Glutathione 101: Breaking Down This Anti-Aging Ingredient

Glutathione Breakdown: Your Questions Answered
Research shows that the naturally occurring, master antioxidant glutathione is a critical component of longevity and good health.

Research shows that the naturally occurring, master antioxidant glutathione is a critical component of longevity and good health. Now, leading skin care brands are using the same detoxifying power to fight the signs of aging.

As a key component to the continuous regeneration of healthy skin, glutathione plays a critical protective role. It works at regulating skin pigment, improving elasticity, reducing wrinkles and fighting against aging. 

Related: Top 5 Immunity Boosters for Winter

What is Glutathione Skin Care?

Glutathione skin care is a type of skin care that contains glutathione (GSH). Glutathione is a molecule that is present in every cell, where it works as a potent detoxifier and protector of cellular function. Nicknamed the “mother” or “master” antioxidant, it can help protect us from the harmful effects of oxidative stress which is linked to many skin issues like: acne, rosacea, psoriasis, eczema, age spots, blemishes, sunspots, redness, inflammation, wrinkles, fine lines and more.

What Are the Benefits From Glutathione in Skin Care?

Glutathione, a powerful antioxidant essential for the functioning of the immune system, also protects against environmental damage and helps repair skin cells at the cellular level. Glutathione can reduce signs of aging and detoxify the skin from damage. Below is how glutathione benefits the skin. 

  • Boosting Skin Health. Glutathione is responsible for disarming free radicals, recycling other antioxidants, and encouraging cell turnover and collagen production. Thus the skin is better able to heal from damage caused by UV rays, environmental toxins and aging.
  • Preventing or Reversing Signs of Skin Aging. Many products claim to help hide or treat things like forehead wrinkles, age spots or sagging skin. But, they do nothing to treat one of the main causes of skin aging: oxidative stress. By limiting free radical activity, glutathione lowers our oxidative stress and promotes healing. This protects skin elasticity, firmness, and plumpness, which in turn, prevents signs of premature aging like wrinkles, fine lines and sagging skin.
  • Brightening Overall Skin Tone and Trouble Spots. Another sure sign of oxidative stress is dull, dry skin. Since it’s one of the body’s main detoxifiers, glutathione plays an important role in creating an overall smoother and brighter appearance for the skin. GSH also blocks the activities of tyrosinase, the enzyme that creates melanin. Research shows this is an effective way to lighten dark spots from age, blemishes or scars. 
  • Improving Symptoms and Appearance of Inflammation. Acne and rosacea are some of the most common skin complaints. Studies suggest that severe acne is linked with lower GSH and higher oxidative stress, while people with rosacea use a great deal of GSH. As with skin aging, increasing glutathione fights these problems at their source, leading to improvement in skin function and appearance from the inside out. Even severe skin diseases like psoriasis show symptom improvement after supplementing amino acids, the building blocks of glutathione.

What Are the Best Glutathione Skin Care Products?

In recent years, more and more glutathione skin care products have hit the market. However, not all glutathione products are created the same. The best glutathione products come in a form that’s small enough to pass through the skin’s protective barrier. This type of glutathione uses sub-nanotechnology to deliver a highly absorbable form of reduced L-glutathione, which enables the glutathione molecule to absorb intact into the skin.

Nayan Patel, PharmD, founder of Auro Wellness and CEO of Central Drugs Compounding Pharmacy is a sought after pharmacist, wellness expert, and thought leader in his industry. He has been working with physicians since 1999 to custom develop medication for their clients and design a patient specific drug and nutrition regimen. Dr. Patel recently published his first comprehensive book, “The Glutathione Revolution: Fight Disease, Slow Aging & Increase Energy.” He is currently a licensed compounding pharmacist that is still involved in designing and compounding drugs and nutrition therapies for his patients that includes athletes, CEO’s, highly stressed actors, physicians themselves and the community where he has practiced for 25 years.

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