Health Benefits of Glutathione

Glutathione has become a very popular whitening agent. Many people most especially those from Asian countries, use it to achieve a lighter complexion. I, for one have used it and I can say it was effective with my type of skin. I usually take 1 tablet a day when I want my skin to be lighter. This usually happens when I have an event coming. However, Glutathione has more health benefits than just whiten our skin. It is a good antioxidant that helps our body fight the free-radicals accumulated in our system. It makes our liver stronger and cells healthier.

Glutathione is contained in every single cell in our body. It has been there since we were born. It is known as the body’s most powerful antioxidant. However, as we grow older, our body slowly becomes depleted of this substance in our cells. It plays a major role in our immune system. If we are depleted of this powerful antioxidant, our body won’t have a strong defense against illnesses and diseases. Glutathione is also needed by the oxygen that we breath in order to put them out.

With our daily exposure to harmful environmental pollutants, our body is in danger of accumulating these dangerous substances in our body, which are called free radicals. Due to the many demands at work and at home, we get so stressed out and with improper diet and lack of exercise, free radicals are made. The Reader’s Digest Medical Question and Answer Book explains that stress involves an individual’s physical and emotional reaction to pressure from his environment or from within himself. If we don’t have the strong defenses to fight against stress and diseases related to it and to our unhealthy diet, we are in danger of acquiring different diseases. Lack of sleep and the fatty, salty, sweet and junk foods that we eat will even worsen the problem. Some of the stress-related illnesses include peptic ulcer, migraine headaches, depression, ulcerative colitis, high blood pressure, stroke and heart attacks. Stress may not be the direct cause of these illnesses but researches believe that if you have a stressful life, there are bigger chances that you will develop these illnesses. Continued stress weakens the body’s immune system and thus the body may become less effective in fighting infections. Excessive stress may even led to the development of cancer.

Glutathione also protects our body from de-generating drugs, alcohol and tobacco smoke. It detoxifies the body of metals and helps in treating blood and liver disorders. It also helps diminish the side-effects of exposure to X-rays and chemotherapy. We may have thought that Glutathione is only for beauty purposes but it plays a major role in health and nutrition.