Take N.A.C. instead of glutathione.

NAC (N-Acetyl-Cysteine) is an altered form of the amino acid cysteine which gets converted to glutathione in the liver. Fully usable by the body as a potent anti-oxident.

Read "Detox or Die" by Sherry A. Rogers M.D. It has tons of info on how glutathione works in the body.

Bambam

L cystiene does raise levels of glutathione and should always be accompanied with vitamin c to stablize the molecule! Vitamin C itself also raises levels of glutathione ! I have seen this in other studies but this one is a study on hyperthyroidism wherein the levels of glutathione where raised with average doses of vitamin c!

Department of Biochemistry, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Turkey.

In this study the impact of vitamin C supplementation on oxidative damage as assessed by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and markers of antioxidant status: namely Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glutathione were investigated in 24 hyperthyroid patients under propylthiouracil therapy (3x100 mg/day) for five days and in 15 healthy controls. Ascorbic acid (1000 mg/day) was given as a supplement for 1 month to both the patients and controls during the study period. Heparinised blood samples were taken at the beginning and the end of one month ascorbic acid supplementation. Comparison of the hyperthyroid patients with the controls revealed higher lipid peroxidation (p<0.001), higher Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase activity (p<0.001), higher glutathione level (p<0.001) and lower glutathione reductase activity (p<0.001). Vitamin C supplementation to hyperthyroid patients caused significant increases in glutathione concentration (p<0.001) and glutathione peroxidase activity (p<0.001), whereas there were significant decreases in glutathione reductase (p<0.001) and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase activities (p<0.01). Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances/glutathione ratio were significantly decreased (p<0.01). Vitamin C supplementation to euthyroid controls caused significant increases in glutathione concentration (p<0.001) and glutathione peroxidase and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase activities (p<0.001), whereas there was a significant decrease in glutathione reductase (p<0.001). The thiobarbituric acid reactive substances/glutathione ratio was significantly decreased (p<0.05). Our findings reveal the potentiation of antioxidant status and a relief in oxidative stress in both propylthiouracil treated hyperthyroid patients and controls in response to vitamin C supplementation



http://www.lef.org/protocols/abstracts/vitaminc17.html

NAC is the precursor to Glutathione and seems to uptake into the system more efficiently as quickly transforming into Glutathione than mere use of supplemental Glutathione. I find NAC, N-Acetyl Cysteine, is the first thing I grab when I feel sick, quickly staving off colds and helpful in breaking up bronchial congestion as a mucolytic. Great stuff and great question.