Do you know what’s the one thing in common between toxic chemicals, pollutants, preservatives, cigarette smoke, and ultraviolet light? They’re all behind the proliferation of free radicals in our bodies! Fortunately, antioxidants like glutathione come to our rescue and combat these free radicals at the atomic level. It’s therefore in our best interests to ensure our glutathione levels remain healthy. While there are many forms of glutathione delivery, liposomal glutathione is the best in terms of overall value. Scroll down to read the top 13 liposomal glutathione benefits everyone should know about!
13 Amazing Liposomal Glutathione Benefits
1. Better bioavailability compared to oral glutathione
If you’re thinking of supplementing with glutathione (GSH), then liposomal GSH is the best form factor. Why? Because ordinary oral GSH supplements are poorly absorbed by the body (1).
You take a pill/tablet/capsule expecting it to be fully absorbed by your body, but this is not the case with oral GSH. When it makes its way into your stomach, it’s going to get broken down and will not all be absorbed by the body.
Liposomal glutathione, on the other hand, has superior bioavailability thanks to liposome technology. This is essentially a microscopic glutathione delivery system (2). How does it work?
Well, glutathione is inserted into vesicles called liposomes, which are covered in a substance called phosphatidylcholine. Since phosphatidylcholine is found naturally in the body, our immune system does not see it as a threat and lets it pass through. This results in better absorption rates for liposomal glutathione over oral glutathione.
For even better absorption rates, our Intelligent Labs Liposomal Glutathione supplement uses patented Setria Glutathione from Japan. Setria liposomes are about 200 microns in diameter.
2. Liposomal glutathione gives you excellent value for your money
You buy supplements because you want to fill in whatever nutrients are lacking in your diet, right? So, if you’re taking a 500mg tablet, you’d expect the entire 500mg to be absorbed by the body. But as mentioned in point #1, this isn’t the case with oral GSH.
So, what does this mean? Well, let’s say the oral GSH you’re taking only has a 20%* absorption rate. This means that only 100mg of GSH is absorbed and the other 400mg is excreted by the body. Since you’re paying the full price, you’re essentially losing 80% of your money when supplementing with oral GSH!
For liposomal GSH, if you take a 500mg soft gel or the equivalent 5ml liquid dose, you can expect better absorption rates thanks to the use of liposome technology. So, let’s say liposomal GSH’s absorption rate is 70%.* While you’re still losing 30% of your money’s worth, this is still much better value than oral GSH!
Comparing liposomal GSH to intravenous GSH…
Now, some might say that intravenous or IV glutathione is the best when it comes to absorption rates. That may be correct, but it’s also very expensive. You need to get your GSH fix a couple of times a week – this will cost both time and money.
Plus, who wants to get stuck by a needle on a regular basis? I don’t! You may experience glutathione benefits much faster with an intravenous solution, but it’s just not a very practical option for many people.
*These figures are for illustration purposes only. Our bodies react differently to various nutrients and there is currently no way to measure the exact amount of GSH absorbed by the body.
3. Fights oxidative stress by neutralizing free radicals
Free radicals naturally exist in nature. It’s a byproduct of metabolic processes in the body as well as exposure to various pollutants. In small quantities, our body can quickly eliminate free radicals thanks to our built-in production of glutathione. However, when free radicals outnumber the good guys, it results in oxidative stress.
Oxidative stress can stress out your body in more ways than one. It can damage DNA, cells, and proteins in the body, which can lead to various health complications and diseases.
You can replenish your antioxidant supply by eating veggies and fruits. However, not everybody lives a healthy lifestyle and eat a balanced diet. So, supplementing with glutathione is the best option to help your body fight oxidative stress.
4. Liposomal glutathione also reduces inflammation
Oxidative stress can lead to inflammation. When there’s not enough antioxidants in the body, the inflammation can become chronic. This can lead to the development of disease.
Signs of chronic inflammation include fatigue, body pains, mood disorders, and frequent infections.
Fortunately, glutathione can treat inflammation by fighting oxidative stress. In one study, glutathione was able to treat lung disease brought about by inflammation (3).
5. Improves insulin sensitivity
People with insulin resistance have low glutathione levels (4). Since insulin resistance is linked to an increased risk in type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, it’s important for you to consider supplementing with GSH. Fortunately, this is one of many liposomal glutathione benefits – GSH will help improve your insulin sensitivity!
6. Regenerates other antioxidants like vitamins C and E
This is one of glutathione’s most notable properties. As the body’s master antioxidant, GSH is capable of regenerating other antioxidants – like Vitamins C and E – to help win its fight against free radicals (5).
7. Master detoxifier
Our body’s main detoxifier is the liver. Guess what’s found in huge quantities there? If you guessed glutathione, you’re right! GSH can protect us against toxic materials and pollutants.
So, how it works is that GSH molecules bind to these pollutants, e.g. alcohol, heavy metals, toxins, etc. and transforms them into water-soluble compounds. This conversion allows the pollutants to exit the body without causing further harm.
For heavy metal poisoning, however, the best course of treatment is intravenous glutathione as this offers maximum absorption (6). This gives the patient a much better chance of recovery as opposed to taking liposomal glutathione.
8. Have more energy throughout the day!
GSH protects the mitochondria (our cell’s powerhouse) from free radicals and oxidative damage. This allows the mitochondria to go on producing more energy for our cells. So, if you’ve been feeling sluggish lately, try taking liposomal glutathione!
9. Uplifts your mood
Low glutathione levels can lead to mood disorders like excessive anxiety and depression. Fortunately, there is evidence to suggest that by simply re-upping your body’s glutathione stores (either through food or supplements), these symptoms can be reversed and managed (7).
10. Improves brain health
GSH doesn’t just work on mood disorders, it also helps improve your brain health. As mentioned earlier, oxidative stress can cause a lot of damage to the body, including the brain.
People suffering from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder have low GSH levels in the brain. Fortunately, by supplementing with liposomal glutathione, these 3 conditions become a whole lot more manageable (8, 9, 10).
11. Boosts immunity
With all the liposomal glutathione benefits we’ve discussed so far, it’s natural to assume that GSH can also boost your immunity. But is this really the case?
When left uncontrolled, free radicals can do a lot of damage to our health. But by neutralizing them, you’re protecting your body from succumbing to these health problems (11).
With healthy GSH levels in your body, your immune system isn’t spread out so thinly. It can work more effectively at dealing with “intruders” as they come in contact with your body! This means you spend less time getting sick and more time enjoying life!
12. Lighter and younger-looking skin
Surprised? This is one of the more interesting side effects of taking glutathione supplements. GSH is a popular supplement in Asia, where the population is predominantly darker-skinned.
According to a 2017 study, Thai women taking glutathione have noticed improved skin elasticity, fewer wrinkles, and lighter complexion (12). A separate study done on Filipino women also showed the same results. 90% of the volunteers experienced less melanin pigmentation, which ultimately led to skin lightening (13).
13. Two convenient forms to choose from
That’s right – liposomal GSH comes in two forms. Liquid and soft gel. The soft gel form is convenient because the dosage is already measured out. All you have to do is pop one into your mouth, then wash it down with a glass of water.
The liquid form may be a bit finicky because you need to measure out your dose every time you take it. But the good thing is that you can easily control the dosage. For instance, if you don’t want to take the full 5ml, you can just do 2.5ml or 3ml. Likewise, if you want to go beyond the recommended dose, say 6ml or 7ml, you can do so as well. This isn’t possible with a soft gel formulation.
Conclusion
These liposomal glutathione benefits are nothing to scoff at – and this is just the tip of the iceberg! As more studies are done on glutathione, we may discover even more benefits to supplementing with nature’s master antioxidant.
