THE IMPORTANCE OF GLUTATHIONE: A NATURAL ANTIOXIDANT

Scientific Articles

THE IMPORTANCE OF GASTROPROTECTANT GLUTATHIONE IN ANTI-AGING FORMULATIONS

Glutathione is an important natural antioxidant and is produced by our body in the liver. It is also present in some foods, such as meats and vegetables. Glutathione is a tripeptide, composed of glutamic acid, cysteine and glycine. The presence of cysteine, with the thiol group (-SH), gives glutathione a remarkable ability to oxidize, an ability that is used in living systems to neutralize oxidizing substances such as oxygen radicals, preventing the latter from reacting to damage important biological molecules, such as enzymes or nucleic acids. In addition to performing this important function as a free molecule, glutathione can also be associated with certain enzymes for the purpose of detoxifying the body from oxidizing substances or restoring damage caused by oxidation on certain biological structures.

What is glutathione associated with?

There are two important classes of enzymes with which glutathione can be associated:

Glutathione peroxidases, which catalyze the reduction reaction of hydrogen peroxide (_H2O2) to water, removing this toxic substance from the body
Phospholipid-hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidases, which catalyze the reduction of an oxidized phospholipid by reactive oxygen species to its physiological form. Lipid peroxidation also produces as by-products highly reactive and carcinogenic aldehydes, such as propanal, hexanal, and malondialdehyde. These products, as well as in a broader sense the active oxygen radicals, contribute tocellular aging

Why antioxidants in anti-aging formulations?

The importance of antioxidant supplementation in solving this problem is undeniable. However, it also turns out to be true that, under normal conditions, dietary intake of glutathione does not allow its direct use: since it is a tripeptide, enzymes in the gastric juices would break it down into its constituent amino acids, forcing our body to consume energy to synthesize it from scratch.

Fortunately, there is a specific formulation, such as that found in ManAge CPS, in which glutathione is gastroprotected and is therefore able to reach the intestine completely intact. This allows it to be absorbed as such in its active form. This formulation has significant advantages in that it improves the bioavailability of the product and its speed of action, Glutathione being already in an active form and ready to oxidize when needed to perform its protective function.

Consequently, since glutathione is of vital importance in preventing damage from oxidant species by slowing cellular aging, an anti-aging formulation containing gastroprotected glutathione is ideal. Since this is a physiological antioxidant and already naturally present in our bodies, it greatly reduces the risks of allergic reactions, which may instead arise with the consumption of other exogenous antioxidants.