For truly healthy and glowing skin, you have to nourish it from the inside out. Meet Glutathione, the master antioxidant in your skincare routine. Learn about the 5 main glutathione benefits, any possible side effects, and how it truly rejuvenates your skin!
What is Glutathione?
Glutathione, also known as GSH, is a tripeptide (made of cysteine, glycine and glutamic acid) which is considered to be a master antioxidant. You can find glutathione naturally in leafy vegetables, fruits and nuts, and also present in your body. Glutathione is useful in a variety of medical conditions including central nervous system disorders, cardiovascular system disorders and diabetes.
With regard to glutathione for the skin, several studies have highlighted the role of glutathione as a skin-brightening agent. It also helps reduce pigmentation for an even skin tone, fight against skin cellular damage, and reduce signs of ageing like fine lines and wrinkles. Let us understand more about glutathione benefits for skin. Your body produces glutathione in the nerve cells and liver. Low levels of glutathione in the body has been associated with skin damage and accelerated ageing. As you age, glutathione also begins to deplete naturally, leading to further skin damage.
Role of Glutathione in Skin Rejuvenation
Dermatologists have mentioned that the main reason for dermatologic disorders is oxidative stress and the imbalance between oxidants and the antioxidant system in the body. Every day, your skin is exposed to environmental pro-oxidants (such as harsh sunlight, pollution, and dust) and endogens pro-oxidants (bad lifestyle habits like smoking). This leads to the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS).
An increase in ROS upsets the oxidant-antioxidant balance and leads to oxidative stress, which again leads to dull, dry skin with problems such as pigmentation and fine lines. The most important antioxidants in your body include superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase. Glutathione, the master antioxidant, keeps the balance between antioxidants and oxidants in the body. It is considered a wonderful solution to hyperpigmentation and numerous other benefits. Let us find out what glutathione does for the skin!
The 5 main benefits of Glutathione for skin
Reducing Excessive Pigmentation
Glutathione works on the skin on a cellular level by inhibiting melanin production. Melanin is the pigment that determines your skin colour. There are two types of melanin:
- Eumelanin (brown-black pigment)
- Pheomelanin (yellow-red pigment)
A higher proportion of eumelanin leads to darker skin and pheomelanin lighter skin. An imbalance between the two leads to pigmentation, hyperpigmentation and melasma. Glutathione helps reduce pigmentation by inhibiting the enzyme tyrosinase which works in the melanin synthesis pathway.
Read More: Glutathione this! Glutathione that!
Glutathione works on the skin in 3 phases:
Phase I (Month 1): L-Glutathione enters your body and neutralizes skin cell damage caused by reactive oxygen species like free radicals, peroxides & pollutants
Phase 2 (Month 2): Glutathione inhibits the enzyme Tyrosinase, & reduces the overall production of eumelanin (dark pigment melanin), preventing hyperpigmentation.
Phase 3 (Month 3): Glutathione balances the production of pheomelanin (light pigment melanin), supporting a more even & radiant skin tone.
Reduces Skin Cell Damage
Skin cells can be damaged due to various factors like UV rays, pollution, stress, and blue light emitted from mobile screens. This leads to pigmentation, cellular damage and inflammation. The harsh effects of UV rays can also lead to sun damage, which can lead to photoageing.
Unlike normal and chronological ageing which happens due to age and genetics, photoaging happens when the ultraviolet light from the sun permanently damages skin structure. If you want to see the difference between normal and photoageing, compare the skin on an area of your body that is not exposed to the sun with the skin of your face.
Signs of photodamage begin in the teens to early twenties. Symptoms include the following:
- Wrinkling
- Pigmentation changes such as age spots, liver spots and freckles
- Loss of skin tone (decreased elasticity)
- Rough, uneven skin texture
Often, glutathione shields the skin against further damage from UV rays. It also fights free radicals to reduce cellular inflammation and reduce the effects of photoageing.
Brightens Skin
Just like glutathione works to reduce pigmentation, it also ensures a brighter and more radiant complexion. As it inhibits the enzyme tyrosinase in the melanin synthesis pathway, it balances the eumelanin and the pheomelanin.
In a few months, it shifts more from eumelanin to pheomelanin. This leads to the formation of more yellow-red pigments in the body and then to a brighter skin tone.
You need to consistently consume glutathione for at least 3-6 months to see a brighter and more radiant skin tone.
Helps Skin Fight Dehydration
Due to harsh weather, pollution and lifestyle, the skin loses plenty of water, making it dull and unhealthy. Glutathione with the addition of Hyaluronic acid is a strong moisturising agent that retains water in your skin, resulting in increased hydration, elasticity and plumpness making your skin healthier.
Reduces Signs of Ageing
Glutathione has strong antioxidant properties that help prevent collagen and elastin breakdown and stimulate more collagen formation in the skin. Since the age of 20, collagen in the body declines and starts degrading due to pollution and the environment. Since glutathione helps strengthen collagen and elastin, it helps in minimising fine lines, wrinkles and age spots that crop up from the age of 20.
Glutathione Side Effects
While oral glutathione is safe to consume, you have to ensure that you take it judiciously. Take only the dosage written on the bottle. Studies have shown no serious side effects. However, over-usage might lead to gastric cramping nausea, abdominal bloating and other allergic reactions like inflammation.
However, if you choose a 100% plant-based glutathione tablet or glutathione supplement, you will experience no serious glutathione side effects. And Team OZiva has just the glutathione supplement for you.
Read More: Glutathione Benefits and Side Effects
Try OZiva Bioactive Glutathione Effervescent Tablet
OZiva Bioactive Gluta is an all-new launch from OZiva that provides a multi-targeted solution to inhibit or reduce cellular damage. It contains an Advanced Antioxidant Formula with the power of 5 Bioactives:
- L-Glutathione helps inhibit the enzyme TYROSINASE thereby reducing the production of Eumelanin (dark melanin)
- Lycopene extracted from Tomato skin shields the skin against further damage from UV rays
- Astaxanthin from Red Micro Algae with 25 times more antioxidant power than Vitamin C fights free radicals to reduce cellular inflammation
- Collagen Builder with Vitamin C, Aloe Vera Extract etc. reduces collagenolytic activity, i.e action of breaking down of collagen
- Hyaluronic Acid attracts and retains water in the skin, resulting in increased hydration and plumpness
You can try it now here! Try out this glutathione skin glow tablet for skin!
Last modified: February 20, 2024
