Often called the mother or master antioxidant, glutathione is found in every single cell in your body. The powerful molecule helps keep your cells running smoothly and plays a role in fighting off essentially every disease of aging.
Glutathione (GSH) is unique, because unlike other antioxidants it’s intracellular. It neutralizes dangerous free radicals, boosts immunity, helps to convert food to energy and gives your liver a hand eliminating toxins all from inside your cells.
Unfortunately, GSH naturally declines as we age. Which means just when you need it the most glutathione could be dipping. But the good news is you can naturally boost your levels of this remarkable age-blocker with some surprisingly simple additions to your diet.
Raise your drooping GSH starting today by adding the following foods to your shopping list…
1. Whey powder:
Whey powder is a simple and effective way to encourage your body to start making more glutathione. Whey, one of the two proteins found in milk, can be blended into smoothies, yogurt, steel-cut oatmeal and more. The powder is rich in glutamate, cysteine and glycine three amino acids that can help raise the production of GSH.1,2
In a study published in the journal Nutrition, glutathione levels shot up over 30 percent in a group of folks taking whey protein.3 And in another study, volunteers taking 45 grams of the supplement a day had a 24 percent rise in the mother antioxidant.4
Look for a brand that’s cold-pressed, comes from grass-fed animals and is free of sweeteners and other additives for the best results. You can find whey powders online or in natural food or vitamin stores.
2. Broccoli:
Cruciferous veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage, as well as allium veggies such as garlic and onions, aren’t just delicious they could help you roll back the clock too. Research reveals the sulforaphane in these veggies can help restore declining glutathione levels5 by ramping up your body’s absorption of cysteine, according to a study published in the journal Redux Biology.6
But keep in mind cooking your broccoli reduces the amount of myrosinase the enzyme that triggers the production of sulforaphane.7 So to get the most bang for your buck eat your veggies raw or lightly steam them for about five minutes.
3. Red bell pepper:
Veggies high in vitamin C, such as red bell peppers, can send your glutathione levels soaring.
In one study, folks taking 500 mg of vitamin C for two weeks had their GSH levels shoot up nearly 50 percent.8 In another study, published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, four weeks of vitamin C supplementation raised the GSH in red blood cells by 28 percent.9 And in volunteers with a vitamin C deficiency GSH levels climbed an average of 18 percent after supplementing with vitamin C for 13 weeks.10
Experts believe vitamin C helps boost glutathione in two different ways. It spares the GSH by attacking damaging free radicals first. And second it recycles certain compounds back into GSH producing more of the potent antioxidant.
Adding more vitamin C rich foods to your diet can help you effortlessly raise your glutathione levels. Other foods brimming with C include yellow bell peppers, green peppers, strawberries, kale, kiwi, guava, broccoli and grapefruit.
Begin “aging backwards” by boosting your levels of potent glutathione starting today.
References:
1. “Open-labeled pilot study of cysteine-rich whey protein isolate supplementation for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis patients,” J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2009 Jun;24(6):1045-50
2. “Whey protein enhances normal inflammatory responses during cutaneous wound healing in diabetic rats,” Lipids Health Dis. 2011 Dec 14;10:235
3. “An open-label dose-response study of lymphocyte glutathione levels in healthy men and women receiving pressurized whey protein isolate supplements,” Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2007 Sep;58(6):429-36
4. “Early enteral nutrition with whey protein or casein in elderly patients with acute ischemic stroke: a double-blind randomized trial,” Nutrition. 2011 Apr;27(4):440-4
5. “Sulforaphane Restores Cellular Glutathione Levels and Reduces Chronic Periodontitis Neutrophil Hyperactivity In Vitro,” PLoS One. 2013 Jun 24.; 8(6): e66407
6. “Effect of Nrf2 activators on release of glutathione, cysteinylglycine and homocysteine by human U373 astroglial cells,” Redox Biol. 2013 Sep 12;1:441-5
7. “Disposition of glucosinolates and sulforaphane in humans after ingestion of steamed and fresh broccoli,” Nutr Cancer. 2000;38(2):168-78
8. “Vitamin C elevates red blood cell glutathione in healthy adults,” Am J Clin Nutr July 1993, vol. 58 no. 1 103-105
9. “The effect of pharmacological supplementation with vitamin C on low-density lipoprotein oxidation,” Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1997 Jul;44(1):94-7
10. “Vitamin C augments lymphocyte glutathione in subjects with ascorbate deficiency,” Am J Clin Nutr January 2003, vol. 77 no. 1 189-195
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