Uplift Your Mood with Glutathione (GSH)

Mood disorders are complex and stem from various physical, situational, and environmental factors. In some cases, researchers can trace the problem to oxidative stress. 

Our experts at Advanced Medical Care often see this relationship in our patients with major depressive disorder. When oxidative stress is a contributing factor, we offer glutathione therapy to counteract the underlying cause of depression. Here’s what you need to know.

Is oxidative stress depressing you?

Although scientists are still trying to figure out the neurobiological reasons for depression, several working theories are driving research and treatment development. For example, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) increase serotonin in patients with low levels. By blocking your neurons from reabsorbing the serotonin, more is available to make reliable connections between your neurons, and your mood improves. 

Researchers have also found that oxidative stress may be the culprit behind some cases of major depressive disorder and other psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar, and psychosis. To understand this complex relationship, let’s take a look at oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress (OS) is a medical term describing an imbalance of certain chemicals in your brain. It means you have too many free radicals and not enough antioxidants. They move around your system recklessly, bumping into and reacting with other molecules and causing a cascade of interactions that create oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress is known to impact your cells at the mitochondrial level, and your neurons are particularly sensitive to oxidative stress. In fact, oxidative stress contributes to several neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. When your glutathione levels are down, it’s an indicator that you may be experiencing oxidative stress, and your body needs help to counteract the overwhelming amount of OS.

Antioxidants are the antidote to oxidative stress, and glutathione is the most powerful antioxidant in your body. Glutathione antioxidants are like stealthy scavengers seeking free radicals and donating electrons to stabilize those rogue molecules. But if you’re low on glutathione, you need to get more from an outside source, and that’s where Advanced Medical Care comes in.

How glutathione improves your mood

Low glutathione levels alert us to oxidative stress and point to an underlying cause of psychosis and major depressive disorder. We see this most often in our patients with ongoing symptoms that seem resistant to treatment. 

In fact, the amount of glutathione and the patient’s response to treatment seem to be linked. Studies show that people with more antioxidants respond to treatments more quickly than those with low levels. 

Glutathione also plays another role in treating depression. People with depression often have too much of the chemical glutamate in their systems, and if it goes unchecked, it can damage neurons and reduce your response to depression treatment. Fortunately, glutathione helps regulate glutamate and protect your neurons.

We administer glutathione through an IV to get the much-needed amino acid into your bloodstream as quickly as possible. Oral supplements don’t produce the levels you need to treat depression, so don’t rely on OTC products. 

If you or a loved one suffers from depression, schedule an appointment with our glutathione specialists at Advanced Medical Care. Call us in Queens or Brooklyn, New York, or book online.