Glutathione-Fountain Of Youth

Every day your body is attacked by environmental toxins. They are in our food, water and even in the air. The primary movers to combat this are an antioxidant molecule called glutathione. They are in every cell of your body. They are called a tripeptide, as they are composed of three essential amino acids; cysteine, glutamic acid and glycine.

You hear about antioxidants daily and how they protect us from heart disease, cancer and a myriad of other diseases. While vitamin C is the most talked about antioxidant in the blood, vitamin E is vital in the cell membranes and lipoproteins. Within the interior of the cell, where the actual damage takes place, glutathione is the most important antioxidant. Glutathione circulates constantly through our body, neutralizing free radicals and removing toxins and waste products from our body.

Free radicals are created when our body goes through it’s normal metabolic process of converting food for energy to fuel your cells. A free radical is an unstable oxygen-containing molecule with an unpaired electron in it’s outer orbit. That single electron crashes around inside your cell desperately seeking to grab another electron. If it attaches to one the delicate balance of the cell is damaged. If the cell is damaged severely, or often enough, it will no longer work efficiently, may mutate or even die.

Thus far, scientists have identified two types of destructive free radicals; the hydroxyl and superoxide radicals. Two other types of oxygen-containing molecules, hydrogen peroxide and singlet oxygen, are just as dangerous to us. The human body fortunately has it’s own natural way to deal with all four of these dangerous villains.

The same process that creates free radicals also creates their antidote. The energy-producing process creates the antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD). These enzymes attack the free radicals in your cells almost as soon as they are formed. They nutralize the destructive free electrons in the oxygen molecule so they can be eliminated from the body easily.

Glutathione is the most important and abundant antioxidant substance in the body. This powerful and incredible antioxidant is your built-in defense mechanism against the ravaging effects of free radicals. It plays a critical role in the removal of metabolic wastes and locating and eliminating toxic substances. These are things like heavy metals and other environmental poisons. It also helps to keep cell membranes strong as well as transports vital amino acids into the cells.

Glutathione was discovered in 1888, but not until the 1920s and 30s were researchers able to unlock some of it’s mysteries. In the beginning stages most of the research was focused on the eye, in particular the lens. This initial research was valuable. Glutathione deficiency is directly attritubutable to eye problems such as cataracts and macular degeneration. A lack of glutathione can lead to disturbance of your body’s ability to detoxify itself. This can lead to cancer, heart disease, joint problems and serious imbalances in your nervous system, endocrine and immune system.

If you are basically healthy, your body’s metabolic processes maintain a natural redox balance. It will quickly neutralize free radicals with antioxidants. This balance can be disrupted from stress, fighting an infection, inflammation, sick or healing from an injury. Free radicals are also created from unavoidable exterior contaminants: alcohol, ultraviolet light, heavy metals like mercury, air pollution, food additives, pesticides and other environmental poisons. Even though glutathione circulates through your system searching for free radicals and toxic wastes, the balance can tip in favor of the invaders.

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