Glutathione:Benefits, Biosynthesis and Side effects

Glutathione is a tripeptide found in relatively high concentrations in many bodily tissues. It plays a pivotal role in reducing oxidative stress, maintaining redox balance, enhancing metabolic detoxification, and regulating the immune system.

Benefits

Glutathione is one of the most abundant endogenous antioxidants found in the body and plays an important role in maintaining exogenous antioxidants (ie, vitamins C and E) in their active reduced roles.^[1] It is produced in the liver and synthesized from cysteine, glutamic acid, and glycine. Glutathione also functions as a detoxification agent of carcinogens and harmful foreign compounds.

Glutathione is involved in tissue building and repair, making chemicals and proteins needed in the body, and in immune system function.

Biosynthesis

Glutathione biosynthesis involves two adenosine triphosphate-dependent steps:

First, γ-glutamylcysteine is synthesized from L-glutamate and L-cysteine. This conversion requires the enzyme glutamate–cysteine ligase (GCL, glutamate cysteine synthase). This reaction is the rate-limiting step in glutathione synthesis.^[2]

Second, glycine is added to the C-terminal of γ-glutamylcysteine. This condensation is catalyzed by glutathione synthetase.

Side effects

A diet rich in glutathione-boosting foods does not generally pose any risks. Possible side effects may include:

abdominal cramps

bloating

trouble breathing due to bronchial constriction

allergic reactions, such as rash

Reference

[1] Edmund Y. Ko MD , Edmund S. Sabanegh MD.“The Role of Nutraceuticals in Male Fertility.” Urologic Clinics of North America 41 1 (2014): Pages 181-193.

[2]White CC, Viernes H, Krejsa CM, Botta D, Kavanagh TJ (July 2003). "Fluorescence-based microtiter plate assay for glutamate-cysteine ligase activity". Analytical Biochemistry. 318 (2): 175–180. doi:10.1016/S0003-2697(03)00143-X.