Summary
Which is the best glutathione supplement?
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What is glutathione?
Glutathione (which is the same as “L-glutathione” and “reduced” glutathione) is a peptide that our bodies produce and use as an antioxidant. You can also get it from supplements, but most of it is broken down by enzymes in the gut into amino acids, such that only long-term use of large amounts (500 mg or more) appears to modestly raise glutathione levels. It can also be taken as a supplement as a liposomal formulation or in the form of S-acetyl-glutathione, although these also appear to have limited impact on raising glutathione levels in the body. (See What It Is). -
What does glutathione do?
Although glutathione plays an important role in the body as an antioxidant, studies have yet to prove that supplementing with it is useful for any condition, including Alzheimer's disease, type 2 diabetes, or skin lightening. (See What It Does).
- We purchased and tested the quality of 11 popular glutathione and S-acetyl-glutathione supplements. One failed our tests for providing only 81% of its listed amount of glutathione. Among products found be accurately labeled (all of which also passed our tests for contamination with heavy metals such as lead), we selected Top Picks for glutathione overall, liposomal glutathione, and S-acetyl glutathione, each representing high quality, transparent labeling, and lower cost relative to comparable products.
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Is glutathione safe to take?
Glutathione is generally well-tolerated but can cause mild gastrointestinal side effects and, possibly, skin flushing. Long-term safety studies, however, have not been conducted (see Concerns and Cautions).
