About the Product
Reduced Glutathione 250 mg from HSN's EssentialSeries is a food supplement in vegetable capsules based on L-glutathione in its reduced form (GSH), the biologically active form of the human body's "master antioxidant," at 250 mg per capsule. The formula is enriched with Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and Selenium (L-selenomethionine), two micronutrients with complementary antioxidant properties and EFSA-approved health claims. Each capsule provides 250 mg of reduced glutathione, a significantly higher dose than the average Western dietary intake (approximately 35 mg/day), making it suitable for people who want to substantially increase the availability of glutathione in the body. Dosage: 1 capsule twice a day with meals (500 mg/day total). Vegan, gluten-free, and GMO-free.
Benefits
Glutathione: the master antioxidant present in all body cells: Glutathione (GSH) is a tripeptide composed of the amino acids glutamate, cysteine, and glycine, synthesized within all body cells, with a particular concentration in the liver (more than 25% of total body glutathione), kidneys, lungs, adrenal glands, brain, and gonads. It is considered the most abundant and most important endogenous antioxidant in the body, serving as the first line of defense against oxidative stress at the intracellular level. Glutathione exists in two forms: reduced (GSH, the active form) and oxidized (GSSG, the inactive form after neutralizing free radicals). Maintaining a high GSH/GSSG ratio is a direct indicator of cellular antioxidant status and mitochondrial health. Glutathione levels progressively decline with aging, stress, alcohol, smoking, exposure to pesticides and pollutants, and in contexts of illness or intense physical exercise.
Reduced form (GSH): the only biologically active form for effective supplementation: HSN's supplement uses L-glutathione in its reduced form (GSH), which is the only biologically active form of the tripeptide capable of neutralizing free radicals, participating in hepatic detoxification reactions, and regenerating other antioxidants. The oxidized form (GSSG) has no direct antioxidant activity and requires enzymatic regeneration to regain activity. The reduced form is also the most unstable, which is why the quality of the production process and storage conditions are crucial for the product's effectiveness.
Broad-spectrum antioxidant protection and free radical neutralization: Reduced glutathione directly neutralizes reactive oxygen species (ROS) and free radicals, protecting DNA, proteins, and phospholipids of cell and mitochondrial membranes against oxidative damage. In addition to direct neutralization, GSH functions as a cofactor for glutathione peroxidase (GPx), a family of enzymes that catalyze the reduction of hydrogen peroxides and lipid peroxides, especially protecting cell membranes rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids against lipid peroxidation. This role as an enzymatic cofactor significantly amplifies glutathione's antioxidant capacity beyond its direct radical-scavenging activity.
Regeneration of other antioxidants: Vitamin C and Vitamin E: Glutathione plays a unique role in the body's integrated antioxidant system: it can regenerate oxidized Vitamin C (dehydroascorbic acid) back to its active reduced form (ascorbic acid), and indirectly regenerate Vitamin E. This role as an "antioxidant regenerator" means that glutathione amplifies and prolongs the activity of other antioxidants in the body, making the total antioxidant system much more effective than it would be with each antioxidant acting independently. The inclusion of Vitamin C in HSN's formula creates a bidirectional synergy: Vitamin C stabilizes and protects glutathione, while glutathione regenerates oxidized Vitamin C, enhancing the effectiveness of both.
Hepatic detoxification and xenobiotic elimination: The liver is the organ with the highest concentration of glutathione in the body, using it as an essential cofactor for glutathione S-transferases (GST), a family of enzymes responsible for conjugating xenobiotics (toxins, medicines, pesticides, heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury, and other foreign compounds) with glutathione, making them water-soluble and facilitating their excretion through the biliary or renal system. This phase II detoxification mechanism is fundamental for the liver's ability to process and eliminate potentially toxic substances and directly depends on the availability of hepatic glutathione.
Selenium (L-selenomethionine): complementary antioxidant with EFSA claim: The Selenium included in the formula in the form of L-selenomethionine (the organic form with the highest bioavailability) is an essential mineral with documented antioxidant properties approved by EFSA: Selenium demonstrably contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress. Selenium is also an essential cofactor of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), the enzyme that uses glutathione to neutralize peroxides, creating a direct synergy between Selenium and the glutathione in the formula. Additionally, Selenium supports the normal function of the immune system and normal thyroid function.
Vitamin C: immune support and glutathione stabilization: The Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) included in the formula has a dual function: it contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system (EFSA-approved health claim) and stabilizes and regenerates reduced glutathione, protecting it from spontaneous oxidation during gastrointestinal transit and after absorption. This combination of glutathione + Vitamin C + Selenium covers three complementary and synergistic antioxidant mechanisms, resulting in a product with a more complete antioxidant profile than any of the ingredients alone.
Immune system support: Immune cells, especially T lymphocytes and macrophages, have a very high intrinsic glutathione content, necessary for their proliferation, differentiation, and effector function. Glutathione depletion in immune cells compromises adaptive and innate immune responses. Supplementation with reduced glutathione aims to maintain or restore intracellular GSH levels in immune cells, especially in contexts of high oxidative stress (illness, intense exercise, aging) where glutathione consumption exceeds the capacity for endogenous synthesis.
Uses
Recommended dose: Take 1 capsule twice a day with meals. Taking it with food improves gastrointestinal tolerance and enhances absorption. The total dose of 500 mg/day is the reference dose most frequently used in studies of oral glutathione supplementation.
Timing: To maximize the post-workout antioxidant effect, take 1 capsule immediately after intense physical exercise. For daily liver detoxification support, take at breakfast and dinner with main meals.
Synergistic combinations: For an even more comprehensive antioxidant system, combine with N-Acetylcysteine (NAC), which provides L-cysteine as a limiting precursor for endogenous glutathione synthesis, and/or with Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA), which regenerates oxidized glutathione and activates the Nrf2 transcription factor to stimulate endogenous GSH synthesis.
