Glutathione

Areas of active research — not promised effects

Each tag links to other compounds with research into that goal. Research use only: these are areas of study, not human-use claims.

Related by research scope · open each to compare

Oral glutathione is lawfully sold as a dietary supplement under DSHEA (1994) and has GRAS status for food applications. Injectable (IV/IM) glutathione has not been approved by the FDA as a drug and is classified as an unapproved new drug when compounded. The FDA has documented adverse events associated with compounded injectable glutathione and has previously flagged safety concerns (June 2019). Glutathione does not carry the fda19 flag and is not on the Section 503A Category 2 restricted bulk-drug list; the April 2026 Category-2 removals and the PCAC July 23–24, 2026 review (docket FDA-2025-N-6895) pertain to a separate set of peptides and do not directly alter glutathione's status.

Confirmed high-severity market-integrity event (enforcement / recall / counterfeit)

Transparent blend · bci-1.0 · never paid-placement

Primary name

Glutathione

Origin

Glutathione (GSH) is a non-protein tripeptide composed of L-glutamate, L-cysteine, and glycine, joined by an atypical γ-peptide bond between glutamate and cysteine. It is synthesized de novo in virtually all mammalian cells, with the liver as the principal site of production and export. Intracellular concentrations range from approximately 1 to 15 mM, making it the most abundant low-molecular-weight thiol in mammalian biology. It carries CAS 70-18-8 and is fully characterized in public registries (PubChem CID 124886, ChEBI CHEBI:16856, DrugBank DB00143).

Registry IDs

PubChem CID

124886

CAS

70-18-8

InChIKey

RWSXRVCMGQZWBV-WDSKDSINSA-N

DrugBank

DB00143

ChEMBL

CHEMBL1543

Molecular formula

C10H17N3O6S

Molar mass

307.33 g/mol

Monoisotopic

307.08380644 Da

InChIKey

RWSXRVCMGQZWBV-WDSKDSINSA-N

Appearance

White crystalline powder (oxidized GSSG form off-white); reduced form (GSH) is a white to off-white powder

Solubility

Freely soluble in water; slightly soluble in ethanol; practically insoluble in n…

Sequence not available in current seed.

Stability: The free thiol form (reduced GSH) is susceptible to oxidation in aqueous solution, especially at neutral-to-alkaline pH, elevated temperature, and in the presen

Vial sizes

600 mg · 1200 mg · null mg

Purity grades

≥98% (HPLC) / pharmaceutical grade

Salt forms

Free base (primary)

• GHS hazard class on file
• PPE & spill response
• Disposal guidance
• Not-for-human-consumption posture

How much research exists, and of what maturity — never a verdict on whether it works.

Mechanism of action

• GSH neutralizes reactive oxygen species (ROS) and electrophilic xenobiotics primarily through its free thiol group (–SH) on the cysteine residue, which undergoes reversible oxidation to glutathione disulfide (GSSG)
• The GSH/GSSG redox couple is continuously regenerated by NADPH-dependent glutathione reductase, sustaining intracellular redox balance
• GSH also serves as the obligatory co-substrate for glutathione S-transferase (GST) enzymes, which catalyze conjugation of electrophiles to form water-soluble mercapturic acid derivatives for urinary excretion, underpinning Phase II hepatic detoxification
• Additionally, GSH participates in protein thiol regulation via S-glutathionylation — a reversible post-translational modification that protects protein cysteines from irreversible oxidation and modulates enzyme activity — and regenerates oxidized forms of ascorbate and tocopherol through coupled redox reactions

Pharmacokinetics (ADME)

Half-life

Approximately 14 minutes following IV infusion (plasma; human); oral bioavailability of intact GSH is poor due to hydrolysis by γ-glutamyltransferase in the gut lumen

Clearance

Rapid hepatic and renal proteolysis to constituent amino acids; excreted primarily as cysteine/cysteinylglycine metabolites in urine

PK–PD note: Following a 2 g IV infusion, plasma GSH rises approximately 47-fold above baseline with a half-life of ~14 minutes. Standard oral forms produce minimal increases in whole-blood GSH due to gut-lumen de…

Reading the evidence

• Evidence quality and gaps vary by application — see the cited grades above.
• Indexed-article counts span all evidence tiers, not only completed human trials.
• No first-party human-dosing, efficacy, or benefit claims are made here.

Key reviews & evidence-gap sources

• Sarkar R, et al. Glutathione as a skin-lightening agent and in melasma: a systematic review. Int J Dermatol. 2025;64(6):992-1004. — PRISMA-style systematic review; identified 5 RCTs + 1 open-arm study of oral glutathione for skin lightening/melasma
• Khanna R, et al. Systematic Review of the Efficacy and Safety of Topical Glutathione in Dermatology. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2025;18(9):51-54. — PRISMA-guided SR of topical glutathione; 5 clinical trials met inclusion from 446 screened records
• PubMed E-utilities literature count (glutathione) — 205,347 PubMed records; 73,503 human-tagged (humans[MeSH] OR clinical trial[pt])

5 registered trials — 1 currently recruiting.

—
NCT06140082
Study on the Association of GSTP1 and Other Gene Polymorphisms With Platinum-induced Myelosuppression

UNKNOWN

Phase 2
NCT01726465
Methylprednisolone N Acetylcysteine in Hepatic Resections

TERMINATED

Phase 4
NCT06491394
Lactoferrin Effect on Kidney and Heart of Rhabdomyolysis Rats

COMPLETED

Phase 2
NCT06354712
Efficacy of N-acetylcysteine in Preventing Radiotherapy-Induced Oral Mucositis in Head and Neck Cancer Patients.

RECRUITING

Phase 3
NCT00515736
Impact Of Antioxidant Micronutrients On Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Outcome

TERMINATED

Summary (literature)

Oral glutathione supplementation has a favorable short-term safety profile in human studies at doses up to approximately 1,000 mg/day, with no serious adverse events reported in controlled trials of up to 6 months. Reported effects in high-dose contexts include mild gastrointesti…

WADA status

Not specifically listed on the WADA 2026 Prohibited List. Glutathione is an endogenous peptide present in all mammalian cells; its use is not specifically addre…

Dominant research route: IV

Pharmacokinetics in humans (2 g/m² infusion); plasma total glutathione rose from ~17.5 µmol/L to ~823 µmol/L; short plasma half-life with rapid tissue uptake/renal clearance. Skin-lightening IV use evaluated in a single study of disputed design.

Bioavailability: Immediate systemic availability; ~47-fold plasma elevation within minutes, but very short circulating half-life (minutes) due to tissue uptake and renal clearance.

Approved in some jurisdictions only for hepatic disorders and as adjunct to reduce cisplatin neurotoxicity; NOT approved for skin lightening. Philippines FDA issued public warnings (Advisory 2019-182) against injectable glutathione for skin lightening.

Randomized controlled trial in healthy humans (Richie 2015): oral glutathione 250 mg/day and 1000 mg/day for 6 months significantly increased body stores of GSH in blood/erythrocytes/plasma/buccal cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, returning to baseline after 1-month washout. Crossover RCT (2024) comparing micellar (LipoMicel), liposomal (Setria), and standard GSH forms in healthy adults.

Bioavailability: Standard (unformulated) oral GSH produces minimal measurable change in plasma; novel micellar/liposomal/S-acetyl formulations enhance oral bioavailability. Increases in body stores are dose- and time-dependent and reversible after washout.

Oral route is the most studied for chronic supplementation; efficacy depends heavily on formulation (intact GSH is degraded by intestinal peptidases/γ-glutamyltransferase).

Double-blind, placebo-controlled split-face RCT (Watanabe 2014) of topical oxidized glutathione (GSSG) 2% lotion applied twice daily for 10 weeks in healthy Filipino women; reported skin-whitening and skin-condition improvement. Reviewed in systematic reviews of skin lightening.

Bioavailability: Local (cutaneous) effect only; no notable systemic skin-lightening effect from topical application. Effects on skin tone are appreciable but reversible.

Topical GSSG established as a viable cosmetic skin-brightening option; evidence limited to local application site.

Animal (sheep) PK: inhaled GSH 600 mg raised epithelial lining fluid (ELF) GSH ~7-fold at 30 min, sustained above baseline at 1 h, returning to baseline by 2 h; IV failed to raise ELF GSH. Human pilot in cystic fibrosis; human challenge showed nebulized GSH can induce bronchoconstriction/cough in mild asthmatics.

Bioavailability: Inhalation is the only route shown to increase GSH in the pulmonary epithelial lining fluid; IV does not effectively raise ELF GSH.

Investigated for pulmonary diseases (CF, COPD, COVID-19 proposals); safety concern: nebulized GSH can provoke bronchoconstriction and cough in asthmatics.

No well-controlled human PK or efficacy studies located; cited in aggregate community/lifestyle contexts for skin-lightening 'gluta push' use without primary literature support.

Bioavailability: No cited human pharmacokinetic characterization; community-reported use without controlled bioavailability data.

Aggregate, de-identified community route references; not supported by primary PK literature. RUO — no first-party dosing claims.

Animal & human figures are kept visibly separate so studied animal doses are never misread as human guidance.

Sorted A–Z by vendor — never by price

Glutathione is a high-volume commodity tripeptide (CAS 70-18-8) with many suppliers; no public price-index time series found. Inference from stable multi-vendor listings and frequent discounting (sale prices below list at Onyx, PeakLab).

Researched storefront prices, bucketed

p25 $0.037 · median $0.047 · p75 $0.075 · 5 researched vendors

Legit, COA-backed band: $0.033–$0.048/mg.

Value rule: don't just buy the cheapest — a price under $3/mg is a red flag. Pair price with COA and independent-test grade.

Estimated cost of research (10 mg)

Vial (best researched price)

$0

Bacteriostatic water (generic estimate)

$6

Syringes / supplies (generic estimate)

$12

What each test proves — general guidance, plus this compound's researched purity data

Purity on the current market (researched)

Single archived third-party (Janoshik) report for a glutathione sample posted by a vendor aggregator cited 93.603% purity; no multi-lab aggregate range available.

Independent labs cited for this compound

Completed recall: Flawless Beauty, LLC (2018) — all lots of unapproved glutathione whitening kits under consent decree. No active open glutathione recalls found on FDA recalls page at time of review.

Buyer red-flag checklist

• Dietary-ingredient-grade glutathione powder repackaged and used to compound sterile IV injectables (Letco, 2019) — endotoxin contamination.
• FDA lab testing found excessive bacterial endotoxin in all sampled L-glutathione powder, up to 5x the appropriate limit.
• No FDA-approved injectable glutathione product for skin lightening/whitening; such use is unapproved.
• Unapproved glutathione whitening kits sold online (Relumins, Tatiomax, Saluta, Tationil, TAD, Reiki) subject to recall/injunction.
• Adverse events (nausea, vomiting, hypotension, hospitalization) in 7 patients within minutes of IV L-glutathione infusion linked to endotoxin.
• Vendor-posted third-party purity reports are single-batch and not independently aggregated; verify.janoshik.com pages blocked automated verification.

GMP vs research-grade: the chemistry (SPPS + HPLC + MS) is identical — the difference is the quality system.

Underdosing / mislabeling: No independent lab-test aggregate (Janoshik/MZ Biolabs/Finnrick) underdosing prevalence data retrieved for glutathione. FDA testing focused on endotoxin contamination rather than potency/underdosing.

• An RUO label is not an import exemption — CBP judges actual intended use.
• Lyophilized powder is ambient-stable in transit; temperature control needed for > 7-day transit.
• US-warehouse vendors dodge import scrutiny — they cost more but ship more reliably.

Every item dated & sourced

Not prohibited — glutathione does not appear on the WADA Prohibited List (2025/2026 editions). It is not listed under any prohibited substance class (S0–S5, M1–M3) or the Monitoring Program.

No granted patents identified in current seed. Composition-of-matter coverage is limited given the peptide's synthetic origin.

• IACUC / IRB research context
• RUO buyer responsibilities & documentation
• Veterinary / alternative-use where lawful
• Jurisdiction-aware "who may lawfully obtain"

What people discuss

Reported concerns — discussion, not established effects

Reading caveats

• Skin-whitening marketing hype inflating efficacy expectations
• Affiliate / brand-promotion in review threads
• IV clinic commercial interest in injectable discourse
• Self-experimentation / self-administration without medical oversight
• Aggregator 'how to spot fake' guides hosted by sellers

Manually researched from reddit, youtube, x— theme weights are research estimates, not live counts; aggregated & de-identified. No individual posts, quotes, or usernames are ever shown.

Relative research / market volume — populated once the activity stream is wired

Inline tooltips for lyophilized, RUO, EU/mg, SPPS, 503A and more.

Toggle plain-language ↔ scientific in the header.

• How to read a COA
• Free base vs acetate
• Understanding evidence grades

Endogenous tripeptide (GSH); the cell's primary thiol antioxidant and detoxification cofactor, studied in oxidative stress, longevity, and skin biology. Approximately 202,816 articles are indexed (literature last scanned 2026-05-29). US regulatory status: OTC dietary supplement (oral); unapproved injectable drug; not on FDA-19 Category 2 compounding restriction list. Research use only.

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