Intravenous (IV) glutathione therapy involves administering glutathione directly into the bloodstream via an IV infusion.
Glutathione is a broad topic, but here is an overview.
Our bodies produce glutathione, a large molecule, and it’s found throughout the body. Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant naturally produced by the body that plays a crucial role in protecting cells from oxidative stress and damage. It is involved in various physiological processes, including immune function, detoxification, skin health, inflammation, and the maintenance of cellular health.
Glutathione is produced by the body, but as with many other things, it tends to be produced less as we age. It’s made of cysteine, glutamic acid, and glycine through a complex biochemical process. Glutathione levels can be influenced by factors such as aging, diet, lifestyle, and certain medical conditions. An argument for IV glutathione could be that it’s a large molecule and getting it directly may help get it into the cells, reducing the need for the body to create it. IV therapy for anti-aging is a new area in general and we don’t have a lot of research on it.
There is, however, some evidence that taking supplements for N-acetylcysteine, which makes up glutathione, can help raise glutathione levels in the body. N-acetylcysteine, or NAC, is a building block for glutathione. Talk with your practitioner. It could be that taking NAC along with a healthy diet may be all you need. IV therapy may not be necessary when you can take NAC supplements and have a healthy, varied diet.
