Glutathione
/ Tripeptide; endogenous antioxidant (not a classical peptide hormone)ALIAS · GSH · L-γ-glutamyl-L-cysteinyl-glycine
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Widely used as an IV adjunct in alternative medicine practice. Oral bioavailability is notoriously poor. Limited rigorous RCT evidence for systemic benefits at clinically used doses.
Glutathione is an endogenous tripeptide (glutamate-cysteine-glycine) and the body's primary intracellular antioxidant. It participates in detoxification of xenobiotics and protection against oxidative stress via its cysteine sulfhydryl group.
Intravenous glutathione is commonly administered in alternative-medicine settings for claimed detox, skin lightening, and antioxidant effects. Rigorous controlled evidence for systemic antioxidant benefits at clinically used doses is limited. Oral bioavailability is extremely poor; liposomal formulations have modest improvements.
Regulatory status
- FDA status:
- Not FDA-approved
- Compounding:
- Compounding eligibility ambiguous
Endogenous glutathione is rigorously studied; exogenous supplementation claims often outrun the bioavailability and mechanism data. Skin-lightening IV glutathione practice has been flagged by regulators in multiple countries.