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Choosing the best whey protein powder for glutathione supplementation.

An Article on WebMD states: Who wouldn't like to get their hands on a naturally occurring substance that acts as an antioxidant, an immune system booster, and a detoxifier? Something that can help your body repair damage caused by stress, pollution, radiation, infection, drugs, poor diet, aging, injury, trauma, and burns?

You might have heard of glutathione.

An Article on WebMD states: Who wouldn't like to get their hands on a naturally occurring substance that acts as an antioxidant, an immune system booster, and a detoxifier? Something that can help your body repair damage caused by stress, pollution, radiation, infection, drugs, poor diet, aging, injury, trauma, and burns?

You might have heard of glutathione. It is crucial to the body's management of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress affects more than 200 different diseases as well as aging. As we get older, glutathione levels decline. So its a common idea that health can be improved in the later years of life by offsetting the age-related decline of glutathione.

A number of studies of the health benefits of whey protein have been published in peer-reviewed medical literature. Much of the benefit of whey protein comes from its unique ability to increase levels ofglutathione at the cellular level. You have to increase the amount of glutathione in the cells of the body because this is where glutathione does its work of eliminating harmful molecules and molecular fragments called free radicals and reactive oxidative species (ROS).

There are different ways of increasing glutathione. Some actually work faster than whey protein. For long term use, whey protein is probably best because it supports rather than disrupts the complex glutathione metabolism of the body. Also, it is just milk protein. The long term side effects are minimal if it is mixed properly and used in moderate amounts, about 30 grams per day for an adult getting a nominal amount of exercise.

There are probably hundreds of whey protein products on the market. Some are rather expensive. Many are optimized for use by bodybuilders, not for glutathione supplementation. Which is best?

The reason why whey protein increases glutathione probably has to do with the fact that it makes the amino acid cysteine available to the cells of the body. Availabilty of cysteine is the main factor that limits production of glutathione. Whey protein contains cysteine in the form of cystine and gamma-glutamyl-cysteine. In this form, it has a much higher availability than if you were to injest cysteine directly. The two protein components of whey that contain cysteine in this form are immunoglobulin and bovine serum albumin.

Oftentimes, protein composition of a whey powder product is not provided the manufacturer. However, if it is, look for about 10% immunoglobulin (IMG) and 10% bovine serum albumin (BSA). This tends to be a sort of "sweet spot" where effectiveness and value are optimal.

So which is better... whey protein concentrate or whey protein isolate? The commonly accepted definition of an isolate is that it contains 90% protein by weight or better. Concentrate is anything less than 90%. The total amount of protein is not as important as the type of protein. Whey protein isolate is often depleted of the higher molecular weight components described above (BSA and IMG) by the additional processing step. Whey protein concentrate tends to be a better choice.

For more information on determining glutathione supplementation effectiveness as a function of cost, take a look at our website containing glutathione resources, products reviews, references to research studies, suggestions for supplements that enhance glutathione supplementation of whey protein, a forum and much more information related to wellness and practical, affordable, and natural ways of supporting our body's own powerful capacity for health maintenance.