Glutathione is an important character in biohacking. Glutathione is important for cell differentiation, growth, and apoptosis. It is a powerful antioxidant, which helps prevent cell damage and death. Cysteine (found in the diet from protein) is important to make glutathione. When glutathione is disturbed, it is thought to be involved in diseases including cancer. When your glutathione is deficient, it makes you more susceptible to oxidative stress, and that has been implicated in the progression of cancer. However, is more glutathione better if you have cancer? No.
This is not a new study:“Role of Glutathione in Cancer Progression and Chemoresistance,” published in 2013.
- They discuss how elevated glutathione levels are seen in many tumors.
- When elevated, it can make you resistant to chemotherapy treatments.
- Studies have shown a direct correlation between glutathione levels and cancer proliferation and metastatic activity.
- They postulate that high glutathione levels are needed by cancer cells to grow outside of the vascular system.
- People have looked at DEPLETING glutathione as a possible treatment for cancers. They theorize if you can impair glutathione uptake by mitochondria, it may lead to cell death.
They know increased glutathione can cause drug resistance by binding or reacting to the drugs, preventing damage to proteins or DNA, or helping repair DNA — all these would keep the chemo agents from hurting the cancer cells.
What Did the Study Conclude?
Glutathione is a “double-edged sword, both sides of which have been exploited for potential therapeutic benefits.”
If you are healthy (i.e. cancer free), glutathione helps protect cells from oxidative issues and environmental toxins.
However, if you have cancer, glutathione may accelerate cancer growth, aid in metastasis, and prevent chemotherapy from working.
How Can Biohackr Health Help?
We offer glutathione. If you are a current cancer patient, you should not use it. If you are high risk for cancer, consider doing your screening tests (mammogram, colonoscopy) or our Galleri test as part of our Biohackr Benchmark program prior to starting treatment.
