Glutathione

Structure: Tripeptide composed of glutamate, cysteine, and glycine. The cysteine thiol group (-SH) is the active redox site that neutralises free radicals. Synthesised endogenously in every cell; levels decline with age, oxidative stress, and PED use.

Dosage:

• SubQ injection: 200-600mg/day, 2-5x/week
• IV push/infusion (clinical): 600-1200mg per session, 1-3x/week
• Liposomal oral: 500-1000mg/day (better bioavailability than standard oral GSH)
• Cycle: 4-12 weeks, can be ongoing at maintenance doses

Administration:

• SubQ injection with 27-30g insulin syringe
• IV push (slow, 5-10 minutes) in clinical/wellness setting
• Reconstitute with bacteriostatic water, store refrigerated, use within 30 days
• Often stacked with vitamin C (synergistic recycling) and NAD+

Key Notes:

• The body's primary intracellular antioxidant — depleted by alcohol, paracetamol, heavy training, oral 17α-alkylated AAS, and chronic oxidative stress
• Cofactor for glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase (phase II detox), and glutaredoxin
• Skin brightening effect (inhibits tyrosinase, shifts melanogenesis from eumelanin to pheomelanin) — popular cosmetic use, especially in Asia
• Hepatoprotective during 17α-alkylated cycles — pairs well with TUDCA and NAC and milk thistle
• May reduce cardiovascular oxidative damage during high-haematocrit phases on TRT/AAS
• Oral bioavailability is poor (degraded in gut); injectable or liposomal forms preferred
• NAC is the rate-limiting precursor for endogenous GSH synthesis — often cheaper and more practical for daily use
• Bodybuilding relevance: hepatoprotection during oral AAS use, recovery from oxidative training stress, skin tone, supports detoxification of estrogen metabolites
• No significant adverse effects at standard doses; rare reports of bronchospasm in asthmatics (IV)
• Monitor: liver enzymes (ALT, AST, GGT), no direct GSH blood test in routine panels