Glutathione can detoxify your liver
6.0Moderate
evidence
evidence
The Claim
It is commonly believed that glutathione supplements can detoxify the liver and protect it from damage due to toxins and alcohol.
Origin
This belief is rooted in the known function of glutathione in detoxification processes and antioxidant defense within the liver.
What Science Says
While glutathione is indeed a vital antioxidant in the liver, the evidence for oral supplementation providing significant detoxification benefits is limited. Some studies show potential in specific scenarios like acetaminophen overdose, but these are not generalizable to routine supplementation. Liver function improvements from supplements are not robustly supported by large-scale RCTs or meta-analyses.
Verdict
Partially True
Sources
- PMID:34656650 Hepatocyte glutathione S-transferase mu 2 prevents non-alcoholic steatohepatitis by suppressing ASK1 signaling.
- PMID:41107432 Metabolic impact of dietary glycine supplementation in individuals with severe obesity.
- PMID:40122550 HiSNAP trial-a multicentre, randomised, open-label, blinded end point, safety and efficacy trial of conventional (300 mg/kg) versus higher doses of acetylcysteine (450 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg) in patients with paracetamol overdose in the UK: study protocol.