Skin & hair (cosmetic)
Glutathione
Used in 'gluta' drips and pushes
The body's main antioxidant, popular, and widely misused, for skin whitening.
What it is
A three-amino-acid peptide (glutamate, cysteine and glycine) made in every cell. It is the body's main antioxidant.
How it's thought to work
It is thought to shift skin pigment production from darker to lighter melanin.
What the evidence shows
Small trials of oral and topical glutathione show modest and inconsistent skin lightening. There is little good evidence for injected or IV glutathione.
Regulatory status
The Philippine FDA has warned (Advisory 2019-182) that injectable glutathione is approved only as an add-on treatment during cisplatin chemotherapy, and that no injectable glutathione is approved for skin lightening.
Safety notes
Reported problems with injected glutathione include skin rashes, rare severe skin reactions and possible effects on the liver and kidneys. Unregulated IV products also carry infection risks.
Key sources
- Sonthalia S, et al. Glutathione as a skin whitening agent: facts, myths, evidence and controversies. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2016. Find on PubMed
- Philippine FDA advisories on injectable glutathione for skin lightening.
Educational summary only, not medical advice. Gtides does not sell or link to sellers of Glutathione or any other product. Products sold as “research peptides” are not approved medicines, and their contents, purity and sterility are not verified.