Archive for August, 2009
Glutathione – the great multi-tasker
Glutathione—The Great Multi-tasker
Glutathione is widely recognized as the most powerful of all antioxidants, and one scientist has referred to it as “the great multi-tasker” in a 2006 article. As you read his article, keep in mind: MaxGXL® is not a glutathione supplement, but rather provides the body with the precursors it needs to manufacture and absorb glutathione.
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Glutathione – the great multi-tasker
JOE SCHWARCZ, Freelance, Montreal Gazette
Published: Saturday, November 25 2006
Our body doesn’t take chemical insults lying down. It fights back. And one of its most powerful weapons in the battle against toxic invaders is glutathione, a molecule synthesized inside our cells from glycine, glutamic acid and cysteine, three amino acids found in the diet.
Glutathione turns out to be a great multi-tasker. It has antioxidant properties, it improves the activity of vitamin C, it helps white blood cells fight invaders, and it induces the formation of enzymes that help solubilize potentially dangerous substances so they can be eliminated in the urine. Given all of this, it stands to reason that higher levels of glutathione in the blood should correlate with good health. That does seem to be the case, at least if we go by a study carried out at the University of Birmingham in England.
Researchers measured glutathione levels in healthy volunteers, old and young, as well as in elderly patients who either suffered from chronic diseases, or had recently been admitted to a hospital with an acute problem. If glutathione were indeed related to health, such an analysis should muster evidence, the scientists suggested.
They were not disappointed. The healthy young volunteers had the highest plasma levels of glutathione, followed by the healthy elderly, then the elderly outpatients, and finally the elderly hospitalized patients. At the School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Mara Julius and colleagues also found that higher glutathione levels were associated with fewer illnesses such as arthritis, diabetes and heart disease. We also have data from animal experiments about the chemoprotective properties of glutathione. Rats exposed to aflatoxin, a potent carcinogen, fared better when given glutathione.
Animals not treated with glutathione died within two years of exposure to the carcinogen, but 80 per cent of treated animals were alive at the end of that period.
So why are we not wolfing down glutathione supplements? They are available, and there certainly is no safety issue. Nobody has shown any hazard associated with oral glutathione. The problem is that nobody has shown any major benefit either. How come? Unlike rats, humans do not absorb glutathione to any significant extent from the small intestine.
That doesn’t mean oral glutathione is useless. It can be used for benefit by cells that line the intestine. These often become damaged in diseases such as AIDS or cancer, resulting in impaired nutrient absorption, which leads to physical wasting with loss of weight and muscle mass. Oral glutathione has been shown to repair intestinal cells and has been used to advantage in AIDS patients. But for other health benefits, oral glutathione won’t do.
Since oral glutathione is ineffective, we have to look at ways of helping cells make more of the compound. The best way is by ensuring they have an ample supply of the raw materials needed to do this. Glycine and glutamic acid are plentiful in the diet, but cysteine presents a difficulty. It has limited solubility, on top of which it is readily destroyed before it can enter cells. Cysteine therefore becomes the component that determines the amount of glutathione that can be formed in cells. Because of the solubility and destruction issues, oral supplements of cysteine are not the answer either. But cysteine can be readily converted in the laboratory into N-acetylcysteine (NAC), which is more soluble and less prone to destruction in the bloodstream.
After absorption into cells it is reconverted into cysteine, which is available for glutathione synthesis. The many people who have been brought from the brink of death after overdosing on acetaminophen can attest to the efficacy of NAC.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol is a common trade name) is a widely used pain reliever. In the recommended dosage it is very effective, but like any medication, it’s a problem when abused. Overdosing on acetaminophen, which is facilitated by alcohol consumption, can lead to severe liver problems and possibly death. Suicide attempts with acetaminophen are not unheard of. Often, though, they remain only “attempts,” because of quick medical intervention with NAC. Our body recognizes acetaminophen as an intruder and tries to eliminate it by converting it into a more soluble compound.
Unfortunately, this compound, N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone-imine (NAPQI), is the one that is toxic to the liver. But fortunately, a glutathione-induced enzyme stands ready to help the kidneys excrete it.
When the acetaminophen dose is too high, however, glutathione stores are depleted and liver damage ensues. Unless, that is, NAC is quickly administered to replenish the cellular levels of glutathione.
If NAC works so well to boost glutathione, why are we not being urged to take it in supplement form to prevent disease? Well, we are, by manufacturers of NAC. While there is no major toxicity concern, nausea is a possible side effect. And nobody has really examined the consequences of taking NAC over a long term, or possible interactions with other medications. It would be great if an innocuous way of increasing our glutathione levels were available. And maybe there is. (Visit here for more information on increasing glutathione levels).
Cheese-making requires the separation of the curds from the whey, a liquidy residue that harbours proteins rich in cysteine. When processed in a special way, these proteins can deliver their cysteine content to cells where it can be released to enhance glutathione formation. Some studies have indicated that these special whey preparations have increased endurance in athletes, presumably by reducing free radical damage to muscles. Laboratory work has shown increased glutathione levels in human prostate cells exposed to whey protein, suggestive of protection against prostate cancer.
Animals fed the protein concentrate are more resistant to carcinogens, and whey has been seen to increase glutathione in normal cells, while it depletes it in cancer cells, making these more susceptible to chemotherapy or radiation. Of course we need more evidence before jumping on the bandwagon, but as far as glutathione supplementation goes, we may have found a “whey” to go.
Joe Schwarcz is director of McGill University’s Office for Science and Society
Tags: absorption, acetaminophen, AIDS, antioxidants, arthritis, cancer, chemotherapy, chronic diseases, diabetes, elderly, Glutathione, good health, radiation, Tylenol
The Aloe Plant
The Aloe Plant
Do you, your family or friends suffer from
Acid Reflux or Allergies?
Then let me ask you this …do you suffer from such things as auto-immune disorder, blood sugar imbalance, Crohns Disease, digestive problems, chronic fatigue syndrome, diverticulitis, diverticulosis, Epstein Barr, hiatal hernia, irritable bowel syndrome, spastic colon, ulcers and ulcerative colitis, just to name a few? It’s time you take responsibility for your own health. You can begin to enhance your immune system with Healthy Systems Aloe Pure 5000 drink.
About the Plant
The Aloe Vera Plant is an herb resembling the cactus in appearance, but it is actually a perennial succulent belonging to the lily family. It’s botanical name is Aloe barbadensis. The word Aloe Vera, Vera is the Latin word which stands for true. It was named in ancient times because this species of Aloe was thought to have the best medicinal properties.
Treatment for Inflammation!
Aloe Gel has been used to treat inflammation for more than 2000 years. The gel is the most ingenious mixture of antibiotic, astringent, coagulating agents, while also being a natural pain and scar inhibitor and a growth stimular, stimulating new cell growth threefold. Used as a drink internally, Aloe Vera will aid digestion and reduce the effects of arthritis, stomach ulcers, diabetes and a variety of other serious conditions.
During the past hundred years, significant scientific understanding of the science of Aloe Vera has evolved. Researchers throughout the world have revealed more and more of the biological mechanisms for the activity of Aloe Vera, and new clinical indications for it’s use in the treatment for human disease and regulating metabolism.
Help Support Your Healthy Immune System!
Aloe Vera for overall health, helps support your own healthy immune system, as well as many other natural body functions with an average daily consumption of two to eight ounces. By all accounts, including several of our own, two to four ounces of 100% stabilized Aloe Vera, taken twice daily, are able to offer a maximum of relief to arthritis suffers. Usually it takes two to three weeks for this to come to fruition, but the positive effects are consistent and apparently wide spread.
Often users report a decrease in stiffness and soreness, especially in early morning, as well as an increase in flexibility and strength in their joints. Interestingly, when one stops drinking the Aloe Vera, it takes about three weeks for the benefits of the Aloe Vera to disappear.
Testing the use of whole leaf Aloe compared to the use of individual molecules from the plant has shown that the whole leaf Aloe Vera is up to six times more effective than the individual Aloe Vera components alone.
Misbranded, Mislabeled, or Misformulated?
This highlights the importance of a couple of things. First, a major problem: There are a good many commercial Aloe Vera Drinks on the market that are either mislabeled, misbranded, or misformulated. Some contain an excessive amount of unregulated laxative contaminants bitter to the taste, and are then diluted with water to make them more palatable. Though the product may be labeled as containing 99% Aloe Vera, analysis often reveals contents of 65% to 85% water. This is not only misleading, but in direct violation of FDA regulation.
So, “caveat emptor” (let the buyer beware), is certainly a criteria which applies here. The important issue is to know your supplier. Find a respectable company with an impeccable reputation and a loyal customer following. Continued usage of a product is a good indication of a satisfied customer.
I personally love the Mango Papaya flavor; it is absolutely delicious!
Warmly,
Connie
303-770-3180 hm ofc
303-898-7376 cell
Tags: acid reflux, allergies, Aloe Vera, arthritis, auto-immune disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, digestive problems, diverticulitis, diverticulosis, Epstein Barr, healthy immune system, hiatal hernia, inflammation, irritable bowel syndrome, spastic colon, ulcerative colitis, ulcers
** Daily Omega-3s Recommended for Heart *
A healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids such as DHA and EPA not only prevents heart disease in healthy people, it also reduces the risk of heart attack in people with existing heart disease, according to a new study. That finding has researchers recommending people add a daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids to their diet.
Based on a review of several large studies involving more than 40,000 people, researchers say the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids to heart health are clear and merit taking action to prevent unnecessary deaths from heart disease.
Go here for the complete news story.
Warmly,
Connie
http://www.sozomax.com
Did you know … need more energy, detoxify your body and strengthen your immune system?
Did you know glutathione is the most powerful, prevalent antioxidant in your body? Increasing your glutathione level will naturally increase your energy, detoxify your body and strengthen your immune system.
MaxGXL Dramatically Increases Intracellular GSH.
MaxGXL provides the proper nutrients needed to promote the body’s own ability to manufacture and absorb glutathione. MaxGXL also aids in liver support, thus helping the liver to function as the main production site and storehouse for glutathione.
Increasing Age and Other Factors Reduce the Body’s Production and Utilization of GSH. Research has shown that individuals who have low levels of glutathione are susceptible to chronic illness. Research shows that GSH levels decline by 8% to 12% per decade, beginning at the age of 20. Levels of glutathione are further reduced by continual stress upon the immune system such as illness, infection, and environmental toxins. As we now know, a lowered immune system can bring about illness and disease. This is a ferocious cycle. While you need glutathione for a productive immune system, a weakened immune system hampers the production of glutathione.
Supplements Containing Glutathione Alone Will
Increase The Body’s GSH Levels
NOT
See Interview with Dr. Keller on MaxGXL
Read Independent Lab Results on MaxGXL
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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I can’t stress enough how important your glutathione levels are to your health and your aging. Disease/illnesses are building up in our bodies daily over the years and may eventually manifest in our body. I do not want to end my last years like my Mom and Dad with Alzheimers/Dementia/Cancer or my grandparents with Heart Attack and other illnesses. The quality of their lives in the end years was horrible and way too many people think they will be the ones to escape but with all the pollutants, toxic chemicals, pesticides, and I could go on and on, most of us will NOT escape.
Do yourself and your loved ones a HUGE favor and check out how to increase your glutathione levels (also helps to increase your DHEA)…WOW!
Warmly,
Connie
303-770-3180
optforsuccess@msn.com
Tags: aging, anti-aging, antioxidant, chronic illness, detoxify, energy, inflammation, liver support, strengthen your immune syst, toxins
