Here’s what you need to know about the must-have supplement for patients with Hashimoto’s low thyroid

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CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — Antioxidants are a buzzword in health circles that sometimes deliver empty promises. But when it comes to autoimmune Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism, one antioxidant is a must-have in your protocol kit: Glutathione.

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Glutathione is considered the body’s master antioxidant, and at RedRiver Health and Wellness Center, it’s the supplement we tell our patients they need it to dampen autoimmune response and lower the risk of developing new autoimmune diseases.

Glutathione protects cells from damage, supports general detoxification, acts as a natural chelator for toxic heavy metals and environmental toxins and supports healthy immune system function. Glutathione works by protecting energy-producing factories inside cells called mitochondria.

Antioxidants are molecules that inhibit other molecules from going through oxidation, a chemical reaction that produces toxins called free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that occur naturally but also enter our bodies through toxins in food, air, water and even medications. Left unchecked, free radicals damage cells, destabilize the immune system and contribute to the development of serious health problems.

Glutathione is a compound made by the body that protects cells and tissues from damage by free radicals. While the body makes glutathione, it can also be supplemented in absorbable forms or via nutrients that boost glutathione production.

Normally, our bodies should make enough glutathione to protect us. However, it’s common for glutathione to drop too low in our modern world. Even if we lead a very clean, nontoxic life, we cope with thousands of toxic chemicals in our daily environment, our food and our water. Sugary diets full of processed foods, food intolerances, leaky gut and undiagnosed infections are other examples of things that can deplete glutathione due to chronic inflammatory assaults on the cells.

Glutathione levels also decrease as we age, and our need for supplemental glutathione increases significantly. When glutathione production drops, you’re more vulnerable to developing autoimmune disease, chronic pain, chemical sensitivities, leaky gut and other immune-related disorders.

In fact, glutathione depletion is linked with a number of disease states and groups including the following:

  • Aging.
  • Athletic overtraining.
  • Major injuries and trauma.
  • Patients with wasting diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
  • Lung cancer.
  • Gut-based diseases such as Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis.
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome.
  • Alcoholism and fatty liver disease.
  • Diabetes and low glucose tolerance.
  • Cancer.

One of the most important things you can do to improve glutathione status is to remove or mitigate stressors that deplete glutathione. These may include lack of sleep, smoking, food intolerances, diets high in sugars and processed foods, excess alcohol intake and hormone or immune imbalances.

If you have Hashimoto’s, this typically also means going on a gluten-free diet, as many studies show a connection between Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism and a gluten intolerance or celiac disease.

Additionally, research shows a link between poor glutathione status and autoimmune Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism.

Recycle glutathione to manage Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism

One of the most effective approaches to dampen autoimmune-related inflammation is to support your body’s ability to recycle glutathione. Recycling glutathione means your body takes existing glutathione that has already been used in self-defense and rebuilds it so it can work again to protect the body. 

For glutathione to be recycled, it must be reduced. There are two main forms of glutathione in the body: reduced glutathione and oxidized glutathione. 

When there is sufficient reduced glutathione in the cells, they sacrifice themselves to free radicals to protect cellular mitochondria. An enzyme called glutathione peroxidase then sparks the conversion of reduced glutathione to oxidized glutathione, a free radical itself.

If there is sufficient glutathione in the cell, the newly unstable oxidized glutathione pairs with available glutathione with the help of an enzyme called glutathione reductase. This sends it back to reduced glutathione status and gets it ready to return to service protecting cells.

Glutathione recycling helps balance immune function and shield thyroid tissue from inflammation and autoimmune attacks. Glutathione also helps repair damaged tissues, such as in the case of leaky gut.

Supplementing to increase glutathione levels – the RedRiver clinical research observations

Between all of our clinics, we see several hundred patients each day, which puts us at an unparalleled advantage when it comes to honing in on the best support for patients. Below is an overview of what’s available to boost glutathione levels and what we have seen work the best for our patients.

Glutathione recycling

Glutathione recycling is a good place to start to increase glutathione activity inside of cells. A variety of nutritional and botanical compounds have been shown to support glutathione recycling, such as the following:

  • N-acetyl-cysteine, which quickly metabolizes into intracellular glutathione.
  • L-glutamine, which helps generate glutathione.
  • Alpha-lipoic acid, which recycles and extends the life span of vitamin C, glutathione and coenzyme Q10, all of which are needed for glutathione recycling.
  • Selenium, which is a cofactor for the enzyme glutathione peroxidase that converts reduced glutathione to oxidized glutathione to protect cells.
  • Milk thistle, which significantly increases glutathione and improves the ratios of reduced and oxidized glutathione.
  • Gotu kola, which increases glutathione peroxidase and glutathione in general.
  • Cordyceps, which supports glutathione synthesis and activates the glutathione enzyme cycle.

Taken together, these botanicals and compounds activate the glutathione peroxidase and reductase enzymes to promote a healthy glutathione recycling system.

I use a stand-alone product to support glutathione recycling containing all of these ingredients called Glutathione Recycler by Apex Energetics. This product was developed by Dr. Datis Kharrazian, who pioneered our modern understanding of Hashimoto’s and glutathione.

We have found this product works best when used in conjunction with a liposomal glutathione blend, which I discuss below.

Liposomal glutathione

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We are very impressed with patients’ results from a liquid liposomal glutathione blend called Trizomal Glutathione by Apex Energetics, also formulated by Kharrazian. Trizomal Glutathione provides both bioactive glutathione and the glutathione precursor N-acetyl-cysteine, meaning it’s for comprehensive glutathione support.

Although dosages vary depending on the degree of inflammation, we generally start people at 10 milliliters three times a day to calm inflammation, autoimmune flares and neurodegeneration symptoms including memory loss, brain fog and fatigue. Then people can generally move to a maintenance dose of 5 milliliters three times a day, or whichever dose works best to keep their inflammation dampened.

In addition to Glutathione Recycler, we also recommend ample vitamin D and two anti-inflammatory products called Resvero Active and Turmero Active, which are liposomal resveratrol and turmeric formulas respectively.

For people over age 60, the need for glutathione increases significantly, and we recommend daily maintenance doses of both Trizomal Glutathione and Glutathione Recycler. It’s worth noting that glutathione has a profound protective effect on the brain and helps to slow neurodegeneration, dampen brain inflammation and lower the risk of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

We have seen outstanding results using Glutathione Recycler in combination with Trizomal Glutathione, especially compared to other glutathione supplements on the market – and we have tried quite a few. With that said, here are some other ways to get glutathione.

Additional methods of glutathione support

First, taking straight glutathione orally is not that effective because it doesn’t make it past the digestive tract into the bloodstream. Therefore, choose other forms of glutathione your body can absorb.

The following are absorbable forms of glutathione available:

  • S-acetyl glutathione is probably the most accessible form of glutathione and comes in capsules that the intestinal tract can efficiently absorb. It can be helpful in managing Hashimoto’s.
  • Liposomal cream is used in localized areas for inflammation, such as over the thyroid. I use Oxicell by Apex Energetics.
  • IV drips are effective but expensive and difficult to access. Other less traditional but effective routes of delivery you can use at home include glutathione suppositories and glutathione nebulizers.
  • DIY glutathione – you can also make your own glutathione formula at home affordably, although I cannot attest to how effective it is. If you search “DIY glutathione” on the internet, you may find some instructions.

Contact my office for advice on how you can support your glutathione levels to better manage your symptoms of Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism.

To learn more about our services and to schedule a free consultation, please visit our website. We work with your prescribing physician for optimal results. Do not discontinue medication or hormone replacement therapy without consulting your prescribing physician.

Written by JOSH REDD, chiropractic physician at RedRiver Health and Wellness Center.

• S P O N S O R E D   C O N T E N T •

About Josh Redd

Josh Redd, MS, DABFM, DAAIM, is a chiropractic physician and author of the Amazon bestselling book “The Truth About Low Thyroid.” Redd owns seven functional medicine clinics in the western United States and sees patients from across the country and around the world who are suffering from challenging autoimmune, endocrine and neurological disorders. He studied immunology, virology and epidemiology at Johns Hopkins where he is a MaPHB candidate. He also teaches thousands of health care practitioners about functional medicine and immunology, thyroid health, neurology, lab testing and more.

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