Glutathione Heavy Metal Detoxification

Glutathione is a wonder antioxidant used all over the body and also as a mediator of heavy metal detoxification. This is because of the unique binding characteristics of this compound.

Glutathione is assembled within the body from three different amino acids. The cysteine part of glutathione is thought to be responsible for most of the properties of this antioxidant. Cysteine is a sulphur rich amino acid and is essential for forming glutathione. This amino acid allows glutathione to strongly bind with reactive substances including heavy metal compounds.

Research shows that glutathione binds to various metals not just one or two. Some examples include mercury and cadmium which are very harmful toxins. Because of this activity glutathione is thought to be one of the most important naturally produced compounds in our body for the detoxification or detox of environmental toxins like heavy metal compounds.

You may think well heavy metal compounds aren’t a part of my diet so why should people be concerned with detoxifying compounds like glutathione. Unknown to many is the scale of toxic metal pollution in our food and water supplies. If you drink tap water you are highly likely to be exposing yourself to metal pollutants. Some foods also contain unusual levels of toxic metals. Some people also use mass produced or unnatural deodorants every day and are exposing themselves to metals on a daily basis. Our respiratory systems are also vulnerable to metals.

Here the various ways that glutathione has been shown to detox or detoxify heavy metal compounds and remove toxic metals from our body system will be considered to show why high levels of glutathione may support more optimal wellness.

Glutathione And Heavy Metals

Glutathione is a protein complex made by the body. The structure and properties of assembled glutathione is such that compounds stick or bind to glutathione very well. Glutathione is part of an ancestral antioxidant system called the glutathione complex.

Glutathione can be used independently of the glutathione complex with glutathione peroxidase for detoxification of harmful compounds. The glutathione complex may have been an evolutionary advantage of some sort over just having circulating glutathione. All sorts of animals and plants contain glutathione too because of how effective this compound is at detoxification. Plants are particularly vulnerable to heavy metal toxicity from the soil of the Earth and so need solid detoxification processes.

Heavy metals can be very dangerous for the body and create conditions of oxidative stress. Heavy metals are able to react with or disrupt essential parts of our bodies which creates free radicals and oxidative stress. This may include DNA, proteins or fatty acids. Ultimately an accumulation of heavy metals can lead to chronic oxidative stresses and inflammation. This may accelerate things like cellular aging and the risks of cancers. An accumulation of some heavy metals like lead are able to cause impairments to various organs of the body.

We encounter environmental metal pollutants each day from various sources such as tap water and our food. Many cosmetic products such as deodorants also contain heavy or other metals. As heavy metals enter our body the system needs to respond to protect lifespan. Natural antioxidants and metal chelating or detoxifying compounds form a large part of life extending or protecting responses which prevent the accumulative damages of oxidising toxins such as heavy metals.

Does Glutathione Detox Heavy Metals

Glutathione shows strong binding to various heavy metals such as cadmium. This binding strength is why glutathione is thought to be a part of the body detoxification systems which detox the body of heavy metal molecules and preserve lifespan.

Higher levels of circulating glutathione should mean that more heavy metals bind with glutathione and are then able to be processed or removed from our body. The sulphur containing cysteine amino acid of glutathione is thought to be how most heavy metals bind with the circulating glutathione within our blood vessels. The other glutathione amino acids include γ glutamate and glycine.

Research shows time and time again that glutathione is a really important component of the body detoxification system. Especially for dealing with heavy metal accumulation.

Studies show that circulating levels of body glutathione may actually deplete after repeated heavy metal exposure. Particularly with cadmium exposure which is a very common environmental pollutant. Other studies show that cellular sensitivity to heavy metals reduces with optimal glutathione levels and that this is an ancestral trait conserved in various living organisms.

Glutathione Supplementation And Heavy Metal Detoxification

Supplementing with glutathione could restore glutathione levels in the body after metal exposure. Supplemental glutathione would then ensure that our bodies are primed to maintain the detoxification systems needed to prevent the dangers posed by heavy metals or metal exposure.

Research certainly shows that oxidative stress levels dip with supplementation of glutathione. There are also detectable increases in circulating or stored GSH glutathione levels when supplementing with glutathione. Another study found that combining vitamin C and glutathione as a supplement reduced toxicity from lead. This is preventative of liver organ damage. If you would like to read about how glutathione support liver detoxification you can do so here.

Some studies show that if glutathione levels are low then the body may be more vulnerable to autism from toxic heavy metal accumulation. Less glutathione means less heavy metal binding and elimination from the body. Accumulations of heavy metals are heavily linked to cognitive disorders due to elevated oxidative stress.

Cysteine is a rate limiting amino acid for glutathione production by the body. Supplemental NAC is a source of cysteine and this may support systemic metal detoxification through a mirrored improvement in glutathione levels.

Overall the research shows that glutathione as GSH may assist with heavy metal detoxification within the body as glutathione is able to bind strongly to metals. Supplementation with glutathione should therefore support the detoxification or detox process within the body and increase rate of toxin elimination.

Summary

Glutathione is an antioxidant which is also involved in the detoxification of heavy metals within the body. This compound not only binds to heavy metals circulating in the blood but cleanses the body of oxidative stress which may result from heavy metal build up.

The heavy metal detoxification abilities of glutathione come from cysteine. This a sulphur rich amino acid which naturally binds to reactive compounds such as cadmium or mercury. The body then removes the products from our system. We encounter environmental pollutants every day. Especially in tap water and sometimes in our foods. The respiratory system is also vulnerable to heavy metals and pollutants.

Glutathione is an ancestral metal detoxification compound and research shows that glutathione plays an important role in the whole body detoxification process which supports the preservation of lifespan.

Supplementation with glutathione may support optimal detoxification within the body because of improvements in circulating glutathione within the blood. There is a higher chance of interactions with heavy metals and this would reduce the build up of metal toxins.

Glutathione may deplete after heavy metal exposure too. Supporting your glutathione levels means your body is always ready to handle the dangers of heavy metal exposure on a daily basis. Low glutathione levels could also put the body at risk of cognitive disorders from heavy metals.

Overall the research shows that glutathione supports heavy metal detoxification within the body due to strong metal binding activity.

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