to bite the bullet.

Its very easy to over-interpret these test-tube studies from whence the highly hypothetical worries about NAC arose.

NAC has TONS of research *IN HUMANS* AND clinical experience behind it showing it is perfectly safe. It has been used for decades and is well-known to be safe in reasonable doses (600-1200mg/day)

Studies showing very good increases in glutathione in hiv/aids patients with very positive *OUTCOME* results (i.e., not just some meaningless test-tube studies).

See also #8.

Note Pearson/Shaw recommend L-Cysteine to increase glutathione instead of NAC, and while it's probably less bio-available than the NAC, I'd bet its pretty effective. If your looking for the next best thing to raise Glutathione, I'd bet that's it.

Me, I LIKE the extras NAC provides, and think that Shaw's worry about it is overblown with no evidence for her panicky presumptive speculation (as I note in "#8", that effect would surely have been noticed in at least one of the hundreds of prior IN-VIVO research studies on it).

Edited by kilgoretrout, 19 July 2010 - 12:02 AM.

[kilgoretrout]

For the lazy among us (:-) here's the end of my post "#8" above...

Just to show how careful you need to be reading these things, the next study listed in Wiki "Effect of N-acetyl-cysteine on the hypoxic ventilatory response and erythropoietin production: linkage between plasma thiol redox state and O(2) chemosensitivity" read to me like it was going to come in with a thumbs down, perhaps leading up to saying it affected breathing patterns and oxygenation by blocking the temporary hypoxia in some cells between breaths is what I was assuming... BUT NOTE!! At the very end though he is lauding it for use in the elderly suffering various problems:

"Earlier studies have shown that plasma thiol level decreases with age and that corresponding shifts in the plasma REDST may contribute to the process of age-related wasting and may be a suitable target for therapeutic intervention with NAC.³⁵ Moreover, studies from 2 different laboratories have shown that the HVR of elderly subjects in the 7th and 8th decades of life is approximately 50% lower than that of healthy young subjects.^5,6 The emerging paradigm that aging may result, at least in part, from dysregulation resulting from an oxidative shift in REDST may be seen as an extension of the free radical theory of aging.³⁶ Oral treatment with NAC has served as a useful investigative tool and may be an effective pharmacologic option to increase the plasma thiol level, REDST, HVR, and plasma EPO concentration. This treatment may be useful for elderly subjects and for patients who have other conditions with an oxidative shift in plasma REDST, such as coronary heart disease and malignant diseases.^35"

[Heisenberg]

I have used NAC for a while now with acceptable results. Would anyone point me to the posts mentioned that outline hidden dangers, etc.?

[meursault]

Does glutathione have a nootropic effect?

[kbal]

Was just doing a research on SOD effect on acne (h**p://ibmi.mf.uni-lj.si/acta-apa/acta-apa-05-2/1.pdf), and from Muscular Development July 09 found:
''Published peer-reviewed scientific research suggests that a very specific combination of five natural phytonutrients in the proper ratio can achieve a profound degree of cellular antioxidant enzyme induction.
These ingredients are as follows:

Milk Thistle— Scientific name Silybum marianum, used in naturopathy for liver and body cleansing.
Bacopa— Scientific name Bacopa monnieri, known for ability to increase SOD and catalase.
Ashwaganda— Scientific name Withania somnifora, an ancient Indian ayruvedic used for centuries.
Green tea extract— Scientific name Camellia sinensis, known for ability to increase metabolism and burn fat.
Turmeric— Scientific name Curcuma Longa, same turmeric found in the spice cabinet and a true ‘super-antioxidant.’

When these ingredients are put together in the proper ratio and ingested, the human body can expediently counter the toxic side effects of free radical damage at the cellular level. In this way the body achieves an exponentially greater degree of free radical off-loading. The result is far more focused in that the pure antioxidant protection has no possibility of producing more oxidative stress, as we see with vitamin C. Plus, in sharp contrast to the neutralizing ability of vitamin C, which works on a 1:1 molecular ratio, one molecule of catalase eliminates 1,000,000 molecules of H2O2/sec, without being consumed in the process.''

Not exactly what you wanted, glutathione is numero 3 on an anti-oxidant scale (first SOD then catalase), but I hope it helps

[chrono]

ALCAR can increase glutathione:

Systemic acetyl-L-carnitine elevates nigral levels of glutathione and GABA.
Fariello RG, Ferraro TN, Golden GT, DeMattei M.
Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center

Amino acid and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in substantia nigra (SN) as well as striatal monoamine levels were measured in acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCar) treated and control Swiss-Webster mice. ALCar, L carnitine, or saline were administered i.p. to mice for 5 days and mice were decapitated 24 hours following the last injection. Substantia nigra and striata were isolated within 2.5 and 3 min., respectively, and frozen immediately on dry ice. A significant dose-dependent increase of nigral GABA was observed following ALCar treatment; GABA levels were also increased by administration of carnitine. Nigral GSH levels were also increased. Striatal levels of dopamine and metabolites were not significantly affected by ALCar or carnitine. These results, suggest that ALCar may be useful in treating symptoms of neuronal dysfunction related to accumulation of metabolic waste.

PMID: 3398700 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

@Heisenberg: See this thread, especially the paper about increasing HVR in humans, and PAH in mice. Nothing conclusive, but caution is warranted. I stopped taking NAC, because I don't think it has any particularly unique effects that are worth this possibility.

Edited by chrono, 25 July 2010 - 09:08 AM.

[k10]

ALA is a good way to do this, along with supplements that promote methylation, along with NAC.

If you wan a more direct way of doing it.... liposomal gluthathione will work best and is most convenient, or nebulized glutathione from a compounding pharmacy, or IV glutathione.