Acetyl-glutathione helping

[Christianmom]

My son's doctor recently added acetyl-glutathione tablets (Allergy Research, 100 mg., 1/day) to my son's treatment. I know most tablet forms of glutathione are not easily absorbed, but this one is supposed to be. He has been on it for about 6 weeks, and it seems to have significantly helped his OCD. He forgot to take it for two days over Christmas, and we noticed a regression. He started it again and we noticed improvement.

 

But why is the glutathione helping? My son tested very high for KPU (30.5), and I have read that the zinc deficiency caused by KPU can lower glutathione. Is perhaps the improvement with glutathione showing that my son's KPU treatment isn't enough yet. Or is it showing that he needs extra help with detox. that the glutathione is giving him? Thanks.

[Dedee]

I don't have any answers. I have been considering getting this for my daughter who has lingering OCD but it seems to be rather expensive. We use NAC and ALA now to try to increase glutathione levels but I haven't noticed much decrease with her OCD. It's great that you have found a non-SSRI way that is helpful!

 

Dedee

[Christianmom]

Dedee -- I use Nutricology acetyl-glutathione, though the doctor originally gave me Allergy Research Groups'. But I believe the two companies are the same. Anyway, Nutricology is much less expensive--about $50 for 60 100 mg. tablets. My son takes 1/day, so it costs about $25/month. My husband is also taking it for detox, 1/day. He goes to the same doctor as my son.

[Dedee]

Thanks so much! I will try that brand. Sounds more reasonable than what I was looking at.

[GinnyO]

You might consider having testing for MTHFR mutations, which occur in 30-40% of the population, even higher in those with chronic illness. I have 677 and 1298 mutations, and benefit from avoiding folic acid and taking methylfolate, and methyl B12. My body can now bypass my mutations and make its own glutathion.

[Christianmom]

You might consider having testing for MTHFR mutations, which occur in 30-40% of the population, even higher in those with chronic illness. I have 677 and 1298 mutations, and benefit from avoiding folic acid and taking methylfolate, and methyl B12. My body can now bypass my mutations and make its own glutathion.

Thank you for your reply! My son has one C677T mutation. To overcome the mutation (i.e to correct his methylation) he has been taking methyl B-12 shots every three days and 5-MTHF (methyl folate) 1 mg. tablets, 1/day. He has been on this methylation treatment for about 9 months. He also takes 4 CORE/day and borage oil for KPU and has been taking this for about 9 months. I guess that is why I was surprised that he still needed glutathione. You would think with treating the KPU and treating the methylation problem that my son wouldn't need glutathione. But obviously he does. So perhaps he hasn't been taking the methylation and KPU supplementsments long enough. Or perhaps he needs the extra detox help that the glutathione is giving him even though his zinc, B-6, and methylation problems are under control. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

[Christianmom]

I spoke with my son's doctor's assistant yesterday about glutathoine and mentioned that it is helping my son's OCD in a significant way, even though his KPU and methylation are being treated so theoretically he should be making enough glutathione. She said that you can correct everything--infection, KPU, methylation, etc.--and still have low glutathione because of a missing gene at birth (GSTM1?). She herself is missing this gene and gets IV-glutathione regularly.

 

If she is talking about the GSTM1 gene as I suspect, it can be tested through this link for about $500:

 

http://www.integrativepsychiatry.net/genova_diagnostics_detoxigenomic_profile.html

 

If the GSTM1 gene is absent, you will have trouble making and recycling glutathione. Here is an article about it:

 

http://experiencelife.com/article/glutathione-the-great-protector/

 

I mentioned as well that my son regressed quickly after only missing a few days of the glutathione. She said the body cannot store glutathione--it has to be replaced regularly, so it made sense that he regressed quickly.

 

I am not planning on having my son tested for the absence of the GSTM1 gene because there are other genes that can also cause glutathione problems as well. And I would continue the glutathione regardless of the results. But I just wanted to mention that gene because it is a common one to cause glutathione problems.

 

She also mentioned that they feel the acethyl-glutathione is the superior way to get glutathione orally.

[Dedee]

Thanks for the information. I have ordered some. Interested to see if it helps.

 

Dedee

[pandakid11]

HI

Any updates to this product? Helping? Thanks

[Christianmom]

HI

Any updates to this product? Helping? Thanks

My son was very well (80%) when I started this thread. Within the last three weeks he has taken a sharp turn for the worse (he is at about 60%). Doctor feels the decline is from bartonella and biofilms. This week he added biaxin/mycobutin to my son's Klinghardt "lyme cocktail" to treat bartonella more aggressively, and added Cistus tea to treat biofilms. My son is having a pretty bad herx as a result. So he is now not at a good place to be judging the glutathione, though he is still taking it.

 

One other thing, my son's doctor did not feel the improvement from glutathione that my son had was showing that his KPU treatment wasn't enough. He, therefore, kept my son on 4 CORE/day and did not up it. He feels the improvement was simply from the extra detox. it was giving him.

Edited February 14, 2013 by Christianmom