Longevity & bioregulatorsPeptideEvidence B3 cited

Glutathione

L-Glutathione (GSH)

aka GSH · L-glutathione · gamma-glutamylcysteinylglycine

Research describes glutathione as the body's primary endogenous antioxidant, studied for oxidative stress reduction and skin brightening.

Molecular wt

307.33g/mol

Formula

C10H17N3O6S

CAS

70-18-8

Half-life

15 min

clinical

Tmax

6 min

PubChem

124886

Sequence

Read this before quoting the sequence

NOT a conventional research peptide and NOT a standard tripeptide. Glutathione (GSH) is an endogenous tripeptide in which the glutamate is joined to cysteine through its SIDE-CHAIN gamma-carboxyl group, not through the alpha-carboxyl that forms normal peptide bonds. A one-letter string such as 'ECG' would therefore be actively wrong and is deliberately omitted. The gamma linkage is what makes GSH resistant to most peptidases; only gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase cleaves it. The reactive cysteine thiol is what carries its antioxidant function, and it oxidises to the disulfide dimer GSSG (glutathione disulfide). PubChem CID 124886 is the reduced form (GSH); the IUPAC name confirms the gamma linkage: '(2S)-2-amino-5-[[(2R)-1-(carboxymethylamino)-1-oxo-3-sulfanylpropan-2-yl]amino]-5-oxopentanoic acid'.

Source ↗

Mechanism of action

Glutathione acts as a powerful antioxidant by neutralizing free radicals and reactive oxygen species, thereby protecting cells from oxidative stress. It also plays a crucial role in detoxification processes by conjugating with toxins to make them more water-soluble for excretion. Additionally, glutathione is involved in regenerating other antioxidants like vitamin C and E, and supports immune function by maintaining the redox state of cells.

What the evidence actually shows

Grade B

Several human trials have investigated glutathione's effects, showing benefits in reducing oxidative stress and improving skin health. However, the evidence is mixed regarding its efficacy in immune support and detoxification, with some studies showing limited effects. More large-scale, controlled trials are needed to confirm these benefits.

Regulatory status

Status

Endogenous human tripeptide, not an approved systemic drug in the US. A search of Drugs@FDA for products with glutathione as an active ingredient returns only two records, both for glutathione DISULFIDE as a component of the ophthalmic irrigating solution BSS PLUS (NDA 018469, marketing status Prescription) and an associated discontinued application. There is no approved US drug product containing reduced glutathione for systemic use. Reduced glutathione is widely sold in the US as a dietary supplement.

Clinical stage

Multiple small randomized human trials of oral and intravenous glutathione exist (see references); no product has progressed to approval for a systemic therapeutic indication.

WADA

Not named anywhere on the WADA 2026 Prohibited List. As an endogenous nutrient/dietary ingredient rather than an unapproved pharmacological agent, the S0 catch-all is not a straightforward fit; no source was found addressing glutathione's status directly, so nothing further is asserted.

research_compound

In the UK, glutathione is not licensed as a medicinal product and is primarily used as a research compound.

Source ↗

Pharmacokinetics

Half-life

15 min

Tmax

6 min

Absorption

Elimination

hepatic

Washout

1 days

Low-confidence pharmacokinetics

These figures are recorded as clinical rather than measured in a published PK study. Treat them as an order of magnitude. Anything downstream of them — accumulation, steady state, washout — inherits that uncertainty.

Dosing — what backs each figure

Glutathione has real human dosing data, but it splits by route: oral supplementation trials used 250-1,000 mg/day for 3 weeks to 6 months and do raise body GSH stores, while the only controlled intravenous regimens come from Parkinson's disease research (1,400 mg IV three times weekly for 4 weeks; 600 mg IV twice daily for 30 days) - and the randomised one showed no significant clinical benefit. Intravenous glutathione for skin lightening has no supporting evidence and prompted a safety advisory from the Philippine FDA.

ClinicalApproved labelling or a published human trial

Intravenous glutathione 1,400 mg or placebo three times a week for 4 weeks; well tolerated, no significant difference in UPDRS change versus placebo
21 patients with Parkinson's disease inadequately controlled on current medication; randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot · intravenous
Hauser RA et al. Randomized, double-blind, pilot evaluation of intravenous glutathione in Parkinson's disease. Mov Disord 2009 ↗
Reduced glutathione 600 mg intravenously twice daily for 30 days, open label, then discontinued with follow-up
9 patients with early untreated Parkinson's disease · intravenous
Sechi G et al. Reduced intravenous glutathione in the treatment of early Parkinson's disease. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 1996 ↗
Oral glutathione 250 mg/day or 1,000 mg/day for 6 months; raised erythrocyte, plasma and lymphocyte GSH by 30-35% at the high dose, returning to baseline after a 1-month washout
54 healthy non-smoking adults, randomised double-blind placebo-controlled · oral
Richie JP et al. Randomized controlled trial of oral glutathione supplementation on body stores of glutathione. Eur J Nutr 2015 ↗
Oral glutathione 500 mg/day in two divided doses for 4 weeks; significant reduction in melanin index at 2 of 6 sites
60 healthy adults, randomised double-blind placebo-controlled · oral
Arjinpathana N, Asawanonda P. Glutathione as an oral whitening agent: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Dermatolog Treat 2012 ↗
Oral glutathione 1,000 mg/day for 3 weeks; whole-body insulin sensitivity increased on hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp
20 obese subjects with and without type 2 diabetes, randomised double-blind placebo-controlled · oral
Randomized trial of 3 weeks oral glutathione on insulin sensitivity, 2021 ↗

Handling and storage

No compound-specific stability data exists

No compound-specific storage specification could be verified from an authoritative source. PubChem holds no Storage Conditions or Stability/Shelf Life section for CID 124886, and there is no FDA- or EMA-approved reduced-glutathione drug product whose label could be cited. The chemically relevant caution - that the free cysteine thiol oxidises to the disulfide GSSG - follows from the structure, but no source giving specific temperatures, durations or a photostability statement was retrieved, so all storage fields are left null rather than guessed. General peptide handling still applies — reconstitute gently, keep it cold, keep it dark — but any specific figure you see quoted for this compound elsewhere is someone's assumption, not a measurement.

→ Reconstitution walkthrough → Reconstitution calculator

Safety

Commonly reported

·Mild gastrointestinal discomfort
·Skin rash

Rarely reported

·Severe allergic reactions

Contraindications

·Known hypersensitivity to glutathione

Drug interactions

·May interact with chemotherapy drugs by reducing their efficacy due to its antioxidant properties

Generally well tolerated; rare hypersensitivity

Reported combinations

Reported as synergistic

·Vitamin C
·N-acetylcysteine

Reported as antagonistic

·High doses of selenium, which may reduce glutathione levels

Combination claims in this dataset are largely unsourced and should be treated as folk knowledge until a citation appears beside them.

References (3)

Richie JP Jr, Nichenametla S, Neidig W, Calcagnotto A, Haley JS, Schell TD, Muscat JE (2015) Randomized controlled trial of oral glutathione supplementation on body stores of glutathione ↗
Eur J NutrPMID 24791752DOI
6-month randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial in 54 non-smoking adults; oral glutathione at 250 mg/day or 1,000 mg/day was assessed for its effect on GSH in blood, erythrocytes, plasma, lymphocytes and buccal mucosal cells.
Hauser RA, Lyons KE, McClain T, Carter S, Perlmutter D (2009) Randomized, double-blind, pilot evaluation of intravenous glutathione in Parkinson's disease ↗
Mov DisordPMID 19230029DOI
Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind pilot trial in 21 Parkinson's disease patients; intravenous glutathione 1,400 mg or placebo was administered three times a week for 4 weeks.
Sinha R, Sinha I, Calcagnotto A, et al. (2018) Oral supplementation with liposomal glutathione elevates body stores of glutathione and markers of immune function ↗
Eur J Clin NutrPMID 28853742DOI
Trial of oral liposomal glutathione reporting elevated body glutathione stores and changes in immune function markers.

Data provenance

Chemistry and citations on this page were checked against primary sources on 2026-08-14. Values that could not be verified were left blank rather than filled with a plausible guess.

Could not verify
storage, reconstitution

Research use only

This profile is educational reference material. It is not medical advice, not a prescription, and not an endorsement of self-administration. Compounds discussed here are research chemicals and most are not approved for human therapeutic use.

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