How Amazing Glutathione Works For Your Brighter Skin in Albuquerque

Albuquerque, NM -- Want to brighten and beautify your skin? Glutathione is a potent antioxidant, too. Try it today at the Injection and Infusion Clinic.

Brighter and whiter skin is always “in,” especially for women of color. Bleach creams and injectables reached a value of $8.6 billion in 2020. The USA alone spent $2.3 billion! It has been projected to reach $12.3 billion by 2027.

Are you one of the women who yearn for youthful, glowing skin? Talk to us about your skincare needs at the Injection and Infusion Clinic of ABQ at 505-445-5030.

Glutathione or GSH has been marketed as an anti-aging substance to remove spots and blemishes. The Philippines dubbed it as the “magical skin whitening” substance.

Here’s why glutathione injections may be the right one for you:

What is glutathione?

French researcher J. de Rey-Pailhade discovered the substance in 1888. English biochemist Frederick Gowland Hopkins who described its properties, renamed it “glutathione”. In 1927, Eagles and Hunter reported GSH as a tripeptide instead of a dipeptide, as Hopkins earlier claimed.

GSH, as a tripeptide, contains three amino acids. These amino acids, cysteine, glycine, and glutamate, are found in your cells. Some fruits and vegetable sources of glutathione include asparagus, avocado, and spinach. Sulfur-rich proteins like poultry, fish, and beef also contain GSH.

GSH plays various roles. The liver produces GSH that works as an antioxidant. It combats free radicals and toxins that cause damage to your cells. It detoxifies your body from pollutants. As a result, it helps improve or maintain your good health and well-being.

GSH used in food products is classified as “Generally Regarded as Safe” since it’s a natural antioxidant.

What are the potential benefits of glutathione?

• GSH boosts your energy. Mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell in your body. GSH protects it from the buildup of free radicals that causes damage. Once the mitochondria are damaged, they can’t make energy. It impacts your body’s function and causes more damage.
• GSH occurs naturally in the body and works as a potent antioxidant. GSH combats free radicals caused by harmful byproducts when your body burns fuel or food for energy. In connection with this action, GSH detoxifies your body by effectively eliminating toxins.
• GSH improves skin elasticity and reduces wrinkles. It works by blocking the enzyme tyrosinase, which makes melanin. A study shows that an oral dose of 250 mg/dl of GSH decreasing wrinkles. 
• GSH is effective as a skin-whitener in some parts of the body. It decreases the pigmentation or melanin of your skin. 
• GSH helps prevent many diseases. Depletion of GSH has been associated with atherosclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, high cholesterol, osteoarthritis, heart and liver disease, and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
• GSH regulates the growth of tumors. High levels of GSH in tumors help protect cells found in breast, bone marrow, colon, larynx, and lung cancers. It prevents cancer from becoming worse.

What are glutathione whitening injections?

Large doses of GSH have a noticeable side effect of skin-lightening. It happens when GSH reduces tyrosinase action, which produces melanin. Melanin is the skin’s natural pigment. Thus, its mechanism of action strongly supports GSH as a potential agent for skin lightening. GSH has been specifically suggested as a potential agent for melasma and hyperpigmentation. 

Melasma and hyperpigmentation are skin pigmentation disorders. Melasma is brown or gray patches usually on the face caused by hormonal changes. It’s more common in women than in men, often called the “mask of pregnancy.” In contrast, hyperpigmentation is dark patches of skin tone caused by sun damage and excess melanin.

GSH administered to the body through injection or infusion has been used as a popular skin lightener. However, robust scientific evidence has yet to prove GSH injections as an effective skin lightener or whitener. No evidence has also surfaced to prove otherwise. Thus, it’s up to your discretion, whether to use GSH or not.

Do glutathione injections work?

You can receive GSH through three routes. Let’s compare them.

1. Oral: Various oral forms are capsules, pills, tablets, syrups, and sprays. Two studies suggest GSH reduced melanin index among participants. Melanin index is a parameter to show the darkness or lightness of the skin. Higher melanin means darker skin tone than lower melanin or lighter skin tone. 

Researchers gave GSH capsules to 60 participants aged 19-22 years old. The participants took the 500 mg dose-capsules for four weeks. Melanin index reduction was significant among the participants who took GSH than those who took placebo. The researchers noted that the participants tolerated the GSH capsules without adverse effects.

Researchers in another study gave GSH lozenges to 30 women aged 22-42 years old. The women took the 500 mg dose-lozenges for eight weeks. Their melanin indices decreased significantly with no serious adverse events. The researchers considered the lozenges as safe and effective for skin lightening.

2. Topical: Creams, lotions, ointments, patch, and facial washes are spread on top of the skin. A study reveals GSH lotion reduced melanin index among 30 healthy participants aged 30-50 years old. The researchers noted that the participants tolerated the GSH lotion with no adverse reactions. The researchers said that it’s effective and safe to whiten the skin.

3. Intravenous: It comes as parenteral formulations or intravenous injections or infusions. Both food and pills go through the digestive system, where your body absorbs them. However, GSH injection is more effective as it bypasses the stomach. It goes directly to your bloodstream quickly without spillage, unlike GSH taken in other forms. 

There are only a few studies published on the skin whitening properties of GSH. Researchers in a guinea pig model showed that GSH injection was effective as a skin lightener. It didn’t produce any toxic effects. 

So far, there is only considerable evidence showing GSH as a therapy for hyperpigmentation. GSH mesotherapy, a combination of GSH and Vitamin C, has been used to manage melasma. However, it requires more studies to validate its efficacy.

How many glutathione injections should I take?

GSH manufacturers recommend a dose of 600-1,200 mg injections once or twice weekly for skin lightening. The exact duration of usage is unspecified.

How much do glutathione injections cost?

There are many reasons why you should take GSH. One of these is low levels of GSH or GSH deficiency. The level of GSH in your body naturally decreases as you grow older. It may also reduce due to specific diseases like cancer, type-2 diabetes, and HIV/AIDS.

Environmental factors may also cause GSH deficiency. These include exposure to chemicals, UV radiation, excessive smoking and drinking, poor diet, and some medications. To know your GSH level, we offer Glutathione Level, which cost $68.

What are the potential side effects of glutathione injections?

• GSH injection side effects are rare. Short term discomfort includes redness and irritation at the injection site. You may experience nausea, vomiting, chills, body aches, and low blood pressure.

• It’s best to find out first if you are allergic before taking the GSH shot, as you may experience rashes or trouble breathing. 

• If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, we highly do not recommend you to take GSH injections.

• GSH may cause liver, kidney, and nervous system toxicity. The FDA reported that higher levels of endotoxins found in compounded GSH could potentially cause adverse reactions. FDA analysis states that “Endotoxin limits should be calculated using maximum drug dose intended for IV administration.” 

They advised compounders of GSH to ensure quality control. It includes manufacturing the GSH under proper conditions and specifications for the intended route. Moreover, they urged manufacturers and repackagers to properly label ingredients and their intended use.

• A study enumerated five potential side effects of long-term use of GSH.

1. GSH increases the risk of developing melanoma or skin cancer. It’s caused by cells called melanocytes that plays a role in the pigmentation of your skin. 

2. GSH may produce lighter pigment patches in areas exposed to the sun. Medical practitioners reported this occurrence after 10-12 doses of GSH IV injection. According to the study, the condition resolved after 30-40 doses.

3. Melanin determines skin and hair color. The lightening of hair color has not been clinically reported. Researchers noted this condition as a logical potential side effect as melanin levels change due to GSH usage.

4. The researchers suggested that hypothetically, GSH may reduce the production of glutathione stored in the liver. The introduction of synthetic GSH may trigger the body to stop producing its own GSH. 

5. GSH may aggravate bacteria linked to peptic ulcer. The bacteria, Helicobacter pylori infects your digestive tract. It damages the lining of your stomach and parts of your small intestines. It leads to sores or peptic ulcers.

Where do I get Glutathione Injections?

Glutathione injections are available at the Injection and Infusion Clinic!