Potential Health Benefits of two dietary antioxidants

Posted by admin

June 14, 2012

Potential Health Benefits of two dietary antioxidants, Glutathione and N-Acetylcysteine, Among Adults with CVD Risk

We are now enrolling participants for this 8-week study. The most likely candidates for this study are people who are either overweight, have elevated triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, or pre-hypertension but are not currently taking cholesterol-lowering or anti-hypertensive medications.

Enrolled participants will receive valuable health information and the results of important laboratory tests (usually not administered by health care physicians) at no cost. Anyone who will consent to be screened for the study will receive free cholesterol and blood pressure results.

A long history of epidemiological studies has suggested that dietary antioxidants are associated with prevention from heart disease. Glutathione (GSH) is one of the body’s most powerful antioxidant agents but there is a surprising lack of data on its potential health benefits.

Glutathione, when taken orally, is immediately broken down into its constituent amino acids, of which cysteine is the only one to be essential. Available cysteine is the critical determinant of intracellular GSH concentrations. N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is an antioxidant supplement that has been used to provide a source of cysteine to replete GSH levels. By replenishing endogenous glutathione, it is possible that NAC would exert the same effect(s) as exogenous GSH.

In this study, we propose to compare the effects of GSH and NAC on markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and insulin sensitivity. We hope to learn whether glutathione is better able to lower blood levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress markers than N-Acetylcysteine. Refining our knowledge about the benefits of specific dietary supplements allows us to make recommendations that individuals can choose to follow on their own, with the intent of promoting their own personal health and preventing/treating diseases.

Health, Nutrition

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