Glutathione

Glutathione is a tripeptide composed of glutamate, cysteine, and glycine. It is the body's most abundant intracellular antioxidant and is found in every cell, with especially high concentrations in the liver. Glutathione is not a research-only compound — it has decades of clinical and supplemental use as an antioxidant, detoxification cofactor, and intravenous nutritional therapy. It is sold in oral, liposomal, inhaled, and intravenous research and clinical formats.

Glutathione is the master antioxidant your body makes from three amino acids. It neutralizes free radicals, recycles other antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E, and is essential for liver detoxification. Glutathione levels drop with age, chronic illness, intense exercise, alcohol use, and exposure to toxins. Online, it is one of the most-discussed antioxidant compounds — particularly in IV therapy clinics — and is famously used in some Asian markets for skin-brightening.

Glutathione exists in reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) forms. The reduced form donates electrons to neutralize reactive oxygen species, becoming oxidized in the process. Glutathione peroxidase uses GSH to neutralize hydrogen peroxide; glutathione-S-transferase uses GSH to conjugate and neutralize a wide range of toxins for excretion. The GSH/GSSG ratio is a primary cellular indicator of oxidative stress. Glutathione also inhibits tyrosinase, which is why high-dose IV glutathione is associated with skin pigmentation lightening.

Body's primary antioxidant. Critical for liver detoxification, oxidative stress reduction.

1. Glutathione
2. Mitochondrial and cellular-maintenance pathways
3. NAD+ availability, mitohormesis or senescent-cell signalling
4. Cellular-ageing and metabolic-resilience endpoints

A plain-English read on how much published evidence currently exists for Glutathione. These ratings describe the volume and maturity of the literature — not effectiveness, safety, or suitability for any use.

Current limitations: most compounds in this category are studied in preclinical or small-sample settings. Absence of large controlled human trials is the single biggest limitation to keep in mind when reading any summary of Glutathione.

Lyophilized compounds are supplied as a dry powder. Concentration is simply the total amount in the vial divided by the volume of bacteriostatic water added:

Concentration (mg/mL) = total mg in vial ÷ mL of diluent added

Commonly supplied vial sizes

200mg–600mg vial (often as glutathione + saline)

Worked concentration example

Often pre-mixed or reconstituted to 200mg/mL On U-100 insulin syringe:

• • 100 units = 200mg

Run your own numbers with the reconstitution calculator — it converts vial size and diluent volume into mg/mL and mcg/mL.

The figures below are reported here descriptively, because they are the values most frequently cited in publicly available research literature and reference material. They are not instructions, not a protocol, and not a recommendation. These compounds are supplied for laboratory research use only and are not approved by the FDA for human consumption.

Commonly cited amounts

200–600mg per session (IV most effective; SubQ also used)

Commonly cited frequency

1–2× weekly

Commonly cited study duration

Ongoing maintenance

Peptides are supplied freeze-dried because peptide bonds degrade far faster in solution than in a dry state. Understanding storage is part of understanding why the powder form exists at all.

• •Lyophilized powder: stored refrigerated, typically stable for months to years.
• •Reconstituted solution: refrigerated at 2–8°C, generally discussed as stable for roughly 30–60 days.
• •Heat and direct light accelerate degradation — vials are kept cool and dark.
• •Reconstituted material is not re-frozen; ice crystal formation disrupts peptide structure.
• •Bacteriostatic water contains 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a preservative, which is what allows multi-day storage after reconstitution.

More detail in the storage & handling guide and how peptide quality is evaluated.

• •Oxidative stress and aging
• •Liver detoxification (paracetamol overdose treatment with NAC)
• •Neurodegenerative disease research (Parkinson's)
• •Skin pigmentation modulation
• •Athletic recovery and inflammation
• •Mitochondrial function

Glutathione is everywhere — IV bars, supplement aisles, biohacker podcasts. The most active discussions center on bioavailability (oral glutathione is poorly absorbed; liposomal, sublingual, inhaled, and IV forms are favored), skin-lightening protocols, and combinations with N-acetylcysteine (NAC, a glutathione precursor) for upregulating endogenous production.

“The body's master antioxidant.”

Most commonly combined with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) as a precursor strategy, with vitamin C and alpha-lipoic acid to recycle and amplify antioxidant effects, and with B-vitamins and selenium as cofactors for glutathione-utilizing enzymes.

Glutathione is the body's master intracellular antioxidant — a tripeptide of glutamate, cysteine, and glycine. It supports liver detoxification, neutralizes oxidative stress, and is widely used in oral, liposomal, inhaled, and IV formats. It is one of the most-discussed peptides in antioxidant and longevity research.