Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Department of Surgery, McGill University, and
Medical Research Council of Canada.

The chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is typically associated or follows a recognized or presumed infection. Abnormalities of both humoral and cellular immunity have been demonstrated in a substantial proportion of patients with CFS. The most consistent findings are of impaired lymphocyte responses to mitogen. As an antioxidant, glutathione (GSH) is essential for allowing the lymphocyte to express its full potential without being hampered by oxiradical accumulation. Hence, protracted challenge of the immunocytes may lead to cellular GSH depletion. Because GSH is also essential to aerobic muscular contraction, an undesirable competition for GSH precursors between the immune and muscular systems may develop. It is conceivable that the priority of the immune system for the survival of the host has drawn to this vital area the ever-diminishing GSH precursors, thus depriving the skeletal muscle of adequate GSH precursors to sustain a normal aerobic metabolism resulting in fatigue and eventually myalgia.

The Role of Glutathione in
Aging and Cancer

American Health Foundation,
Valhalla, New York 10595.

The incidence and mortality rates from most cancers increase exponentially with age. It is likely that this aging phenomenon is partially due to specific changes that occur in the host resulting in an increased susceptibility to neoplasia. Our hypothesis is that one such host factor is a deficiency in GSH, based on the importance of this compound in the detoxification of a wide variety of exogenous and endogenous carcinogens and free radicals, as well as in the maintenance of immune function.

Diabetes

The blood and tissues of diabetics are marked by critically low glutathione levels. Glutathione depletion may have adverse consequences in diabetic clients independent of glycemic control, and it may weaken the defense against oxidative stress.

De Mattia G, Bravi MC, Laurenti O, Cassone-Faldetta M, Armiento A, Ferri C, Falsano F.

Influence of Reduced Glutathione Infusion on Glucose Metabolism in Patients with Non-insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus. Metabolism. 1998 Aug;47(8):433-8.

Mitochondrial and GSH in
Neurodegeneration and
Lewdy Body Diseases

University Department of Clinical Neurosciences,
Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, London, UK.

…Oxidative stress and complex I deficiency have both been identified in the substantia nigra in Parkinson's disease but their place in the sequence of events resulting in dopaminergic cell death is uncertain. We have analysed respiratory chain activity, iron and reduced glutathione concentrations in Parkinson's disease substantia innominata and in the cingulate cortex of patients with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies to investigate their association with neuronal death and Lewy body formation. No abnormalities of mitochondrial function, iron or reduced glutathione levels were identified in Parkinson's disease substantia innominata or cingulate cortex.

Mitochondrial function also appeared to be unchanged in cingulate cortex from patients with Alzheimer's disease and from patients with dementia with Lewy bodies, however, iron concentrations were mildly increased in both, and reduced glutathione decreased only in Alzheimer's disease. These results confirm the anatomic specificity of the complex I deficiency and decreased levels of reduced glutathione within the Parkinson's disease brain and suggest that these parameters are not associated with cholinergic cell loss in Parkinson's disease nor with Lewy body formation in this or other diseases. We propose that our data support a two-hit hypothesis for the cause of neuronal death in Parkinson's disease.

Esssential Health Aid

From The Natural Healer Magazine
Article by Josué Cinéus

Glutathione has three important functions: It serves as an Antioxidant, an Immune system enhancer and a Detoxifier. It has been dubbed the essential health AID.

As an antioxidant, glutathione (often abbreviated as GSH) is the most powerful antioxidant that protects against free radical damages or oxidative stresses, which have been implicated in a number of illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and even the negative effects of aging. As an immune system enhancer, glutathione is needed for the proper functioning, and in particular the creation and maintenance, of T-cells lymphocytes, the body's front-line defense against infection. As a detoxifier, dozens of toxins are eliminated by the glutathione enzyme system, including heavy metals, cigarette smoke, fuel exhaust and other carcinogens.