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The Mighty Antioxidant: Glutathione and Its Role in Longevity

Have you ever heard of glutathione? It’s a vital molecule that our bodies make to keep us healthy. Think of it as your personal bodyguard against bad stuff like toxins. It’s made by the liver and is found in almost every cell we have!

Why Glutathione Matters

Glutathione is like a superhero fighting against villains called free radicals. These baddies can damage our cells and are caused by things like too much sun, stress, and unhealthy habits. Our body makes some free radicals naturally when it creates energy, but our modern lives can throw things out of balance.

As we get older, our natural levels of glutathione start to drop. This means we don’t have as much protection against those pesky free radicals. When this happens, we might feel tired, look older, and even get sick more often.

Keeping the Balance

To stay healthy, we need to keep our glutathione levels up. This helps us fight off diseases, feel energetic, sleep better, and even have smoother skin! So, how do we boost this amazing molecule in our bodies?

Here’s What You Can Do:

  • Chill Out: Find ways to relax, like yoga or taking breaks from your phone and computer.
  • Eat Smart: Enjoy foods that help make more glutathione, like avocados, strawberries, and asparagus. Stay away from junk food with lots of chemicals.
  • Get Moving: Exercise is great for keeping your glutathione levels up. Go for walks, try some yoga, or do simple strength exercises.
  • Supplement directly: You can supplement glutathione in a pill but absorption with this method can be low, so taking a liposomal form or the precursor molecule, NAC.
  • IV Infusion: The most potent way to increase glutathione levels directly into the bloodstream is by receiving IV glutathione or IV NAC infusions.

Glutathione is made of three amino acids and is super powerful at fighting free radicals. Without healthy cells, we can’t be healthy overall. That’s why it’s so important to make sure we don’t run low on glutathione.

What Makes Glutathione Levels Drop?

  • Aging: As we get older, our bodies don’t make as much glutathione.
  • Oxidative Stress: Free radicals from the environment and our own bodies can use up our glutathione.

When we don’t have enough glutathione, we’re at risk for serious health problems, feeling tired all the time, and even getting wrinkles.

Health Problems Linked to Low Glutathione:

  • Brain Health: Diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s can be more likely when glutathione is low.
  • Mental Health: Low glutathione can affect our mood and may be linked to anxiety and depression.
  • Energy Levels: Glutathione helps our cells make energy, so without it, we can feel really tired.
  • Skin Health: Without enough glutathione to repair damage, promote collagen growth, and lighten dark spots, skin flaws like scars, redness and wrinkles become more apparent.

How to Stop Glutathione Depletion

You can do a lot to keep your glutathione levels healthy. Eat foods that boost glutathione, reduce stress, and exercise regularly. You can also take supplements, but it’s tricky because they need to get into your bloodstream without being broken down first, which is why many opt for a liposomal form. This is why people even get glutathione through an IV infusion to skip the digestive system and ensure the best absorption.

In short, glutathione is vitally important for staying healthy, especially as we age. By taking care of ourselves with good food, exercise, and maybe some help from supplements and wellness infusions, we can keep our glutathione levels up and feel our best!

Looking for natural options for whole-body wellness? Our licensed functional medicine doctor provides preservative-free IV therapy and vitamin injections as well as other wellness treatments.