Glutathione (pronounced 'gloota-thigh-own') is the body's essential health ABC's - Antioxidant, Blood Booster and Cell Detoxifer.

As a tripeptide composed of glutamic, cysteine and glycine,this substance is found in all cells in the body, including the bile, the epithelial lining fluid of the lungs, and - at much smaller concentrations - in the blood.

Glutathione is the smallest intracellular non-protein thiol (molecule containing an S_H or sulfhydryl group) molecule in the cells. This characteristic emphasizes its potent antioxidant action and supports a multifaceted thiol exchange system, which regulates cell activity.

This small protein, produced naturally in the body, maintains these three crucial protective functions. In fact, your life depends on this amazing substance. Without it, your cells would disintegrate from unrestrained oxidation, your body would have little resistance to metabolic acids, and your liver would shrivel up from the eventual accumulation of acidic toxins.

Glutathione is not yet a household word. Even some medical and holistic doctors who have heard the term may still have only a vague idea of what it is. However, everyone will soon be talking about this critical non-nutritive substance.

There was a time when only scientists had heard of cholesterol and vitamins, but today, everyone knows about them. Now the magnificence of glutathione is becoming known.

In the last five years, over 25,000 medical articles about this substance have been published, and the scientific understanding of glutathione is gradually becoming common knowledge.

Each and every cell in the body is responsible for its own supply of GSH and must have the necessary raw materials in order to produce it. GSH is always in great demand and is rapidly consumed when we experience any sort of emotional or physical stress, fatigue and even moderate exercise.

Some well-known causes of glutathione depletion are as follows:

Hectic lifestyle and diet, air and water pollution, prescription and recreational drugs, ultraviolet light and radiation from mobile phones, computers, electrical cars, power lines, hair dryers, etc. Emotional and physical stress, injury, trauma or burns cigarette smoke, household chemicals, acetaminophen poisoning not to forget exhaust from motor vehicles.

The Master Antioxidant

Over the past thirty years, researchers have explored the role of antioxidants in good health as well as the treatment and prevention of diseases involving oxidation or fermentation by metabolic acids.

Well known and widely used antioxidants such as vitamin A, vitamin E and selenium neutralize acid. They occur naturally in nature, but not in the body. They must be introduced as part of a balanced diet.

Given the critical role of antioxidants in good health, it is not surprising that the body itself manufactures its own natural antioxidants. The most important of these is glutathione. Because all other antioxidants depend upon the presence of GSH to function properly, scientists call it 'the master antioxidant.'

Glutathione binds to toxins, forming a water-soluble complex - which is ultimately excreted in the urine or bile as waste.

Food for the Blood

Elevated GSH levels enable the body to produce more white blood cells. White blood cells are the body's garbage collectors and are the most important cells for maintaining sterility of the body fluids.

Glutathione plays a central role in the proper function of the white blood cells. Dr. Bustavo Bounous, a leading glutathione expert, says, 'The limiting factor in the proper activity of our lymphocytes (the white blood cells) is the availability of glutathione.' In other words, healthy growth and activity of the white blood cells depends upon glutathione's availability. Put simply, GSH is 'food' for the white blood cells.

Cellular Detoxifier

Whether we know it or not, we are continually inhaling and ingesting natural and synthetic acidic toxins. They are unavoidable in these modern times both in our polluted cities and our poorly engineered food supplies. When the body has the health and the nourishment it needs, it works tirelessly to eliminate acidic toxins and to protect itself.

But, increasing levels of environmental pollution are depleting the body's store of glutathione more and more rapidly.

Our main organ of detoxification of acidic waste products is the lymphatic system and the liver. This is the body's most concentrated source of glutathione.

Studies show that low GSH levels lead to poor lymphatic and liver function, causing more and more acidic toxins to circulate through the body and resulting in damage to individual cells and organs.

One of the obvious responses many people have to reading an article like this, is to start taking supplements which contain glutathione or indeed eat foods which are known to have a high level of antioxidants such as dark chocolate or red berries.However the problem with this is that the body's digestive system tends to break down and destroy these glutathione supplements and or antioxidants before they have any chance of being fully absorbed into the body's cells.

So what is the solution? Well, you should consider taking a type of supplement known as a " glutathione accelerator" - this type of supplement is not glutathione itself but contains a formula which allows every cell in the body to increase and speed up its own supply of GSH.