Glutathione

What Glutathione does

Glutathione is an antioxidant your cells make from three amino acids. Oral studies sometimes raise glutathione levels, but clear health benefits are less certain. Small skin studies show modest or temporary changes. Systemic injections have no FDA-approved wellness or skin-lightening use. Compounded IV products have caused serious reactions, including a new FDA warning in August 2026.

• In a trial, taking it by mouth for longer raised the body's glutathione stores; preventing disease was not shown. (Studied in a trial)
• In small studies, taking it by mouth or on the skin lightened skin tone a little, and the effect was often temporary. (Studied in a trial)
• In older small trials, it reduced nerve damage from some chemotherapy, but a larger phase 3 trial found no such benefit. (Studied in a trial)
• Some users report brighter or clearer skin, from injections or from pills taken with NAC and vitamin C. (Reported by users)

Uses in the sources

• Studied for skin tone and melasma. Oral and topical effects are modest; IV cosmetic evidence is weak. (Studied in a trial) (source)
• Oral studies measure antioxidant stores. Longer life or prevention of age-related disease has not been demonstrated. (Studied in a trial) (source)
• Studied in Parkinson disease, cystic fibrosis, diabetes and fatty liver. Results differ by disease and route. (Studied in a trial) (source)
• Studied to reduce chemotherapy nerve damage. Older small trials were positive; N08CA phase 3 was negative. (Studied in a trial) (source)
• Small exercise trials examined fatigue or citrulline combinations. Durable performance or muscle benefits remain unproven. (Studied in a trial) (source)
• Posted CF registry results agree that the later trial found no growth benefit; the earlier small trial was positive. (Studied in a trial) (source)

Glutathione dosage

Typical reported dose: 100 mg about five times a week

• IV clearance (Aebi 1991): 2 g/m² IV once one infusion, into a vein. Studied in a trial. Studied in: Healthy volunteers. (source)
• IV metabolite study (Hong 2005): 50 mg/kg IV over 10 minutes once one infusion, into a vein. Studied in a trial. Studied in: Seven healthy men aged 22–23. (source)
• Oral 1 g for four weeks: 500 mg twice daily; total 1,000 mg/day twice daily, by mouth. Studied in a trial. Studied in: Healthy adults. (source)
• Oral 250 or 1,000 mg: 250 mg/day daily, by mouth. Studied in a trial. Studied in: Healthy nonsmoking adults. (source)
• Oral 250 or 1,000 mg: 1000 mg/day daily, by mouth. Studied in a trial. Studied in: Healthy nonsmoking adults. (source)
• Liposomal 500 or 1,000 mg: 500 mg liposomal glutathione daily daily, by mouth. Studied in a trial. Studied in: Healthy nonsmokers aged 50–80. (source)

These are doses reported in labels, trials or user reports, not a personal plan. Check the source behind each one.

Work out syringe units with the dosing calculator

How to mix Glutathione

Comes as: Oral capsules and tablets, Liposomal or micellar oral formulations, Buccal lozenges and dissolving films, Topical lotion, Compounded injectable liquid or powder vials, Investigational nasal or nebulized formulations.

Mixed with: Forums report bacteriostatic water. This is not a universal diluent choice or a validated stability method..

Common vial sizes: 600, 1200, 1500 mg. Common water amounts: 1.5, 3, 6, 7.5 mL.

• Reported examples: 600 mg with 3 mL, 1,200 mg with 6 mL, or 1,500 mg with 7.5 mL. Each gives 200 mg/mL by arithmetic.
• Another report uses 600 mg with 1.5 mL, giving 400 mg/mL. Concentration does not establish a safe injection volume.
• Don't use these recipes for eye-surgery rinses or nasal trial products.
• Do not inject dietary-supplement-grade material. Clear appearance and a purity percentage cannot rule out endotoxin.

Before mixing: No universal temperature fits every formulation. Follow the product-specific storage and expiry instructions.

After mixing: A validated beyond-use date is formulation-specific. Forum mixing recipes do not establish sterility or shelf life.

Glutathione side effects and risks

Reported side effects

• Injection pain, itching or lumps: Reported in forums; no reliable incidence estimate., mild. Persistent, worsening or spreading symptoms need assessment. (source)
• Stomach cramps or diarrhea with IV mixture: One nonrandomized IV study: cramps 10/25; diarrhea 4/25; none reported in controls., moderate (source)
• Itching during oral dosing: Reduced GSH 2/20; oxidized GSSG 1/18; placebo 2/19 completers., mild (source)
• Abnormal liver tests: IV mixture study 8/25; oral study had two transient cases with allocation unstated., serious. Stop and investigate new jaundice or marked liver-test changes. (source)
• Severe allergic reaction: One anaphylactic shock in 25 recipients of an IV mixture; general incidence unknown., serious. Stop infusion and seek emergency care. (source)
• Endotoxin-related infusion illness: FDA reported at least 30 affected patients in August 2026; denominator unknown., serious. Fever, shaking, fainting or breathing trouble after an infusion need urgent care. (source)
• Airway narrowing with inhalation: Asthma challenge: FEV1 −19% vs −1% saline; cough 4/8, breathlessness 3/8., serious (source)
• Severe blistering skin reaction: SJS/TEN case after an IV mixture containing glutathione and vitamins C and D., serious (source)
• Cardiomyopathy in nasal trial: One participant in the high dose phase 2b group; causation uncertain., serious (source)

Stop and get help if

• Trouble breathing, throat swelling, fainting or collapse after an injection: Stop the infusion and get emergency care now.
• Fever, severe chills, shaking, chest pain or confusion after an infusion: Seek emergency assessment for contamination, shock or infection.
• Painful spreading rash, blisters, peeling skin or sores in the mouth or eyes: Stop exposure and seek emergency care now.
• Yellow eyes or skin, dark urine or severe new upper abdominal pain: Stop use and obtain urgent liver assessment.

Who should avoid it

• pregnant: No established safety for systemic supplement or cosmetic injection protocols in pregnancy.
• breastfeeding: Milk transfer and infant safety are unknown; breastfeeding was excluded from the IV skin study.
• tryingToConceive: Reproductive safety is not established.
• under18: Pediatric disease trials do not establish safety for cosmetic or wellness use.
• other: Anaphylaxis has occurred with injected mixtures. Avoid repeat exposure to a suspected culprit.
• other: Nebulized glutathione caused major airway narrowing in people with asthma. This screen applies to inhalation.
• kidneyDisease: Kidney disease changes clinical risk and fluid tolerance. Dialysis trials do not establish an unsupervised dose.
• liverDisease: Benefits in liver disease are unproven, and IV mixtures have caused abnormal liver tests.
• heartCondition: Fluid infusions need review. One nasal-trial participant developed cardiomyopathy; causation was uncertain.
• activeCancer: Review with the oncology team. Chemotherapy interactions and benefits depend on the exact regimen.
• diabetes: A small trial improved insulin sensitivity. The effect on low-blood-sugar risk with medicines is unknown.
• testedAthlete: The substance is not named as prohibited, but IV volumes above 100 mL per 12 hours can breach WADA M2.2.

Interactions

• Cancer chemotherapy: Small platinum trials and the negative N08CA trial differ. Tumor protection or altered drug effects cannot be ruled out for other regimens.
• Insulin and sulfonylureas: Possible added glucose lowering is a precaution from insulin-sensitivity data; a clinical interaction has not been established.
• Tirzepatide with poor food intake and IV mixtures: One shock case involved tirzepatide and prolonged low food intake. It does not prove a drug interaction.
• Vitamin C, NAC and antioxidant mixtures: Oral mixtures have been studied, but extra benefit is uncertain. Injectable mixtures add ingredients and complicate reaction assessment.

Product quality risks

• FDA found excessive endotoxin in raw glutathione used for injections in 2019, with some samples up to five times the appropriate limit.
• In August 2026, FDA reported at least 30 patients with reactions after compounded IV glutathione alone or in mixtures.
• A raw-material COA did not prevent the 2019 incident. Supplement-grade material is unsuitable for sterile injections.
• No representative survey of online glutathione vial identity or dose accuracy was found. Counterfeit-pen rates from other drugs do not apply.

What to expect

Wellness evidence is early human; an oncology phase 3 trial was negative. At least 85 distinct human records include 18 studies without posted registry results; reviews are not counted again.

Key studies

• Single oral dose (Witschi 1992): A single conventional oral dose did not raise plasma glutathione. (source)
• IV clearance (Aebi 1991): Blood glutathione rose sharply and cleared quickly. (source)
• IV metabolite study (Hong 2005): The tested dose was a single 50 mg/kg infusion. (source)
• Oral 1 g for four weeks: Four weeks of oral dosing did not change oxidative-stress markers. (source)
• Oral 250 or 1,000 mg: Longer oral dosing raised glutathione stores, without proving disease prevention. (source)
• Liposomal 500 or 1,000 mg: This small pilot found higher stores after liposomal dosing. (source)

Glutathione FAQ

• Is Glutathione FDA-approved? No systemic wellness or skin-lightening approval. PCAC voted 8–5, one abstention, to support listing on 2022-06-08. Category 1 is conditional enforcement discretion, not FDA approval.
• How do people take it? Under the skin, about five times weekly. Source: reported by users, not an established dose.
• What's the difference between Glutathione and NAD+ and precursors? Glutathione: an antioxidant with mixed oral evidence and important risks from compounded injections. NAD+ and precursors: nAD+ helps cells use energy; wellness injection benefits remain unproven. Why people pair them: listed in online longevity stacks. No trial establishes an added benefit from combining it with glutathione.
• Can I take it with NAD+? Listed in online longevity stacks. No trial establishes an added benefit from combining it with glutathione. Source: reported by users. Ask a doctor before combining anything.
• Is it banned in sport? No, it is not on the banned list (WADA 2026). Glutathione is not named as prohibited. IV totals >100 mL per 12 hours are prohibited except legitimate hospital, surgery or diagnostic care; other use may need a TUE. M2.2 separately addresses total IV infusions or injections over 100 mL per 12 hours, except legitimate hospital treatment, surgical procedures or clinical diagnostic investigations.
• How long does a mixed vial last? A validated beyond-use date is formulation-specific. Forum mixing recipes do not establish sterility or shelf life.