Research Review Phytonutrients for Glutathione Support

In this review by Deanna M. Minich, Ph.D. and Benjamin I. Brown, ND, the two functional medicine experts look at the most recent research in the role of phytonutrients for glutathione support.

As they note, glutathione status plays a significant role as a biomarker, and treatment option, for a number of chronic diseases associated with aging. Minich and Brown conclude that “optimizing dietary intake of glutathione precursors, co-factors, and whole foods that have been shown to enhance glutathione status or are a source of glutathione would be a relatively simple, low cost, and safe approach that could improve health by optimizing glutathione status in an individual.

In a clinical setting, this could be implemented with advice to consume foods that have some evidence to suggest they improve glutathione status such as lean protein sources, brassica vegetables, polyphenol-rich fruits and vegetables, herbs and spices, green tea, and omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods such as fish. Dietary supplements may also be useful in certain settings (See Table 4 in the full text).”

Phytonutrients that play a critical role in glutathione support

The following includes the abstract and summary on glutathione for nutrient support, with the full-text study for download.

Abstract: Glutathione is a tripeptide that plays a pivotal role in critical physiological processes resulting in effects relevant to diverse disease pathophysiology, such as maintenance of redox balance, reduction of oxidative stress, enhancement of metabolic detoxification, and regulation of immune system function. The diverse roles of glutathione in physiology are relevant to a considerable body of evidence suggesting that glutathione status may be an important biomarker and treatment target in various chronic, age-related diseases. Yet, proper personalized balance in the individual is key as well as a better understanding of antioxidants and redox balance. Optimizing glutathione levels has been proposed as a strategy for health promotion and disease prevention, although clear, causal relationships between glutathione status and disease risk or treatment remain to be clarified. Nonetheless, human clinical research suggests that nutritional interventions, including amino acids, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and foods can have important effects on circulating glutathione which may translate to clinical benefit. Importantly, genetic variation is a modifier of glutathione status and influences response to nutritional factors that impact glutathione levels. This narrative review explores clinical evidence for nutritional strategies that could be used to improve glutathione status.

In this study on phytonutrients for glutathione support, you will learn:

1. Clinical conditions and diseases associated with glutathione.
2. The role of gene deletions and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)
3. Optimizing glutathione production with nutrients.
4. Preformed glutathione
5. N-Acetylcysteine (NAC)
6. Omega-3 fatty acids
7. Vitamins and other nutrients

Source: Minich DM, Brown BI. A Review of Dietary (Phyto)Nutrients for Glutathione Support. Nutrients. 2019 Sep 3;11(9). pii: E2073. doi: 10.3390/nu11092073. Review. PubMed PMID: 31484368.

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