Most people have never heard of glutathione, despite the fact that it is your body’s ‘master antioxidant’ which not only repairs free radical damage itself, but also acts to recycle and increase levels of other antioxidants such as Vitamin C and Vitamin E.
The best way to illustrate how important glutathione is for your body, let’s use the example of acetaminophen (paracetamol) overdose. When someone takes massive quantities of acetaminophen, their liver runs out of glutathione which it normally uses to detoxify and remove various drugs and toxins from the body. Liver failure and death can often result. That’s how important glutathione is.
Unfortunately you cannot take glutathione, however you can increase levels by taking certain supplements and one of the best ways is via Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA).
ALA does not directly improve cognitive function directly by the same means as other nootropics, but works to repair cellular damage in your brain, preventing some of the declines typically seen with the aging process. Recently, several trials have shown benefit for using ALA to treat conditions such as age related cognitive dysfunction, Alzheimer’s and Multiple Sclerosis. ALA is by no means a cure for these diseases, however has shown promise in slowing the progression of these debilitating conditions.
The means by which ALA exerts its effects on the brain are predominantly via increased glutathione levels, however this supplement also acts as an anti-inflammatory, providing benefit where there may be excess inflammation in the brain.