Glutathione Liver Detoxification And Cleansing

Glutathione is one of the most powerful of all our body antioxidants which may also assist with detoxification or cleansing the liver.

GSH or Glutathione made by the body contains sulphur rich cysteine as part of a protein structure. This is one reason why this compound has such a strong antioxidant activity within the body. Every day we encounter environmental toxins which may disrupt our wellbeing or cellular state. This is why the detoxification systems of our body exist.

Our liver plays a role in the cleansing or detoxification of various toxins which build up in our body. As a result the liver is exposed to a lot of oxidative stress on a daily basis. As a strong antioxidant glutathione is able to cleanse the body of harmful compounds which could stress vital tissues and organs.

Glutathione protects the body from certain drugs unnatural to the body or toxic formaldehyde for example which could cause damage. Maintaining optimal glutathione levels is therefore very important for the health of organs such as our liver. During periods of higher oxidative stress the body cycles glutathione. This antioxidant is used up quickly in interactions with harmful compounds.

The body actively maintains high levels of glutathione within the liver despite this antioxidant being needed in high amounts throughout the body for optimal wellbeing. A depletion of active glutathione levels is linked to cancer, cognitive deterioration and circulatory diseases. Studies show that low glutathione levels are very noticeable during and contribute to cognitive issues.

Here the ways in which glutathione assists the liver in staying healthy on a day to day basis will be summarized and also how glutathione is important for liver detoxification or cleansing.

Liver Detoxification

The main role of the liver is in whole body system detoxification. Our liver is a focal point for many toxins. Detoxification is the process where harmful compounds within the body are broken down and removed from our body system. To do this action the liver requires nutrients such as antioxidants and also a small amount of energy.

The liver encounters a lot of toxins every day. This could include alcohols or heavy metals which create an amount of oxidative stress in liver tissues. These are harmful substances because they are intrinsically reactive with our body or form harmful compounds on interaction with the body.

Glutathione And Liver Detoxification

As an antioxidant glutathione cleanses oxidative stress. This means glutathione directly interacts with radicals or harmful compounds to alter them and allows them to be removed from the body effectively. As a result glutathione is able to do remarkable things within the body and especially within the liver. Many harmful drugs, toxins and heavy metals are processed by the liver into other damaging compounds which need cleansing by strong antioxidants such as glutathione.

The processing or removal of harmful substances from the liver lowers systemic inflammation. Glutathione may also change whole patterns of genetic expression within the body because of the role this antioxidant has in liver detoxification. Glutathione may lower levels of pro inflammatory cytokines while supporting mitochondrial functioning for energy production as well.

The actions of glutathione within the body are so great that glutathione levels are considered to be a marker of cellular lifeforce or viability and functionality. Some of the effects of the glutathione assisted detoxification process may include an improved lifespan or visually improved skin health.

There are many links between the health of our skin and systemic inflammation. Our skin may serve as a marker of our health and also for some diseases too. High glutathione levels are associated with lighter skin and lowered inflammation. Glutathione may have antiaging or beautifying effects in some cultures.

Glutathione Supplements And Liver Detoxification

Research shows that glutathione is a core part of body detoxification systems. As toxins circulate or are released by the body they encounter glutathione in the liver and the end products are then removed in our excretions. Supplementation with glutathione could therefore support healthy liver detoxification.

Stored levels of glutathione increase within the body when glutathione is supplemented. Research indicates that circulating glutathione levels in the blood may increase up to around 20%. Increases are also thought to be dependent on the strength of glutathione supplement. This of course then increases the likelihood of radical or toxin cleansing or detoxification interactions within the liver.

Noticeable drops in oxidative stress may be observed after 6 months of glutathione supplementation. This is linked to the strong antioxidative actions of glutathione within the body. Other research confirms levels of oxidative stress are reduced within the liver following glutathione supplementation. Glutathione was shown by one study to possess preventative abilities of liver damage in obese individuals and possibly after excess alcohol consumption.

Naturally an antioxidant like glutathione could reduce inflammation signals or stress caused DNA damage in these individuals and promote healthy liver functioning. These glutathione supplement induced improvements in liver function would further support improved liver detoxification.

As an antioxidant supplemental glutathione may support reduced levels of lipid oxidation within the liver. Within liver cells and tissue there are many fatty acids which provide structural support. In reducing lipid oxidation glutathione could therefore enhance liver structure and liver cell capabilities. This would further support healthy liver detoxification from glutathione GSH. Research supports this showing that supplemental glutathione could improve aspects of liver functioning. Other studies have shown that glutathione deficiencies may lead to reduced detoxification abilities.

Supplemental Glutathione And Selenium

Combinatory supplementation of selenium with glutathione may further enhance possible liver supportive effects in relation to healthy detoxification. Glutathione is thought to be one of the front line antioxidants within the liver but selenium may assist with helping glutathione as GSH.

Our body uses selenium to produce the protein glutathione peroxidase for liver healthy detoxification. Glutathione peroxidase is different to glutathione GSH. Glutathione peroxidase is able to support the antioxidant activity of glutathione as part of small glutathione detoxification complexes within the body.

Studies have shown that GSH or glutathione levels improve in the liver with higher selenium intake. Together GSH and selenium could really improve the detoxification capacity of the liver by supporting important liver functions. As they are both supportive of healthy liver mitochondrial activities they could also boost liver functions through supporting energy production.

Overall the research on glutathione presents itself really well as a means of assisting healthy liver detoxification as a supplement in its own right.

Summary

Glutathione is considered to be one of the most powerful of all our body antioxidants and so supplemental glutathione may assist with healthy liver detoxification.

Our liver processes many toxins each day. This includes heavy metals, drugs and formaldehydes. The liver generates harmful compounds from this which creates oxidative stress and inflammation.

Very powerful antioxidants such as glutathione cleanse or perform healthy detoxification of harmful oxidative compounds within liver tissue. Our bodies then excrete these cleansed or processed toxins which may otherwise damage the body. Glutathione is found in large amounts within the liver and research considers glutathione to be essential in liver detoxification. Glutathione may also promote a slowing in aging and support mitochondrial energy production as a powerful antioxidant.  

One way to improve body glutathione levels is through supplementation. Supplementation to improve glutathione could support healthy liver detoxification as this antioxidant moves through the blood and cleanses harmful compounds to our liver.

Various studies confirm that glutathione supplementation may reduce overall oxidative stress levels. This has the effect of reducing liver damage and supporting detoxification or other functions in the liver.

Combinatory GSH glutathione and selenium supplementation may support the whole glutathione detoxification complex to further enhance liver detoxification support.

Overall the research shows that glutathione is an essential assistant of healthy body detoxification systems. Supplementation with glutathione may support with liver detoxification or cleansing.

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