Never Without My Protein
What is glutathione and why is it so important?
If you don’t know that glutathione is an antioxidant that is naturally produced in our cells and one of the most under appreciated benefits of daily supplementation of whey protein, this article is for you.
Glutathione is a biochemical created in the body to protect itself from oxidization or in other words stress on a cellular level. Glutathione or GSH is an antioxidant just like vitamin C, vitamin E or polyphenols and Carotenoids but while these are found in foods GSH is manufactured by Our bodies at a cellular level independent of any antioxidants found through our nutritional intake. While GSH creation Is independent of other dietary antioxidants GSH does require specific protein building blocks or amino acids such as cysteine, glycine and glutamate in order to be synthesized.
Glutathione (GSH) Benefits
- Antioxidant
- Detoxifier
- Immune Booster
- Promotes Cellular Repair and Defense
- Can Help In Treatment of Various Disease
- Decreases Stress
- May Support Mental Stability
- Anti-Aging
Research demonstrates that daily supplementation of whey protein enhances the body’s production of an endogenous (meaning made in the body, aka, homemade) antioxidant, glutathione.
Of important note is that glutathione production is limited by cysteine or in other words without enough of the amino acid cysteine, glutathione production will be hammered or simply not take place within the cells.
Here’s where it gets really interesting, here’s where the protein comes in. Cystine is found in high concentrations in whey protein, so supplementing whey protein supports the body’s production of GSH which is very important as this powerful homemade antioxidant is important for optimal health And is actually considered a marker of resilience that diminishes as we get older. Interesting you say, read on.
Glutathione stabilizes oxidative stress, More precisely reactive oxygen species or ROS, by donating electrons. Glutathione remedies the reactivity of ROS by adding an electron to the ROS thus creating stability and counteracting harmful affect.
Unfortunately our ROS is made in our bodies all the time as a byproduct of environmental toxins, processed dietary sugar access, psychological stress, smoking, the rancid oils in our favorite processed foods, poor sleeping patterns and yes sadly even in the healthy stress from workouts. There is no way to completely stop the production of ROS.
Fortunately there is a way to fight ROS production By making sure our bodies can produce as much GSH as possible to compliment a healthy lifestyle that expressly counters the production of ROS and supplementing cysteine in whey protein is one of the best ways to give your body what it needs to synthesise higher amounts of the protective glutathione.
iSmart Nutrition carries several protein products made from the highest quality whey protein isolate available made from the happiest grass fed cows in North America and New Zealand that are free of rBGH [recombinant growth hormone].
About the Author
Neil Damackine is a Certified Personal Trainer and Sports Nutrition Specialist who enjoys working with high performing clients in high stress careers who use exercise and nutrition to improve their quality of life.
