Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

L-glutathione is an antioxidant tripeptide naturally present in liver cells, where it plays a crucial role in detoxifying harmful substances and protecting hepatocytes from oxidative damage. Scientific interest in L-glutathione supplementation for liver diseases, including cirrhosis, stems from the observation that glutathione levels are often depleted in chronic liver conditions. Several small clinical studies and animal experiments have investigated its efficacy in supporting liver health. Some studies suggest that intravenous or oral glutathione may help reduce oxidative stress and improve certain biochemical markers of liver function in patients with liver diseases, including cirrhosis. For example, a few pilot trials have shown improvements in liver enzymes and reductions in markers of oxidative damage after glutathione administration. However, the quality and size of these studies are limited, and there is a lack of large, well-controlled randomized clinical trials directly assessing its impact on clinical outcomes in cirrhosis patients. As such, while the mechanistic rationale is strong and preliminary data are promising, the overall scientific evidence for using L-glutathione specifically to treat or significantly impact the progression of cirrhosis is weak at this time. Most clinical guidelines do not recommend its routine use for cirrhosis due to insufficient evidence. Therefore, glutathione supplementation for cirrhosis is a scientifically plausible intervention with some preliminary support, but robust clinical validation is lacking.

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