Do you recycle?

Glutathione is the body's most potent antioxidant, and it is essential for immune modulation.  In a perfect world, the body produces enough glutathione to keep everything operating smoothly; however, it becomes depleted in response to extreme or chronic stress.

Modern life bombards us with stressors, the most prevalent of which are ongoing insulin surges from sugary, high-carb diets, immune agitation from food intolerances, chronic gut infections (too much bad bacteria or parasites), hormonal imbalances, lack of sleep, and of course our hectic, information-overloaded lifestyles. Many people suffer from all of the above on a daily basis and may also smoke, drink excessively, or overtrain physically, exacerbating an already dangerous situation. Obviously, autoimmune disease is a significant stressor that further depletes the body's precious glutathione supply.

In fact, if the glutathione system is functioning properly, it may be challenging for the body to launch an autoimmune attack.

Increasing glutathione levels with a liposomal cream or intravenously, as glutathione consumed orally is ineffective, is a crucial stress-reduction strategy. However, these levels can be rapidly depleted if the body is unable to recycle glutathione to maintain a sufficient supply in response to the numerous stressors. Glutathione's duty is to absorb a projectile.

Before I can explain how glutathione recycling works, I must first elaborate on how glutathione specifically protects us. Glutathione is comparable to a bodyguard or Secret Service agent whose loyalty is so profound that she would leap in front of a bullet to save the life of the person she guards. When the body has enough of the correct form of glutathione to "take the bullet," there is no inflammatory response. However, glutathione depletion initiates a destructive inflammatory response.

Recycling of glutathione demonstrated

Recycling glutathione is a discrete function from simply increasing glutathione levels via liposomal cream, intravenously, nebulizer, suppository, or other means. These forms of glutathione delivery improve an individual's antioxidant status, but they do not increase intracellular glutathione levels. Glutathione is the primary antioxidant for mitochondria, the cellular factories that convert nutrients to energy. Depending on the cell's function, some cells have more mitochondria than others. This is significant because autoimmunity destroys mitochondria in affected cells, leading to tissue degeneration, and glutathione protects these mitochondria.

The difference between reduced glutathione and oxidized glutathione

But only reduced glutathione has this effect; other forms are ineffective. The body contains two primary forms of glutathione: reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG).

GSH, or reduced glutathione, is the bodyguard who "takes the hit" from cell-damaging free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that have unpaired electrons and are searching for another electron to take in order to become stable. They rob the mitochondria of electrons, destroying them and causing inflammation and degeneration.

However, when there is an abundance of GSH in the cell, the GSH sacrifice themselves to safeguard the mitochondria by throwing themselves in front of the free radicals. Thus, GSH acquires an unpaired electron and becomes unstable, subsequently transforming into GSSG, or oxidized glutathione, which is technically a free radical itself.

Does this not render GSSG hazardous to the cell? When there is sufficient glutathione in the cell, the unstable GSSG combines with available glutathione with the aid of an enzyme called glutathione reductase, reverting to its reduced glutathione state so that it is once again ready for action.

It is essential to note that two enzymes play crucial roles in these processes:

Glutathione peroxidase catalyzes the conversion of GSH to GSSG, whereby glutathione "takes the hit" to protect the cell.

The enzyme glutathione reductase catalyzes the conversion of GSSG to GSH.

These enzymes are considered when determining how to nutritionally support the glutathione system.

Poor glutathione recycling is associated with autoimmune disease.

A disruption in the glutathione system has been shown to correlate directly with autoimmune disease. The ability to continually recycle oxidized glutathione back into reduced glutathione is essential for managing autoimmunity.

Fortunately, various botanicals, nutritional compounds, and their cofactors have also been shown to activate glutathione reductase and the synthesis of reduced glutathione, according to studies. By increasing this enzyme and supplementing glutathione levels, we can increase glutathione levels and glutathione recycling to quell inflammation once it has begun, or even better, prevent inflammation from occurring in the first place.

In addition, studies have demonstrated that efficient glutathione recycling promotes the TH-3 immune system, which helps maintain TH-1 and TH-2 balance and prevent autoimmune reactivity. (My book explains the TH-1 and TH-2 immune mechanisms.) According to research, proper glutathione activity not only protects cells, but also modulates cell proliferation and immunity, and aids in tissue repair.

Glutathione recycling aids in leaky intestine repair

In another way, efficient glutathione recycling aids in the control of autoimmune conditions. I have observed that all of my autoimmune patients have compromised intestinal integrity. They all suffer from leaky gut to some degree, and repairing the intestine is essential to their recovery. According to studies, glutathione may play an essential role in gut barrier function and intestinal inflammation prevention.

A glutathione recycling system that is compromised can exacerbate intestinal deterioration; a person with multiple dietary sensitivities and a never-healing gut may be a victim of this mechanism. Although repairing a leaky gut is essential for taming an autoimmune response, glutathione recycling is now recognized as an essential component of restoring digestive health.

Contributing to glutathione recycling

How then can we promote glutathione recycling? Reduce the stressors that are depleting this vital system as a first step. The bulk of my thyroid book is devoted to this: balancing blood sugar, addressing food intolerances, restoring gut health, and managing adrenal function are foundational.

Other considerations include neurotransmitter and hormonal imbalances, which may necessitate the assistance of a trained medical professional. And of course making any lifestyle changes you can, such as getting enough sleep, paring down an overactive schedule, making exercise a priority each day, creating time to do things you enjoy, and so on.

Increasing glutathione recycling may be required if autoimmune dysfunction persists after these factors have been addressed (which, for many individuals, can actually resolve the problem). Researchers have discovered that certain botanicals and nutritional compounds support glutathione recycling pathways.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC): NAC is essential for glutathione activity. It is swiftly converted to glutathione within the cell.

Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA): ALA directly recycles and extends the metabolic life spans of vitamin C, glutathione, and coenzyme Q10, all of which are required for glutathione recycling, and indirectly renews vitamin E.

L-glutamine: According to research, l-glutamine is essential for the production of glutathione. It is readily accessible to glutathione biosynthesis.

Selenium: Selenium is an essential cofactor for the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which converts GSH to GSSG so that glutathione can "take the hit" from free radicals to protect cells.

Cordyceps has been demonstrated to stimulate glutathione and peroxidase synthesis in the body. It also protects cells by activating the glutathione enzyme cycle, as demonstrated.

Gotu kola (Centella Asiatica): Research unequivocally demonstrates that oral consumption of gotu kola increases the activity and quantity of glutathione peroxidase and the quantity of glutathione rapidly and dramatically.

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum): Milk thistle has been shown to substantially increase glutathione, superoxide dismutase (another potent antioxidant), and the ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione.

Together, these botanicals and compounds promote a healthy glutathione recycling system by activating the glutathione peroxidase and reductase enzymes.

I recommend these compounds to individuals with significant leaky gut as they work to repair leaky gut. Additionally, it is essential to use these alongside the liposomal glutathione ointment discussed in the book. These compounds operate more on recycling glutathione than boosting overall levels. This ensures that the glutathione you do take, whether through a lotion, an IV, a nasal spray, or another method, stays in your body longer and enters your cells, where it can perform its optimal function.

Recycled glutathione is essential for controlling autoimmune disease.

Promoting glutathione recycling protects cell mitochondria, improves tissue regeneration, modifies an imbalance between TH-1 and TH-2, and enhances immune regulation. The cumulative effect is to mitigate both the autoimmune response and tissue damage. It also promotes tissue regeneration and intestinal tract recovery. Keeping glutathione levels high by promoting glutathione recycling helps protect the body's cells from the numerous daily stressors.

I have witnessed patients reconstruct their glutathione recycling system alongside other practitioners. As a result they are much less or no longer sensitive to chemicals around them, they have fewer autoimmune flare-ups, and they recover much quicker from their flare-ups.