What are the best foods to increase glutathione levels? How can you boost your glutathione naturally. What supplements help raise glutathione.

The Importance of Glutathione

Glutathione is one of the body’s most important and potent antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that reduce oxidative stress by combating free radicals in the body. While most antioxidants are found in the foods you eat, glutathione is produced by your body. It is primarily made up of three amino acids: glutamine, glycine and cysteine (1).

There are a number of reasons why your body’s glutathione level may become depleted, including poor diet, chronic disease, infection and constant stress. Glutathione is also known to decrease with age (1).

Maintaining adequate levels of this antioxidant is incredibly important. Below are 10 of the best ways to increase your glutathione levels naturally.

Consume Sulfur-Rich Foods

Sulfur is an important mineral that occurs naturally in some plant and protein foods. It’s required for the structure and activity of important proteins and enzymes in the body. Notably, sulfur is required for the synthesis of glutathione (2).

Sulfur is found in two amino acids in food: methionine and cysteine. It’s primarily derived from dietary proteins, such as beef, fish and poultry. However, there are vegetarian sources of sulfur as well, such as cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, watercress and mustard greens.

A number of human and animal studies have found that eating sulfur-rich vegetables may reduce oxidative stress by increasing glutathione levels (3, 4, 5). Allium vegetables, including garlic, shallots and onions, also boost glutathione levels — likely due to their sulfur-containing compounds (6, 7).

Increase Your Vitamin C Intake

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin found in a variety of foods, particularly fruits and vegetables. Strawberries, citrus fruits, papayas, kiwis and bell peppers are all examples of foods rich in vitamin C.

This vitamin has many functions, including working as an antioxidant to protect cells from oxidative damage. It also maintains the body’s supply of other antioxidants, including glutathione.

Researchers have discovered that vitamin C may help increase glutathione levels by attacking free radicals first, thereby sparing glutathione. They also found that vitamin C helps reprocess glutathione by converting oxidized glutathione back to its active form (8).

In fact, researchers have found that taking vitamin C supplements increased glutathione levels in white blood cells in healthy adults. In one study, adults took 500–1,000 mg of vitamin C daily for 13 weeks, leading to an 18% increase of glutathione in white blood cells (8). Another study showed that taking 500 mg of vitamin C supplements per day increased glutathione in red blood cells by 47% (9).

Add Selenium-Rich Foods to Your Diet

Selenium is an essential mineral and a glutathione cofactor, meaning it’s a substance needed for glutathione activity.

Some of the best sources of selenium are beef, chicken, fish, organ meats, cottage cheese, brown rice and Brazil nuts. By increasing your intake of selenium, you may help maintain or increase your body’s supply of glutathione.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for selenium for adults is 55 mcg. This is based on the amount needed to maximize the production of glutathione peroxidase (10).

One study investigated the effects of selenium supplements in 45 adults with chronic kidney disease. All of them received 200 mcg of selenium daily for three months. Interestingly, all of their glutathione peroxidase levels increased significantly (11). Another study showed that taking selenium supplements increased glutathione peroxidase levels in patients on hemodialysis (12).

Eat More Whey Protein

Whey protein is a high-quality protein that contains all the essential amino acids, including cysteine, which is a crucial component of glutathione.

Whey protein has been shown to increase glutathione levels in both healthy individuals and those with certain health conditions.

One study found that giving whey protein supplements to older adults for 12 weeks increased their glutathione levels by 42% (13). Another study showed that people with HIV who took whey protein supplements had a 48% increase in glutathione levels (14).

For best results, choose a high-quality whey protein powder and consume it regularly as part of a balanced diet.

Take N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) Supplements

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a supplement that provides the amino acid cysteine, which is a building block of glutathione.

NAC has been extensively studied for its ability to increase glutathione levels. In fact, it’s one of the most effective supplements for boosting glutathione.

One review of 52 studies found that NAC supplementation increased glutathione levels in both healthy people and those with certain health conditions (15).

Another study showed that taking 600 mg of NAC twice daily for two weeks increased glutathione levels by 35% in healthy adults (16).

NAC supplements are generally considered safe, but it’s a good idea to discuss them with your healthcare provider, especially if you have any underlying health conditions.

Eat More Gamma-Glutamylcysteine-Rich Foods

Gamma-glutamylcysteine is a precursor to glutathione, meaning it’s a compound that the body can use to make glutathione.

Foods that are particularly rich in gamma-glutamylcysteine include:

• Broccoli
• Kale
• Cauliflower
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage

One study found that eating 400 grams of broccoli per day for 10 days increased participants’ glutathione levels by 30% (17).

Another study showed that supplementing with a concentrated broccoli extract increased glutathione levels in adults with prediabetes (18).

Incorporating more of these gamma-glutamylcysteine-rich foods into your diet may help boost your glutathione levels.

Exercise Regularly

Engaging in regular physical activity has been shown to increase glutathione levels in both healthy individuals and those with certain health conditions.

One study found that just a single bout of exercise increased glutathione levels in healthy adults (19). Another study showed that 12 weeks of moderate exercise training increased glutathione levels in older adults (20).

The exact mechanism by which exercise increases glutathione is not fully understood, but it’s thought to be related to the increased production of free radicals during exercise, which then triggers the body to produce more glutathione to combat the oxidative stress.

Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week for optimal health benefits.

Manage Stress

Chronic stress can deplete your body’s glutathione stores. Fortunately, there are several effective stress management techniques that may help boost your glutathione levels.

One study found that practicing mindfulness meditation for eight weeks increased glutathione levels in adults with major depressive disorder (21).

Another study showed that yoga and deep breathing exercises increased glutathione levels in healthy adults (22).

Additionally, getting enough sleep, practicing relaxation techniques, and engaging in other stress-reducing activities may help maintain healthy glutathione levels.

Avoid Toxins and Pollutants

Exposure to toxins and pollutants can deplete your body’s glutathione stores. Therefore, it’s important to minimize your exposure to these substances as much as possible.

Some ways to do this include:

• Avoiding cigarette smoke
• Limiting your use of household chemicals and cleaning products
• Choosing organic foods whenever possible
• Filtering your drinking water
• Reducing your exposure to air pollution

By reducing your exposure to toxins and pollutants, you can help support your body’s natural glutathione production and maintain healthy levels of this important antioxidant.

Try Milk Thistle

Milk thistle is a flowering plant that has been used for centuries in traditional medicine to support liver health. It contains a compound called silymarin, which has been shown to increase glutathione levels.

One study found that taking 420 mg of milk thistle extract daily for four weeks increased glutathione levels by 35% in people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (23).

Another study showed that milk thistle supplementation increased glutathione levels in people with type 2 diabetes (24).

While more research is needed, adding milk thistle to your supplement regimen may be a helpful way to boost your glutathione levels, especially if you have a health condition that depletes glutathione.

In conclusion, there are many natural ways to increase your glutathione levels, including consuming sulfur-rich foods, increasing your intake of vitamin C and selenium, eating more whey protein and gamma-glutamylcysteine-rich foods, exercising regularly, managing stress, avoiding toxins, and trying milk thistle supplements. By incorporating these strategies into your lifestyle, you can help ensure your body has the glutathione it needs to function at its best.