Glutathione research: studies, doses and safety
An antioxidant with mixed oral evidence and important risks from compounded injections.
Also called: GSH, Reduced L-glutathione, L-glutathione, GSSG, oxidized glutathione.
Antioxidant peptides · Endogenous thiol antioxidant; chemically a gamma-glutamyl tripeptide.
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)
Related to Glutathione
- NAD+ and precursors: NAD+ helps cells use energy; wellness injection benefits remain unproven.
Sources
- 503B Bulk Drug Substances List, FDA · FDA · 2026
- Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503A of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, FDA · FDA · 2026
- FDA reminds compounders not to use dietary supplement grade glutathione for injectables, FDA · 2026
- Find product information about medicines, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency · MHRA · 2026
- The 2026 Prohibited List, World Anti-Doping Agency · WADA · 2026
- Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503B of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, FDA · FDA · 2025
- Advertising guidance for businesses involved with intravenous (IV) vitamin and related therapies: Complying with therapeutic goods advertising requirements, Therapeutic Goods Administration · 2023
- Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee Meeting June 8, 2022 Summary Minutes, FDA · 2022
- 30ml Reduced-Glutathione 200mg/ml (2020-11-13), Health Canada · 2020
- FDA highlights concerns with using dietary ingredient glutathione to compound sterile injectables, FDA · 2019
- BSS PLUS- balanced salt solution enriched with bicarbonate, dextrose, and glutathione kit, Alcon Laboratories, Inc. · DailyMed
- EU/3/06/361 - orphan designation for treatment of cystic fibrosis, European Medicines Agency
- Product information, Health Canada
- Validation of an HPLC-UV method for the analysis of glutathione and its impurities, FDA
- A cluster analysis of 466 patients demonstrates that glutathione supplementation could preferentially benefit advanced unstable cirrhosis phenotype rather than stable cirrhosis., Philips CA et al. · Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026
Sources checked: 2026-10-18.
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