Is It Safe to Take L-Glutathione During Pregnancy?

Glutathione is known for its antioxidant properties that offer various health benefits. However, you may wonder if it’s safe to take l-glutathione during pregnancy. This is often the concern of many pregnant women. Surprisingly, glutathione intake can protect the mother and fetus from many birth complications such as oxidative stress in pregnancy, labor, and conception. 

Let’s break it down further. 

Environmental Factors that Cause Birth Defects

There are various environmental factors that cause oxidative stress and lower glutathione levels, which lead to congenital disabilities, miscarriages, and abortion in pregnancy.

Some of the teratogens or congenital disabilities during pregnancy are as follows:

• Air pollution 
• Pesticides and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
• Radiation
• Heavy metals like mercury, cadmium, and arsenic.
• Vinyl chloride
• Acrylonitrile
• Cigarette smoke
• Excess Oxygen (hyperoxia)
• Antipsychotic
• Anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs)
• Thalidomide
• Alcohol or ethanol consumption

Maternal Health Factors that Cause Birth Defects

Here are some maternal health factors that increase the production of free radicals and result in birth defects. 

• Infection and Inflammation
• Diabetes
• Pre-eclampsia

L-Glutathione During Pregnancy

Because of modern diet and lifestyle, today’s mothers (to be) might lack many factors crucial for her and the fetus’s health, including antioxidants. When we talk about antioxidants like folic acid, we usually overlook the benefits of vitamin E and glutathione during pregnancy.  

Interestingly, glutathione and antioxidants are essential for the growth and development of the fetus and for maintaining a healthy pregnancy. In addition, it also plays an important role before pregnancy, conception, and infertility. 

Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant present naturally in the human body and helps restore other antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E. It protects the mother and her embryo from free radical damage and oxidative stress. 

Often women experience complications during pregnancy due to low levels of glutathione in mother and fetus, oxidative stress, and free radical damage. Glutathione plays a vital role in the development of the fetus and placenta. It can control proliferation, cell differentiation, and cell death. 

In addition to this, glutathione removes pollutants from the placenta before they get to the developing fetus. Naturally, the human placenta contains a significant amount of GST (glutathione S-transferase) that eliminates or activates the drugs during the organ development of the fetus. However, some of these drugs cause free radical damage and reduce GSH stores in the growing child. 

Glutathione Benefits For Pregnancy 

• Glutathione and other antioxidants reduce oxidative stress in pregnancy with inflammation or conditions like preeclampsia and diabetes and put fetuses at risk of developing cystic fibrosis.
• Consumption of glutathione supplements with precursors and antioxidants can lower the risk of birth defects and protects mother and child from fatal consequences and damage of pregnancy complications. 
• Glutathione intake prevents and reduces oxidative stress during the labor and birth process.

It is recommended to take prenatal vitamins that include antioxidants for pregnant women. Plus, plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits are one of the best sources of antioxidant protection. 

Dosage 

Here’s a quick sneak peek into how pregnant women should take doses of l-glutathione. 

• Do not overdose. Take an appropriate amount of glutathione, it’s always better to ask your doctor. 
• Ensure cofactor availability 
• Glutathione supplement form and bioavailability

It’s recommended to take supplements that supply at least 200-600 IU of tocopherols (depending on the form) and contain trace elements and minerals such as B-vitamin cofactors and magnesium. Then adding 500 QD-BID of true liposomal glutathione would be safe, balanced, and work great.