Glutathion, Master anti-oxidant ? Requires raw protein

[Kasper]

I've been reading stuff about glutathion the last couple of days.
What I've read is that glutathion is the most important anti-oxidant in the body.
And that many people width chronic diseases have low levels of this anti-oxidant.
Human cells are able to synthesize this molecule from cysteine, glutamic acid and glycine, three amino acids.

Cysteine is the most difficult to obtain through the diet. And besides this, I just read this:
"Excessive heat from pasteurization causes the amino acid cystine to be broken down into two
molecules of the amino acid called cysteine. When ingested, cysteine does not make it through
the digestive process in tact. "

So eat raw protein!

[RRM]

The main antioxidant in our blood is uric acid, followed by vitamin C and E, coenzyme Q (derived from acetyl-CoA) and then glutathione (though #1 in liver tissue).
Other important antioxidants are enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase and various peroxidases.
Another major group of antioxidants are thiols, resembling alcohols.
Carotenes are a major group of antioxidant pigments.
But yes, glutathion is very important.
Compared to methionine (precursor of cysteine and vulnerable) and a few other amino acids, cystine seems to be relatively resistent to heat.
Lets see what we can find about the degree of decomposition due to heat.

[Kasper]

This is what I found about milk:

The fragile proteins in raw milk are denatured at 149 degrees Fahrenheit. Once this
temperature is reached, the milk is much less healthy. Yet all other whey proteins use milk that
has been double pasteurized at 162 degrees. And some have the nerve to still claim to be "non-
denatured" since the whey extraction process did not further denature the already ruined milk
protein. Don't believe them!



I couldn't find the scientific article (if it exist).

[Kasper]

To summarize what we know already:
To boost production of glutathion, you need cysteine, which implies eating food high in cystine or methionine.
To convert methionine into cystine, our body need vitamin B6, vitamin B9 and vitamin B12.

So the most difficult thing is to get methionine and cysteine, because those two are the most scarce amino acids.
To get those, it's important to eat high quality protein.

About heat:
So methionine is vulnerable to heat? In which molecules will it decompose ?
I'm quite sure that at least pasteurization of milk converts cystine into cysteine.
I can't find any scientific publications about this. But on the internet I read everywhere things like:
It was first thought that "normal" whey protein could be a good way to boost glutathion levels.
But for some reason, raw whey protein seemed to work much better in boosting glutathion levels.

Immunocal is a product which contains three (raw) proteins: serum albumin, alpha lactalbumin and lactoferrin (from whey protein).

Immunocal has been shown to differ from other whey proteins in its effect upon the immune system. Specifically, scientific studies on other whey proteins have not shown the same immune stimulating effects that are seen with Immunocal®. Immunocal has been extensively studied in the clinical literature. Comparing the bioactive ingredients in Immunocal to those in other whey proteins clearly shows the superiority of Immunocal®. Immunocal is a bioactive dietary supplement that is supported by eighteen years of research through rigorous clinical trials that have been published in peer review journals. These studies, performed in world-renowned medical and scientific institutions, attest to the efficacy of Immunocal. Immunocal studies have shown that Immunocal not only increases intracellular levels of GSH (glutathione or glutathione precursors) following ingestion, but also significantly builds up the stores of these substances inside the cells. This beneficial effect lasts for considerable periods of time after ingestion of Immunocal.

This product is boosting glutathion for sure (backed up by many scientific studies).
To get the same results, you probably need to get a raw food width the same amino acid profile.
To get better results, you probably need a raw food, width even more cystine/methionine.

g/10g of Immunocal (9 gram protein)
ASP 1.143
TYR .279
THR .747
PHY .279
SER .477
HIS .162
GLU 1.773
LYS .855
GLY .180
ARG .153
ALA .504
PRO .567
VAL .567
CYS .225
ILE .612
MET .225
LEU .981
TRP .180

What is the protein quality of this ? I don't know how to calculate it.

Brazil nuts are per 9 gram protein:
Protein.........................................9.10530g ..........13.00g
-Methionine.....................................0.59630g .......58mg/kg (FAO/WHO 85)
-Cysteine.......................................0.32159g .......58mg/kg (FAO/WHO 85)

It is so sad that brazil nuts has so high selenium content and natural radioactive!
Otherwise it would probably be the perfect food to boost glutathione levels!

There are over 100 diseases and conditions associated with low glutathione levels. Most of the degenerative diseases of aging and the autoimmune diseases have been studied and linked to low
GSH levels including: Acetaminophen poisoning, ADD, Addison's disease, aging, AIDS, alopecia areata, ALS, Alzheimer's' disease, anaemia (haemolytic), ankylosing spondylitis, arteriosclerosis
(hardening of the arteries), arthritis (rheumatoid), asthma, autism, autoimmune disease, burns, cacexia, cancer, candida infection, cardiomyopathy (idiopathic), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, colitis,
coronary artery disease, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, Crohn's disease, eczema, emphysema, Epstein Barr Viral (EBV) syndrome, fibromyalgia, free radical overload, Graves' disease, hepatic dysfunction
(liver disease), hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hypercholesterolemia (high blood cholesterol), herpes, infections (viral, bacterial and fungal), inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), lupus, macular
degeneration (diabetic and age-related macular degeneration), malnutrition, Meniere's disease, multiple sclerosis, Myasthenia Gravis, neurodegenerative diseases, nutritional disorders, Parkinson's
disease, primary biliary cirrhosis, progeria, psoriasis, rheumatic fever, sarcoidosis, scleroderma, shingles, stroke, surgery, toxic poisoning, trauma, vasculitis, vitiligo, Wegener's Granulomatosis, to
name a few.

All those people who suffer from those diseases would probably benefit from (low-selenium non-radioactive) brazil nuts!
Still 40 gram high selenium radioactive brazil nuts would probably also be benifical.
But:"Clinical data seems to indicate there is limited benefit from exceeding 30 grams (3 packets) per day of Immunocal®."
So, it seems like our body won't have benefit from more than 675 mg cysteine/675 mg methionine.

But you won't get that from 40 gram brazil nuts alone.
From 170 gram salmon, and 40 gram brazil nuts you get:
Protein quality...................................51.13%
Protein........................................39.26600g ..........58.00g
-Methionine.....................................1.54600g .......13mg/kg (FAO/WHO 85)
-Cysteine.......................................0.68500g .......13mg/kg (FAO/WHO 85)

Immunocal needs 27 gram protein for this amount of cysteine.
I'm just guessing, but I think that the less protein, the better results.
But maybe 170 gram salmon/40 gram brazil nuts will have sort of the same effect as 30 gram of immunocal.

Maybe 270 gram tuna will have the same effect:
Protein quality...................................36.30%
Protein........................................63.12600g ..........58.00g
-Methionine.....................................1.86839g .......13mg/kg (FAO/WHO 85)
-Cysteine.......................................0.67770g .......13mg/kg (FAO/WHO 85)

I'm just guessing which will have the same results or have better results than immunocal, but at least, because immunocal is just raw high-quality protein. Other raw high-quality protein will very probably also have positive effects on glutation levels.

More information about immunocal (and glutathion) you can find here:
http://forum.lef.org/attach.aspx/109/Im ... nswers.pdf

[RRM]

....To boost production of glutathion...

Im not sure whether thats necessarily a good thing.
Keep in mind: its the body that builds this anti-oxidant, and all anti-oxidants need to be in balance with radicals,
as radicals are equally essential for life.
To me, it seems optimal to supply the body with everything that it needs, without forcing it.
Consuming sufficient high quality protein may be all that we need to do.

So methionine is vulnerable to heat? In which molecules will it decompose ?

Not necessarily decomposition, as heat-stimulated reactions may actually create larger molecules
(which can be anything, including heterocyclic compounds), prior to being decomposed.

whey proteins have not shown the same immune stimulating effects that are seen with Immunocal®.

Immune stimulating effects may not necessarily be beneficial, i think.

...Immunocal not only increases intracellular levels of GSH (glutathione or glutathione precursors) following ingestion, but also significantly builds up the stores of these substances inside the cells. This beneficial effect lasts for considerable periods of time after ingestion of Immunocal.

This may actually be a defensive measure by the body in response to immunocal...

What is the protein quality of this ? I don't know how to calculate it.

45%, which is similar to herring, horse mackerel and egg yolk...
, compared to Brazil nuts 91%, crayfish 80% and horse meat 56%.
Did they experiment with the influence of methionine / cysteine supplementation on glutathion levels?

But:"Clinical data seems to indicate there is limited benefit from exceeding 30 grams (3 packets) per day of Immunocal®."
So, it seems like our body won't have benefit from more than 675 mg cysteine/675 mg methionine.

So, you would need only 1 capsule containing 500 mg methionine.

I'm just guessing, but I think that the less protein, the better results.

Correct, as there is competition regarding enzymes and co-enzymes.
Thats why high protein quality is beneficial.

Maybe 270 gram tuna will have the same effect:

Protein quality of tuna is lower; 38%.

immunocal is just raw high-quality protein.

Maybe, but maybe not, as particularly high in specific proteins (serum albumin, alpha lactalbumin and lactoferrin) that may trigger the immune system,
and the increased glutathione may be the consequence of that.

[RRM]

Did they experiment with the influence of methionine / cysteine supplementation on glutathion levels?

"supplementary methionine stimulates both the synthesis of the glutathione redox system and glutathione peroxidase activity in growing chickens"
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15379451

The best thing against fluoride is anti-oxidants, which neutralize the toxicity of fluoride. This diet is full of anti-oxidants.
And also rich in good absorbable cysteine which is the building block of glutathione, very important anti-oxidant.

So, you could try supplementary methionine, 500 mg/day.