Glutathione and Vitamin C: Why You Should Take Them Together

When it comes to protecting your body and keeping every cell healthy, we’d probably go to pretty extreme measures.

Without our health, we don’t have much, so giving our body what it needs to function at its maximum capacity is beyond important.

In addition to healthy lifestyle practices like stress management, proper sleep hygiene, and physical activity, ensuring you’re also meeting your nutrient requirements—either through food or supplementation—is a non-negotiable.

Your body relies on nutrients to work, and deficiency of any number of them could spell big trouble.

So, let's talk glutathione and vitamin C —you’ve likely heard of these two guys separately. But when you combine them, they pack an even greater punch.

This article is all about your superstar antioxidants and why they should be taken together to maximize their roles in protecting cells and supporting organ systems.

Let’s talk about vitamin C and glutathione—the power couple.

What You Need To Know About Glutathione & Vitamin C

What Is Glutathione?

You’ve likely heard all about antioxidants and how they’re essential for keeping your cells protecting and fighting free radicals. Well, glutathione is one of the most important and powerful antioxidants in your body.

Unlike many antioxidants that we get from food and supplements, glutathione is actually produced in the body from three precursor amino acids—cysteine, glycine, and glutamine⁽¹⁾; the first of those amino acids is the rate-limiting compound, so not enough cysteine and your glutathione status is going to suffer.

Aside from protecting cells from damage due to excessive oxygen or nitrogen radicals, glutathione plays a number of other key roles, including⁽¹⁾:

• Detoxification of toxic compounds
• Facilitating plasma membrane transport of toxic substances for elimination
• Scavenging oxygen and nitrogen oxidants
• Recycling and regenerating other antioxidants (vitamins C and E)
• Removing heavy metals
• Regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis
• Supporting mitochondrial function and maintaining the health of mitochondrial DNA

Without sufficient glutathione production or intake, low glutathione status can contribute to the development or worsening of various disease states, some of which include^{(2, 3)}:

• Premature aging
• Neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s)
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• HIV/AIDS
• Autoimmunity
• Infertility
• Mental health disorders

It’s a little nutrient that plays a big role, so supporting it in any way you can is critical to maintaining health and preventing chronic disease development.

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What Is Vitamin C?

We all know vitamin C—the lemons you squeeze into your water, the orange juice you have with breakfast, and even the red peppers you put on your veggie platter.

Vitamin C is a big name in the vitamin world when it comes to immune function, but it’s also a powerful antioxidant that works alongside glutathione to protect the body from the damaging effects of oxidative stress.

But aside from being another powerful antioxidant, vitamin C also plays a role in^(4-6):

• Collagen synthesis (supports the health of all connective tissues)
• Immune function
• Enzyme cofactor
• Nitric oxide bioactivity
• Pregnancy
• Heart health and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease
• Maintaining iron stores
• Cognitive function
• (Regenerating other antioxidants (vitamin E)

Remember that because humans lack the ability to synthesize vitamin C, and it’s a water-soluble vitamin, it must be replenished daily through food or supplementation.

The Link Between Glutathione And Vitamin C

With two powerful antioxidants, it only makes sense that combining them would make their effect even more powerful, right?

As it stands, yes! Glutathione and vitamin C work together to neutralize free radicals, combating oxidative stress and reducing inflammation.

But it’s not all about a bigger and better antioxidant response. It’s more so about boosting up the power of glutathione and preventing levels from declining.

Because vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant itself, it can quench free radicals first, sparing glutathione from having to do it, thereby preserving levels. But that’s not the only role it plays. Vitamin C also plays an important role in regenerating glutathione to enhance and extend its functions.

Here’s how it works.

Glutathione naturally exists in two states: reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG); as evident by looking at the molecules, the oxidized form of glutathione is actually two reduced glutathione atoms bound together at the sulfur atoms⁽¹⁾. And the ratio of GSH to GSSG is indicative of the redox status of cells.

Healthy cells generally have a GSH/GSSG ratio of greater than 100, while cells under oxidative stress exhibit a ratio of about 1:10—substantially lower. Because of these ratios, ensuring adequate glutathione levels ensures no damage is ensued during times of stress.

But one of the major ways that glutathione protects cells from damage by oxidants is by recycling other vitamins, including vitamins C and E—both powerful antioxidants themselves.

Studies show that low concentrations of vitamin C indicate greater oxidative stress ⁽⁷⁾. That is because the administration of ascorbate into a high oxidative stress environment increases tissue concentrations of glutathione, indicating that ascorbate (vitamin C) spares glutathione.

But there’s also the fact that regeneration of ascorbate involves glutaredoxin, which requires the presence of glutathione as an electron donor⁽⁸⁾. Either way you slice it, one needs the other to function properly and reduce oxidative stress.

And with all of that said, the numbers can speak for themselves. Studies find that taking 500-1,000mg of vitamin C with glutathione can increase glutathione levels in white blood cells and red blood cells by 18% and 47%, respectively^{(8, 9)}.

So, if you want to maximize the effect of glutathione, taking it with vitamin C may just be the smartest idea.

Where To Find Them

It makes sense to consume glutathione and vitamin C together. Lucky for us, they’re widely available in food sources.

Vitamin C we're all familiar with— citrus fruits, peppers, blackcurrants and veg are all great sources. Glutathione is found in raw or very rare meat, asparagus, avocado and spinach. As well as fresh fruit and other veg.

It's worth knowing that the strength of glutathione is diminished through cooking though. So anything that can be consumed fresh, is going to be a better source.

Many plant-based foods contain the thiol-rich compounds glutathione, NAC, and cysteine, and studies show that consuming a glutathione-supported diet including green foods like asparagus, avocado, cucumber, green beans, and spinach could benefit GSH levels, not to mention boost levels of vitamin C ⁽¹⁰⁾.

Meat and seafood are another great concentrated source of glutathione that can help boost levels. Although some research does suggest that dietary glutathione is poorly absorbed by the body and may not contribute to improvements in levels⁽¹¹⁾.

With studies suggesting that glutathione from food sources can be challenging for the body to absorb, supplementation may be more effective.

The Best Glutathione and Vitamin C Supplements

Performance Lab® Immune

There are several ways to directly boost GSH and enzymes related to GSH activity through supplements. So, if you want a sure-fire way to protect your body against all immune challenges and increase levels of both glutathione and vitamin C, Performance Lab® Immune is it. It’s a cutting-edge ultra-modern nutritional supplement designed to support every aspect of immune function.

Performance Lab® Immune is a dynamic probiotic and antioxidant stack that activates multiple types of immune cells to quickly restore frontline defenses and support your natural immune function for robust long-range health. Formulated with 250mg Setria® glutathione and 30mg Vitamin C via NutriGenesis®, Whatever the challenge, Immune has you covered.

Shop Performance Lab® Immune

Performance Lab® Vitamin C

With vitamin C being a water soluble vitamin, firstly we must get it from our diet, and secondly we need to keep replenishing it. It's a key nutrient required for a whole variety of functions. One of its most important functions is neutralizing free radicals, which helps protect the body from oxidative damage.

Vitamin C supplementation is beneficial for reducing the effects of oxidative stress induced by various factors we encounter from our diet, environment and even from intense physical activity. Performance Lab® Vitamin C is made using premium NutriGenesis® vitamin C.

Learn about NutriGenesis® technology here.

Shop Performance Lab® Vitamin C

Final Thoughts on Immune System Support

When it comes to the benefits that vitamin C and glutathione offer, they’re nothing short of spectacular individually, but when you combine them, you power each of them up to maximize their effects.

Whether it’s through food sources, supplementation, or both, ensuring you’re getting adequate doses of both nutrients is key to maintaining good health and protecting your cells. So, maybe it’s time to get this dynamic duo working for you.