Hey, diet alone wont work either i dont think. Just most things ive read seem to imply they dont work at rectifying the deficiency.

But undenatured whey protein is meant to be good not sure though havent read enough yet.

This is def an instramental factor in illness just i think the last time i looked over it because i couldnt find the answers.

So...is it recommended to buy a glutathione supplement, or not to? What do you all think? Just wondering if I should or not...after reading this.

From what I've read, there are L-gluathione products, but they say they are the ones that aren't utilized- but the other amino acids/vitamins/minerals will work together to boost the gluathione production. I've read where people get the gluathione IV.

It's something that naturally depletes as we age--but looking back now, I'm pretty sure my liver problems started 9 years ago, when I was spraying potent herbicides with no protection (dumb) for my work for 2 summers...and I lived on coffee, was stressed out from a divorce, being hundreds of miles from my kids, not eating well, worrying about finances--taking anti-depressants--and since then have found I also have Epstein Barr, Cytomegalovirus, and the Rocky Mtn Spotted Fever from a tick bite 40 years ago..is still active. Lots of co-factors in most of our health issues--but only recently have I found how important these essential things for the liver are.

Put in a search for "gluathione production" and you will find the same common things are needed for it to work all together (synergistically) as it needs to. And I have found different products that have all of them in it together--like the Livatone Plus
http://www.liverdoctor.com

But, there are other products you can find too--or you can take them seperately.
NAC comes up on every piece of info I've found- as an antioxidant and Cysteine, as does L-glutamine, and L-taurine for sulphur, Inositol/choline (which is also in lecithin), B-6, B-12, folic acid- and B5 (calcium pantothenate), TMG trimethylglycine (glycine) methionine (which is what SAMe is), milk thistle, zinc, molybdenum, magnesium, vitamin C.


I found a chart that tells some of what is needed for the "methylation" process- there's some things I think are missing in it, like seleniummethionine) but it helps show the process of how the homocysteines are converted.


http://www.nutriwest.com/articles/homovmsm.htm



http://www.enzymestuff.com/methylation.htm






http://www.suffernomore.com/detox.html

>>>>>It is responsible for the production of bile which is stored in the gallbladder and released when required for the digestion of fats.
The liver stores glucose in the form of glycogen which is converted back to glucose again when needed for energy.
It also plays an important role in the metabolism of protein and fats. It stores the vitamins A, D, K, B12 and folate and synthesizes blood clotting factors.
Another important role is as a detoxifier, breaking down or transforming substances like ammonia, metabolic waste, drugs, alcohol and chemicals, so that they can be excreted. These may also be referred to as "xenobiotic" chemicals. If we examine the liver under a microscope, we will see rows of liver cells separated by spaces which act like a filter or sieve, through which the blood stream flows. The liver filter is designed to remove toxic matter such as dead cells, microorganisms, chemicals, drugs and particulate debris from the blood stream. The liver filter is called the sinusoidal system, and contains specialized cells known as Kupffer cells which ingest and breakdown toxic matter.



Phase One - Detoxification Pathway
Human liver cells possess the genetic code for many isoenzymes of P-450 whose synthesis can be induced upon exposure to specific chemicals. This provides a mechanism of protection from a wide variety of toxic chemicals.

To put it simply, this pathway converts a toxic chemical into a less harmful chemical. This is achieved by various chemical reactions (such as oxidation, reduction and hydrolysis), and during this process free radicals are produced which, if excessive, can damage the liver cells. Antioxidants (such as vitamin C and E and natural carotenoids) reduce the damage caused by these free radicals. If antioxidants are lacking and toxin exposure is high, toxic chemicals become far more dangerous. Some may be converted from relatively harmless substances into potentially carcinogenic substances.

Excessive amounts of toxic chemicals such as pesticides can disrupt the P-450 enzyme system by causing over activity or what is called 'induction' of this pathway. This will result in high levels of damaging free radicals being produced.

Substances that may cause overactivity (or induction) of the P- 450 enzymes: Caffeine, Alcohol, Dioxin, Saturated fats, Organophosphorus pesticides, Paint fumes, Sulfonamides, Exhaust fumes, Barbiturates

The family of P-450 enzyme systems is quite diverse, with specific enzyme systems being inducible by particular drugs, toxins or metabolites. It is this characteristic that has allowed the development of special tests to check the function of the various pathways - see liver tests. The substrate is the substance that is acted upon by the enzyme.

Substrates of cytochrome P-450 enzymes:
Theophylline, caffeine, phenacetin, acetaminophen, Lidocaine, erythromycin, cyclosporin, ketoconazole, testosterone, estradiol, cortisone, Alprenolol, bopindolol, carvedilol, metoprolol, propranolol , Amitriptyline, clomipramine, desipramine, nortriptyline , Codeine, dextrometh- orphan, ethylmorphine, 4-methoxyamphetamin Family Phenytoin, ibuprofen, naproxen, oxicam drugs, S-warfarin, Diazepam, hexobarbitone, imipramine, omeprazole, alcohol, chlorzoxazone, enflurane.



Phase Two - Detoxification Pathway
This is called the conjugation pathway, whereby the liver cells add another substance (eg. cysteine, glycine or a sulphur molecule) to a toxic chemical or drug, to render it less harmful. This makes the toxin or drug water-soluble, so it can then be excreted from the body via watery fluids such as bile or urine.

Major Phase II pathways include glutathione, sulfate, glycine, and glucuronide conjugations. Individual xenobiotics and metabolites usually follow one or two distinct pathways. Again, this makes testing of the various pathways possible by challenging with known substances.

The conjugation molecules are acted upon by specific enzymes to catalyse the reaction step. Through conjugation, the liver is able to turn drugs, hormones and various toxins into excretable substances. For efficient phase two detoxification, the liver cells require sulphur-containing amino acids such as taurine and cysteine. The nutrients glycine, glutamine, choline and inositol are also required for efficient phase two detoxification. Eggs and cruciferous vegetables (eg. broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower), and raw garlic, onions, leeks and shallots are all good sources of natural sulphur compounds to enhance phase two detoxification. Thus, these foods can be considered to have a cleansing action. The phase two enzyme systems include both UDP-glucuronyl transferase (GT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GSH-T). Glutathione is the most powerful internal antioxidant and liver protector. It can be depleted by large amounts of toxins and/or drugs passing through the liver, as well as starvation or fasting. Phase II reactions may follow Phase I for some molecules or act directly on the toxin or metabolite.

Substrates of the glycine pathway
Salicylates and benzoate are detoxified primarily through glycination. Benzoate is present in many food substances and is widely used as a food preservative. Many other substances are detoxified as well via the glycine conjugation pathway. Patients suffering from xenobiotic overloads and environmental toxicity may not have sufficient amounts of glycine to cope with the amount of toxins they are carrying.

Substrates of the sulfation pathways
Neurotransmitters, steroid hormones, certain drugs such as Acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol) ,and many xenobiotic and phenolic compounds.

Substrates of glucuronidation
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, steroid hormones, some nitrosamines, heterocyclic amines, some fungal toxins, and aromatic amines. It also removes "used" hormones, such as estrogen and T4 (thyroid hormone) that are produced naturally by the body.

Toxic Overload
If the phase one and two detoxification pathways become overloaded, there will be a build up of toxins in the body. Many of these toxins are fat soluble and incorporate themselves into fatty parts of the body where they may stay for years, if not for a lifetime. The brain and the endocrine (hormonal) glands are fatty organs, and are common sites for fat-soluble toxins to accumulate. This may result in symptoms of brain dysfunction and hormonal imbalances, such as infertility, breast pain, menstrual disturbances, adrenal gland exhaustion and early menopause. Many of these chemicals (eg. pesticides, petrochemicals) are carcinogenic and have been implicated in the rising incidence of many cancers.

Rarely does anyone think about the liver, which seems incredible to me because it is such a powerful organ and is easily improved. Indeed the simplest and most effective way to cleanse the blood stream and thus take the load off the immune system is by improving liver function. An example of the phase one pathway is the Cytochrome P-450 mixed function oxidase enzyme pathway. These enzymes reside on the membrane system of the liver cells (called Hepatocytes).

http://www.autoimmunityresearch.org/lyme-disease



Detoxifying and Excreting the Toxins of Borrelia

Borrelia produce numerous toxic BLPs. These toxins are important because they trigger many harmful responses in the body including the inflammation that is damaging to healthy tissue, and cause the dysfunction of the immune system. These toxins are fat-soluble lipoproteins and are very difficult to rid the body of. The body normally detoxifies fat-soluble substances in the liver and excretes them from the bile. Unfortunately, the toxins appear to be reabsorbed from the gut and circulate back into the body.

Treatments designed to aid the body in eliminating these toxins is a very important part of a complete and comprehensive Lyme disease therapy.

Glutathione is the most important detoxifying agent in the body to get rid of undesirable toxins such as BLPs produced by borrelia. It forms a soluble compound with the toxin that can then be excreted through the urine or the gut. The liver and kidneys contain high levels of glutathione as they have the greatest exposure to toxins. The lungs are also rich in glutathione partly for the same reason. Glutathione is a small molecule found in almost every cell. It cannot enter most cells directly. Instead glutathione must be synthesized inside the cell from its three constituent amino acids: glycine, glutamate and cysteine. The rate at which glutathione can be made depends on the availability of cysteine, which is relatively scarce in foodstuffs. Furthermore, the cysteine molecule has a sulfur-containing portion which gives the whole glutathione molecule its ‘biochemical activity’, i.e. its ability to carry out its vitally important functions. Glutathione is the major antioxidant produced by the cell, protecting it from ‘free radicals’ (‘oxygen radicals’, ‘oxyradicals’). These highly reactive substances, if left unchecked, will damage or destroy key cell components (e.g. membranes, DNA) in microseconds. Oxyradicals are generated in the many thousand mitochondria located inside each cell, where nutrients like glucose are burnt using oxygen to make energy. (Mitochondria can be thought of as the batteries that provide the power for the cells to operate). High levels of oxyradicals are also generated from inflammation or immune dysfunctions such as in chronic LD.

Thus, glutathione is required in many of the intricate steps needed to carry out an immune response. For example, it is needed for the lymphocytes to multiply in order to develop a strong immune response, and for ‘killer’ lymphocytes to be able to kill undesirable cells such as cancer cells or virally infected cells. The importance of glutathione cannot be overstated. It has multiple roles as indicated and, indeed, as one examines each system or organ more closely, the necessity for glutathione becomes increasingly evident. Glutathione values decline with chronic disease and age. Higher values in older people are seen to correlate with better health, underscoring the importance of this remarkable substance for maintaining a healthy, well-functioning body.


The two dietary supplements, undenatured whey proteins and NAC (N-acetyl-cysteine), are the best cost effective way to increases the production of intracellular glutathione.



The biliary system gives us a chance to trap the toxins while they are in the gut. Substances that trap fat-soluble compounds can be taken orally to do this. Care must be taken not to use these chronically because they can have side effects and reduce the absorption of healthy fat soluble vitamins and nutrients.

Chlorella

Very effective detoxifier

Stimulates the immune system

Contains growth factors that stimulate the regeneration of damaged tissues.



Chitosan: a shellfish fiber that traps lipids.

Bentonite: is a clay-like substance that attracts lipophilic compounds

Apple Pectin:


Cholestyramine (Questran or Cholistad): a prescriiption that traps lipophilic compounds. Cholestyramine can cause constipation as a side effect.

Milk Thistle: Is probably the best herb that helps the liver detoxify and excrete bile.

Exercise & Sauna: increases the production of bile and mobilizes lipids. Heat therapy is a very effective detoxifying therapy.

Scrubing skin with sponges or brushes enhances the skins ability to remove toxins.

Using fiber (psyllium) to scrub the GI tract removes dead epithelial cells that contain toxins.

NAC (N-acetyl-cysteine): The best supplement that increases the production of glutathione, which is used in detoxification.

Taurine: An amino acid that aids in detoxification by providing a good source of sulfur.


(Hadn't heard of monolaurin (Lauricidin) before- anyone ever used it?)
>>>>Lauricidin -- The monoglyceride of lauric acid is called monolaurin. The concentrated form of monolaurin has potent antibacterial properties. While nontoxic and approved as a direct food additive by the FDA, monolaurin adversely affects bacteria, yeast, fungi, and enveloped viruses. It damages the cell membrane of pathogenic bacteria.



http://www.lauricidin.com

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Glutathione (USH)
Glutathione is an important antioxidant amino acid which protects against mercury toxicity. Glutathione is a tripeptide, made from the combination of three amino acids; L-glycine, L-glutaniic acid, and L-cysteine. Studies have shown that GSH levels are decreased during cases of mercury toxicity. It is interesting to note that GSH deficiency resulting from genetic errors mimic the acute mercury toxicity effects of Minamata disease. Without adequate OSH, mercury from the environment cannot be detoxified and eliminated.


http://www.nzhealth.net.nz/poisons/mercury2.shtml