Glutathione
A real and important antioxidant. Whether injecting it does more than eating well is the open question.
Not approved anywhere
| What it is | A tripeptide of glutamate, cysteine and glycine. The body's main intracellular antioxidant. |
|---|---|
| How it is thought to work | Neutralises reactive oxygen species and supports phase II liver detoxification. |
| What the evidence actually shows | Its biological role is not in doubt. What is weakly evidenced is whether exogenous glutathione raises intracellular levels usefully — oral absorption is poor, and intravenous use has limited controlled evidence. |
| Regulatory status | Not an FDA-approved injectable drug. The FDA has warned specifically about injectable glutathione marketed for skin lightening. |
| Dosing | No approved dose. |
| In the catalog as |
Risks and cautions
- The FDA has issued warnings about injectable skin-lightening products containing glutathione, including contamination risk.
- Sterility matters enormously for anything injected.
Why this matters specifically with EDS
Oxidative stress and MCAS come up often in EDS discussion, which is where interest in glutathione comes from. The link between those observations and injecting glutathione has not been tested.
Before you act on any of this
This page describes what is known and what is not. It is not a recommendation to use anything, and it is not a protocol. Compounds listed as research chemicals are not approved medicines and are not sold for human use. Talk to a doctor who knows your history.