Which Is Best? Glutathione Drip Or Pill?
Dr Harpal Bains
MBBS DFSRH PGCAestMed (Dist)
September 9, 2022
Dr Harpal Bains
MBBS DFSRH PGCAestMed (Dist)
September 9, 2022
Glutathione is available in a variety of forms, with two of the most popular being oral supplements and IV drips. Before we explain whether a glutathione drip or pill is better, let’s talk a bit more about glutathione itself.
Generally speaking, we see two types of patients for glutathione drips. Biohackers who want to decrease the amount of free radicals in the body that cause disease, and those who want better skin (we’ll talk about this more later on).
Glutathione, also referred to as the ‘master antioxidant’ is an antioxidant present in plants, animals, fungi, and some bacteria and single-celled organisms, and its purpose is to protect the body’s cells from oxidative damage.
Oxidative damage refers to the damage sustained by cells caused by free radicals. Free radicals are short-lived, uncharged molecules that roam around the body and take electrons from atoms in our cells. This process damages the cells, accelerating the ageing process. It is also thought to contribute to a number of health issues including cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and diabetes.
Glutathione helps to prevent oxidative damage by protecting cell membranes, tissues and lipids.
Your body’s cells naturally produce glutathione, but you can also obtain this antioxidant from food as well as supplementation. Foods that contain glutathione include avocados, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, and spinach. However, it is important to note that glutathione is poorly absorbed by the body when consumed in food. This is because much of the antioxidant is destroyed during the digestive process.
Obtaining your glutathione from other sources is especially important if you:
We know that glutathione helps in the prevention of oxidative damage, but what does this mean in terms of measurable benefits?
When you supplement glutathione, these are some of the benefits that you can expect:
The great thing about booking with Harpal Clinic is that you will also benefit from the following:
Our IV nurse, Elisabeth, sees first-hand the results that glutathione brings: “At the beginning of their course patients usually remark on how well they feel, that they have more energy, a better quality of sleep. Sometimes skin texture can also be improved after just one dose – their skin may feel softer, look more even, and have a glow.
“Patients who get the most dramatic results are those who have completed more than one course of glutathione. Patients will often notice improvements in addition to their area of concern. For example, one patient noticed that since they started their course of glutathione the ingrown hairs around the bikini line disappeared, others comment that they’ve never felt so well, that their yearly hayfever didn’t amount to anything, and that they feel their lung function has improved and they are using their inhalers less if they have asthma. I even had one lady with chronic pain who after two courses no longer needed to walk with a stick because she felt so much better*. I love when patients have unexpected benefits from glutathione – it can be truly life changing for some. Like the improved asthma and lung function, improved sleep or energy, which we have noted in many patients.
“I often liken glutathione to a hotel cleaner, ‘Glutathina’ – it cleans all your rooms and gets rid of dust, dirt, polishes, and hoovers. As a powerful antioxidant, glutathione clears out the liver (and other organs) of the disease-causing free radicals that build up from our lifestyles and environment.”
*patient’s own assessment of what helped her
One of the side effects of glutathione is that you may experience skin whitening. Its ability to bring uniformity to complexions is appealing to those with an uneven skin tone (hyperpigmentation) from acne, scarring or lifestyle factors (for example: sun damage, age, hormones).
How does glutathione brighten the skin? Once it enters the body, glutathione hinders the glycosylation (a form of protein modification) of tyrosinase, the enzyme that produces melanin. When tyrosinase is less abundant, the production of melanin is impeded, resulting in less skin pigmentation. It is this that brightens the appearance of scars and uneven tone.
IV nurse Elisabeth adds: “At the first consultation, I always tell patients to take weekly selfies of their face or areas of concern. Because glutathione has a cumulative effect, people won’t always notice instant results but when they look back over photos, there is usually a clear improvement.
“I love it when patients really commit themselves to glutathione, and their skin ends up beautiful and glowing. We see a lot of patients who are preparing for their wedding and want their skin to look and feel amazing for the wedding photos.”
So, down to the big question! Is IV glutathione better than oral? It depends on which best suits your lifestyle and what kind of results you would like to see.
As you can see, there are not many disadvantages to having a glutathione IV drip or push. Appointments can be carried out in your lunch break, and our clinic is centrally located for London patients. Once you are happy with your results, glutathione should be topped up regularly with maintenance doses.
Learn more about the difference between drips and oral supplements.
