Glutathione and Supporting the Body’s Natural Detoxification Process
WTF is glutathione and why is it important?
I’m glad you asked. Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant that the body naturally produces. It’s made from specific amino acids and can be found in basically every bodily system, including the liver, which usually isn’t the case for most antioxidants.
It has so many amazing benefits that I won’t fully list, but some include:
Supporting the immune system
Making DNA
Reducing oxidative stress to fight free radicals
Regenerating essential vitamins
And most importantly, detoxifying
It works all day everyday to support the body in getting rid of unnecessary toxins, which is why it’s often referred to as the “mother of detoxification”. Basically, it’s like a naturally occurring juice cleanse - except it’s free and requires no effort.
But sometimes, glutathione levels can lower when the body is exposed to an overload of toxins and stressors. Some of these include:
Stress
Environmental toxin, synthetic chemicals, and heavy metals
Lack of sleep
Lack of physical activity
Alcohol
And yes, a less nutrient dense way of eating
Luckily, there are tons of ways to help the body naturally produce more of this essential nutrient. It can be found in foods like avocados and leafy greens, but also in small amounts in mostly all plant foods. A few other ways to help boost production are through things like:
Increasing vitamin c intake
Getting enough sleep
Lowering stress
Using more nontoxic home and beauty products
Low impact exercising
Incorporating certain herbs
And eating more nutrient dense, plant based foods
It can also be supplemented in the form of a pill, powder, liquid, or IV drip, which is sometimes necessary for those with low levels. There are certain signs to tell if glutathione levels are low but please - test, don’t guess.
If you’re someone who needs to supplement with glutathione, liposomal is the most easily absorbed and effective form to take. And if the best hack I’ve learned to prevent adverse (aka Herxheimer) reactions is to drink it with Alka Seltzer Gold and lemon. This helps by alkalizing the body and balancing pH levels as the toxins are purged out. As always, talk to a medical professional before trying this, or anything else that you read online. Because trust me, it’s not the tastiest drink so you wouldn’t want to try it unless you really needed the extra boost.
Hopefully this information is helpful for learning bit more about how the body works, and appreciating all that it does without us having to give much thought. Especially it you’re someone who bounces between diets and other wellness “detox” trends, keep this in your back pocket and next time save yourself the unnecessary money. And if you’re trying this little glutathione cocktail for yourself, Godspeed.
Cheers!