What has glutathione research looked at?

Human trials of intravenous and oral glutathione measuring oxidative-stress markers, body stores and, in a Parkinson’s pilot, motor scores, with mixed and sometimes null results. Oral absorption is debated. The cited studies are above.

A tripeptide of glutamate, cysteine and glycine (GSH), the cell’s main intracellular antioxidant.

Glutathione research: what the studies have looked at

Q: Is glutathione an approved medicine?

It is sold as a supplement and given intravenously in some clinics, but it is not an approved medicine for most marketed uses. We supply it for laboratory research only.

This page summarises the published research on glutathione, for reference. It sets out what each study investigated and in what model, not an outcome for any person, and it is not medical advice. The material we supply is a research chemical for laboratory use only.

What glutathione is

Glutathione is a tripeptide of glutamate, cysteine and glycine (often written GSH) that every cell makes and uses as its main intracellular antioxidant and as a substrate for detoxification enzymes. It is sold in some markets as an oral supplement and given intravenously in some clinics, but it is not an approved medicine for most of the uses it is marketed for, and how well an oral dose reaches the body’s stores is still debated in the literature. The studies below reflect that mixed picture.

What the studies investigated

Saitoh et al. (2011), Heart and Vessels 26(5):465-472. Human, randomised, chronic kidney disease. Investigated intravenous glutathione against N-acetylcysteine and reported changes in markers of oxidative stress Source.

Richie et al. (2015), European Journal of Nutrition 54(2):251-263. Human, randomised, healthy adults. Investigated oral glutathione over six months and reported changes in body stores of glutathione Source.

Hauser et al. (2009), Movement Disorders 24(7):979-983. Human, pilot, Parkinson’s disease. Investigated intravenous glutathione and reported no statistically significant difference in motor scores versus placebo (a largely negative result) Source.

Mechanism, as described in the literature

Glutathione is well established biochemically as a redox buffer and a cofactor for the enzymes that conjugate and clear reactive compounds inside cells. That is cell biology, not a health claim: the human trials above measured oxidative-stress markers, body stores and, in one case, motor symptoms, with mixed and sometimes null results, and the popular claims made for it (for skin lightening, "detox" or disease treatment) are not supported by them. Oral absorption in particular remains contested.

The material we supply

We supply glutathione as a research chemical, released against a written specification with a batch certificate of analysis. It is not a medicine and is not for human or animal use. For the vial sizes, the price per mg and how to order, see where to buy glutathione wholesale; the COA lookup pulls the certificate for any batch. The references above link to each study’s record; this summary is for research and educational reference only.