Glutathione is an antioxidant vital for health, yet it’s still little known in medical circles. Almost 90,000 medical articles have been written about it, and many of us today have a chronic deficiency of it. Glutathione is one of the main detoxifiers in our bodies, protecting us from free radicals, infections, and even cancer.
Our body produces its own glutathione, but-it becomes depleted by chronic stress, bad eating habits, medications, and infections. The liver becomes unable to cope with its job of detoxification and becomes overloaded and even damaged. It’s been found that almost all chronically ill patients have a deficiency of this vital molecule, particularly those with signs of a bacterial or viral overload such as those with shingles, warts, and hepatitis. Also, patients with cancer, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, and arthritis have too little of it in their bodies. Our ability to produce optimal levels of glutathione is crucial for our recovery from these types of illnesses.
What is this “Miracle Molecule”?
It’s a simple molecule that our bodies produce from just three protein and amino acid building blocks. Cysteine, glycine, and glutamine are combined in the correct ratio to form it. Glutathione’s magic lies in the sulfur that it contains. Sulfur attracts free radicals and toxins, which can then be disposed of. Our bodies usually recycle glutathione, unless there is too much of a toxic load, which is what is happening more and more today. Our bodies just aren’t genetically made to cope with the sheer volume of toxic industrial chemicals, electromagnetic radiation, and amounts of lead and mercury in our environment. Add to this our nutrient-depleted diets, and we have a big problem on our hands. Glutathione’s main job is to recycle antioxidants. However, the problem comes in when we are overwhelmed with too many toxins, and our glutathione becomes depleted before our bodies can regenerate the protective molecules.
More than this, glutathione helps our immune system to fight infection and protect us against cancer. In fact, studies have even shown that it can help with HIV treatment. Glutathione’s other job is detoxification. Toxins adhere to the molecule, and they are then transported into the stool and bile, from where they are removed from the body. Research continues to show other functions of this incredible molecule. For example, in times of physical performance, it keeps muscle damage to a minimum, decreases recovery time, and helps metabolism shift from fat production to the development of muscles.