I woke up this morning with a cold and a heavy feeling as if I am going to have fever. It was very hot yesterday noon, with a temperature of 30 Celsius and cooled the weather down in the afternoon when the rain poured. It is summer time and it is kinda weird for rain to pour in this season so I failed to bring an umbrella along with me when I went to my office. Bathing in the rain in a rainy summer afternoon isn’t a good idea.

Luckily, I found oranges on the dining table and reminded me of my childhood memories about Vitamin C, which I think is what I need in times like this. When I was a kid, my mom always tells us to eat citrus fruits which she says contain very high amount of Vitamin C, which is according to her protects and boosts our immune system. Until I had the habit of reading health articles, I had the belief that citrus fruits are the major sources of Vitamin C. I just learned that there are other fruits and even vegetables which are good sources of Vitamin C. Papaya, red and green bell peppers and even my favorite broccoli are also rich in this important vitamin! The amounts of vitamin C they contain are more than those in strawberries and oranges. Supplements which are readily available in the market, known as ascorbic acid, is also a good source of Vitamin C.

Vitamin C is very important when we have colds, fever and even for severe illnesses such as asthma, depression, Parkinson’s disease, etc.

Prevention is still better than cure. Too bad for me since I have no choice left but to cure this cold. Gotta grab those Vitamin C rich foods and satisfy my cravings! Next time, I’ll just bring my umbrella and grab C-enriched foods to prevent myself from catching colds.

There are a lot of ads in the billboards, TV commercials as well as in the leading magazines in the country, the different endorsements of beauty and health products that contain glutathione. Beauty soaps and supplements that contain this substance are endorsed by the most popular artists and models of the country. Healthier body, whiter and younger looking skin, are some of the reasons that these endorsers say why people should buy their products.

Out of curiosity, I tried to search for the effects of this compound, specifically its benefits to the human body.

Eliminating some of the chemical explanations, I found out that the chemical substances that compose this protein are normally produced by the body to fight stress and unwanted external health threats: pollution, stress, etc. This substance boosts the immune system of the body making it protected from harmful substances. And as exposure to unwanted substances is increased, the effectivity of this protein as well as the protection that it gives the human body, also increases.

Aside from the fairer and whiter skin, glutathione also gives unimaginable effects to the human body.

Glutathione is used by the body to protect the skin and eyes against radiation damage, and plays a crucial role in the detoxification systems present in the organs of the body, like the liver, kidneys and lungs - making it known to be the master anti-oxidant.

It is also used to improve fertility in males and insulin secretion in elderly folks who have impaired glucose tolerance. One form of this substance is also used to treat deadly illnesses such as cancer, pancreatitis, Wilson’s disease and HIV.

Having known the amazing effects of glutathione to the human body, one question is left unanswered: Are products that contain glutathione increase the amount of this substance in the body and increase the protection of the human body from pollution and harmful substances?

Unfortunately, oral glutathione supplements are said to be ineffective because their glutathione breaks down in the stomach into 3 amino acids that compose this protein: cysteine, glutamate, and glycine and thus does not reach the bloodstream in the form of glutathione.

There are articles which say that there is a specific form of this protein which is capable of reaching the bloodstream in the right form. This makes me think twice of buying glutathione containing products! Do these advertised products contain glutathione in the right form?

How can we know?