Have you been thinking about glutathione IV therapy benefits? This article will give you an insight into the health benefits associated with glutathione IV therapy.
If you are wondering what is Glutathione, this article will give a primer on what Glutathione can do for you. Glutathione is a potent and effective antioxidant, found in all of the cells in the body, and provides protection for the body from damage caused by free radicals as well as treat an extensive list of health conditions.
Glutathione, is composed of three different types of amino acid molecules, specifically: glutamine, glycine, and cystine. Protein made by the body is comprised of different combinations of amino acids. Although it is not possible for most antioxidants, the body can produce Glutathione in the liver.
Although levels of glutathione decline as a normal part of aging, factors such as improper nutrition, toxins in the environment and stress can greatly reduce glutathione levels impacting ones health.
Some of the vital functions that Glutathione is responsible for include:
Lower glutathione levels in the body have been attributed to a greater incidence of some diseases according to researchers. Although glutathione levels can be increased via both oral and intravenous deliver, intravenous glutathione supplementation has been shown to be more effective in raising glutathione to the ideal levels in the body.
Here are some additional health benefits associated with glutathione IV therapy:
Glutathione helps reduce oxidative stress. When free radicals are produced faster than the body is able to counteract them, an imbalance occurs known as oxidative stress. Prolonged levels of oxidative stress can lead to many diseases such as: cancer, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. Intravenous glutathione therapy assists in staving off the damage that can be caused by oxidative stress.
According to the Journal of Cancer Science and Therapy, deficiency in glutathione levels significantly and quickly increased levels of oxidative stress. Moreover, the journal stated that higher levels of glutathione increased antioxidant levels which improved resistance to the oxidative stress in cancer cells.
Fatty liver disease which can lead to cell death in the liver is commonly found in people who abused alcohol. However, fatty liver disease can be exacerbated by a continued deficiency in antioxidants such as glutathione. Intravenous glutathione therapy was shown to improve bilirubin, enzyme and protein levels in the blood in patients with alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
In a recent study, participants suffering from fatty liver disease were given high doses of glutathione through an IV. The study concluded that the participants exhibited drastic reduction in malondialdehyde levels, a key marker used in diagnosing liver cell damage.
Unfortunately, as we age our body produces less glutathione. Clinicians at Baylor Medical School examined a mixed animal and human study to see the part glutathione plays in insulin resistance and weight management in older subjects. The Baylor study revealed that slower burning of fat and higher fat storage rates were associated with low levels of glutathione.
The study subjects were given additional cysteine and glycine in their diet in order to increase their levels of glutathione. As a result, glutathione levels jumped higher within two weeks and there was a significant improvement with fat burning and greater insulin resistance.
When peripheral arteries get blocked as a result of plaque, is usually followed by peripheral artery disease. The most common are of the body where peripheral artery disease begins is the legs. Several recent studies have reported that high doses of intravenous glutathione countered peripheral artery disease. The participants who were given two glutathione IV infusions daily after five days reported; improved circulation, greater pain-free walking mobility and were able to walk greater distances over the participants in the placebo group, who were given a saline solution.
Although Parkinson’s disease concerns the central nervous system, one of the diseases major symptoms is tremors. To date, there is no cure for Parkinson’s, however a study conducted over a decade ago showed that intravenous glutathione delivery had a significant impact in reducing tremors and rigidity. Despite the fact that additional research is still necessary, the report from the study shows promising results in the improvement of quality of life for people who are living with the disease.
Autoimmune diseases trigger chronic inflammation in the body which adds an increase in oxidative stress. Some examples of autoimmune diseases include; celiac disease, lupus as well as rheumatoid arthritis. According to a study that was conducted in Sapienza University of Rome, glutathione was found to decrease oxidative stress by stimulation and/or reduction of the body’s immunological response. Generally, autoimmune disease attacks the mitochondria of specified cells. Glutathione counters this by eradicating free radicals thereby protecting the cell mitochondria.
A clinical trial which was done at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, found that autistic children generally have greater oxidative damage while also having decreased levels of glutathione in their brain. Moreover, the study found that children with autism, were more susceptible to neurological damage from substances such as mercury as a result of the increased oxidative damage.
The clinical trial was conducted over an eight week period with test subjects who were children between the age of 3 to 13. The test subjects received oral and/or transdermal doses of glutathione. While the study did not evaluate any changes of autistic symptoms, but found that the test subjects showed improved levels of cysteine, plasma sulfate and whole-blood glutathione.
Long-standing elevated blood sugar levels are associated with lower volume of glutathione in the body. If untreated this condition may lead to accelerated oxidative stress and tissue damage. Several studies have established that supplementing with cysteine and glycine will boost glutathione levels. Moreover, the subjects who had high sugar levels, were still able to lower their oxidative stress.
A by-product of glutathione is N-acetylcysteine. N-acetylcysteine if often used in treating health conditions such as asthma and cystic fibrosis due its ability to thin mucus and anti-inflammatory effects.
As we stated earlier, glutathione, which is produced in the liver, is the most essential antioxidant in the body. As a result of its ability to counteract free radicals in cells and assist in full body detoxification, glutathione has quickly shown favorable therapeutic benefits for a wide scope of disorders and diseases, which also includes many debilitating neurological conditions.
Anytime a new therapeutic compound such as glutathione is introduced to patients, one of the primary concerns is the potential for side effects. Despite the health benefit claims, integration of a new compound into a therapeutic regimen is calculated simply by the proportion of risk to benefits. Glutathione intravenous (IV) therapy, a popular health treatment has raised patient concerns regarding potential side effects. In particular, patients are concerned whether injecting glutathione via IV might lead to off label side effects.
To date, there is no data to support side effects as a result of glutathione IV therapy. Nevertheless, certain health conditions can impact glutathione IV therapy, especially those individuals suffering from Autism and/or Parkinson’s disease.
Clinical researchers began studying the effects of intravenous glutathione administration since 1990, and have observed no indications of any significant and/or potentially adverse results. Initially in the early stages of their research, clinicians were concerned with the short half-life of glutathione, which they once thought would limit glutathione’s efficacy as a result of the shorter duration. In 2009, a study conducted at the University of South Florida, looked at the safety of administering intravenous glutathione treatment for patients who suffered from Parkinson’s disease. The results of the study showed that intravenous glutathione therapy was well tolerated by the patients and showed no safety concerns. Furthermore, a case report from 2017 reported similar results, showing that no adverse side effects were experienced by patients undergoing intravenous glutathione therapy.