Glutathione

Our naturopathic doctors at the Nardella Clinic in Calgary use intravenous glutathione to help with a variety of conditions.

Glutathione is a key antioxidant found within cells in your body. The main purpose of glutathione is to oppose oxidative stress, which fuels a number of diseases and promotes aging.  Glutathione has the ability to capture these free radicals that promote disease, while reactivating other antioxidant molecules in our bodies.

Naturopaths have found that Glutathione is beneficial in conditions that are propelled by oxidative damage. Current research supports the benefits of glutathione in liver diseases such as alcohol induced fatty liver, cirrhosis, hepatitis and hepatic cancer. The liver is the major organ of elimination and detoxification. If the liver is exposed to oxidative damage, the treatment should be a potent antioxidant such as glutathione.

For example, Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is widely researched and there is great evidence supporting the use of Glutathione.  The theory behind its action is that Glutathione has the ability to nullify the neurotoxins that potentiate PD. The progression of PD is characterized by a depletion in Glutathione, a reduction in enzymes that make tyrosine and dopamine and a decrease is epinephrine. Studies have demonstrated that two weekly intravenous treatments of Glutathione can show benefit as quickly as a few weeks into treatment. Each individual responds differently.

Because glutathione decreases with age, it can also be beneficial to provide the body with Glutathione to slow down the aging process. One of the reasons that the elderly are more susceptible to viruses and infections in general is because with age a reduction in Glutathione prevents white blood cell generation, which is required to mount an immune response.

Intravenous Glutathione Treatment

Intravenous glutathione allows us to achieve high levels of glutathione while bypassing the digestive tract and increasing the amounts available to your body. Glutathione helps your body produce red blood cells and is a good treatment post-stroke and various types of injury.

Glutathione functions include: improving the immune system, repairing DNA and detoxification of harmful substances such as pharmaceutical drugs, radiation and many other toxins. Studies and our naturopathic clinical experience have shown that patients with autoimmune conditions and skin conditions may benefit from Glutathione because it acts as an antioxidant and aids in detoxification of toxin elements. In addition, naturopathic patients undergoing chelation therapy are often given Glutathione towards the end of their treatment in order to facilitate removal of heavy metals and toxins from the liver and kidneys.

Glutathione is already naturally occurring in our bodies, so when our detoxification system is burdened or being worsened by another process, Glutathione can help to give that extra push as an antioxidant.