Compiled & Medically reviewed by 
Dr.Sanjana.V.B. Bhms. Dbrm.Cdn

Natural glutathione foods for your skin

   Glutathione has gained much popularity as a skin brightening & anti-ageing antioxidant molecule as well as a peptide useful in many other medical conditions related to oxidative stress. Glutathione is naturally synthesized by your body from amino acids. Therefore consumption of foods rich in compounds which are precursors for glutathione production can help your body & skin.

    Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant found in every cell in the body. It is made of three types of molecules known as amino acids. Glutathione is a tripeptide made of cysteine, glycine, and glutamic acid amino acids.

How to improve your glutathione levels naturally?

  ·    Eating sulfur rich foods may help glutathione production naturally.

   Sulfur containing amino acids — methionine and cysteine — are precursors for glutathione. Foods rich in Sulphur include vegetables, such as onion, garlic, broccoli, kale, and cabbage and non-vegetarian foods such as meat, eggs, and fish.

A few grains including rice, bread, and pasta also contain glutathione precursors.

·     Dairy products contain the protein beta-casein, which can enhance glutathione levels in the body.

       According to studies higher dairy consumption help higher glutathione concentrations in the brains of older adults. However, increases in glutathione seem to vary depending on the type of beta-casein in dairy products. Different types of the beta-casein proteins are A1 and A2. Dairy milk containing only A2 beta-casein showed a spike in plasma glutathione concentrations.

  Whey is another type of protein found in dairy products and contains cysteine amino acid which is also a precursor for glutathione.

·    Moderate exercise can reduce oxidative stress by increasing glutathione levels.

How does glutathione help your body?

Glutathione plays very important roles in human body. Naturally synthesized glutathione of your body is an important free radical scavenger and antioxidant activity promoter and it also helps removal of chemical toxins out of your body.

This is achieved through following actions of glutathione:

·         Direct chemical neutralization of free radicals oxygen, hydroxyl radicals, and superoxide radicals. Thus glutathione helps to prevent oxidative stress damage to the vital organs.

·          Act as cofactor for several antioxidant enzymes and help antioxidant action.

·         Regeneration of vitamins C and E, both of which are very effective antioxidants in the body.

·         Neutralization of free radicals produced by liver metabolism of chemical toxins.

·          Glutathione can remove mercury from the brain and cells as this molecule facilitates the plasma membrane transport of toxins.

·         Glutathione regulate cell growth and death [apoptosis of cells].Cell cycle has crucial role in maintaining health and in preventing cancer.

·         Glutathione helps to maintain mitochondrial DNA. Cellular and mitochondrial levels of glutathione are closely associated with health and longevity.

How does glutathione brighten your skin ?

      Glutathione is an effective free radical scavenger and therefore prevents oxidative stress damage to skin.

Its anti-melanogenic properties [ prevention of melanin pigment production of skin] result from  a few mechanisms including:

a]stimulation of pheomelanin synthesis rather than darker eumelanin

b] its antioxidant effects

c]interference with intracellular trafficking of melanogenic enzymes.

Glutathione  blocks the membrane-bound T3 tyrosinase enzyme and prevent melanin formation [3]. 

Glutathione slow down aging processes & helps healthy ageing

a]Glutathione can prevent mitochondrial DNA damage

 Depletion of glutathione shows up as progressive loss of mitochondrial function in cells due to accumulation of damage to mitochondrial DNA, which is one of the major ageing associated dysfunction or change. Glutathione in adequate amounts in the body can prevent this DNA damage.

b] Glutathione is an effective free radical scavenger and antioxidant promoter. It reduces the impact of oxidative stress on skin either way. It acts as cofactor for several antioxidant enzymes and help antioxidant action. Glutathione helps regeneration of vitamins C and E, both of which are very effective antioxidants in the body.

References

1.       https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18029489/

2.       https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5413479/

3.       https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2501395/

4.       https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684116/

5.       https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323936#benefits

6.       https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-2-2-38