Glutathione and Alcohol: Safeguarding the Liver

Many of us have a love/hate relationship with alcohol. It’s an enjoyable way to socialize, and it can bring on a happy “buzz,” – but let’s be honest, alcohol is damaging the body and mind in many ways, causing free radicals that cause damage to cells and tissues. However,  the body naturally produces a powerful antioxidant called Glutathione, and boosting the levels of this Master Antioxidant can help the liver fight back from the destructive effects of alcohol. It plays a prominent role in helping the liver to cleanse and reduce the damaging effects of free radicals created by alcohol consumption. More and more studies like Alcohol, Oxidative Stress, and Free Radical Damage support this, and Auro’s Glutathione supplement, Glutaryl, with proven efficacy, helps the liver battle against the effects of alcohol.

Alcohol and the Liver

The liver takes the brunt of metabolizing alcohol with the critical job of breaking it down so that it can be removed from the body. The liver has a powerful filtration system. However, alcohol consumption can lead to inflammation and destruction of the liver over time. Even casual drinking is taxing the liver as it needs to detoxify the free radicals from alcohol.  The body’s naturally produced antioxidant called Glutathione can help balance the effects of alcohol consumption by reducing the impact of the toxins produced by the breakdown of alcohol. This is crucial because when the liver cannot properly detoxify, the following can occur – and most people don’t notice the symptoms until it’s too late:

• Fatty liver (steatosis)
• Inflammation of the liver (alcoholic hepatitis)
• Acute alcoholic hepatitis
• Scarring of the liver (cirrhosis)
• Liver failure

So what exactly happens when alcohol enters the liver – and how can Glutathione help?

The Process: Alcohol Intake and the Liver

1. Alcohol enters the body.
2. Enzymes break down the alcohol into different substances. Some enzymes genetically break it down better than others (one of the reasons some handle alcohol than others.)
3. This alcohol breakdown in the liver creates molecules that can lead to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) free radicals – tiny, very active molecules that contain oxygen. Our body naturally makes small amounts of them during normal chemical processes. 
4. These ROS free radicals can be harmful because they can react with and damage essential parts of our cells like fats, proteins, and DNA.
5. Glutathione balances these ROS and free radicals so that they can’t damage the liver – cells, proteins, DNA, and more.
6. Excessive free radicals without enough balancing Glutathione can harm the cell and cause oxidative stress.
7. This oxidative stress is a significant factor in the development of alcoholic liver disease, a condition where the liver gets damaged due to alcohol consumption.

Glutathione and The Liver 

Glutathione acts as an antioxidant by neutralizing harmful free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus helping to protect the liver from damage. However, as we age, the natural production of Glutathione in the body decreases. This is due to the natural aging process for one. This reduction is also compounded as Glutathione is also used up in response to the free radicals generated by factors like environmental toxins and stress that we encounter on a daily basis. When you add excessive alcohol consumption to this growing list of factors that deplete antioxidants, the liver struggles to keep up, especially in cases of heavy alcohol consumption.

Increasing Glutathione Levels to Protect the Liver

Increasing Glutathione levels in the body can help protect the liver from oxidative stress and damage, with many studies supporting this. Glutathione in the treatment of liver diseases: insights from clinical practice states, “Judging on the basis of the evidence obtained from experimental research and previous clinical studies, GSH administration seems to be a promising strategy to recover oxidative stress-induced liver damages in alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver diseases.” Glutathione supplementation is a critical part of a  two-pronged approach to help the liver stay healthy and combat alcohol damage, which includes: 

1. Lifestyle choices: Limit alcohol and other toxins that you can control, like tobacco, as well as environmental stressors like pesticides and excessive UV rays. Increase Glutathione-boosting foods like avocados, spinach, and kale. It’s also important to commit to moderate exercise and manage stress, which can also deplete Glutathione levels.
2. Glutathione Supplementation: It’s important to note that the body’s ability to absorb and utilize Glutathione from supplements can vary. While IV and oral forms of Glutathione supplementation are unproven, the results of a recent pilot study titled “Topical Absorption of Glutathione–Cyclodextrin Nanoparticle Complex in Healthy Human Subjects Improves Immune Response against Mycobacterium avium Infection” show that regular application to the skin of Glutaryl is a safe and effective way to balance the free radicals that can lead to illness and sickness. Glutaryl has the first patented technology to deliver this powerful antioxidant subdermally with just four sprays twice a day. The Auro GSH™ Antioxidant Delivery System optimizes antioxidant absorption and is the most robust and effective way to get the most out of this powerful transdermal supplement to improve health and significantly aid the liver in detoxification. 

Don’t underestimate Glutathione’s role in protecting the liver against damage from alcohol. 

Consider Glutaryl to provide detoxifying power to your liver – and the whole body – against the effects of alcohol and the many toxins that bombard us daily.