Glutathione (GSH) is a tripeptide that contains L-cysteine, L-glutamic acid and glycine. It is the smallest intracellular protein thiol molecule in the cells, which prevents cell damage caused by reactive oxygen species such as free radicals and peroxides. Glutathione exists in reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) states.
Reduced glutathione (GSH) is a major tissue antioxidant that provides reducing equivalents for the glutathione peroxidase (GPx) catalyzed reduction of lipid hydroperoxides to their corresponding alcohols and hydrogen peroxide to water. In the GPx catalyzed reaction, the formation of a disulfide bond between two GSH molecules generates oxidized glutathione (GSSG).
Glutathione reductase (GR) recycles GSSG to GSH with the simultaneous oxidation of β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (β-NADPH2).
In healthy cells, >90% of the total glutathione pool is in the reduced form (GSH). When cells are exposed to increased levels of oxidative stress, GSSG accumulates and the ratio of GSSG to GSH increases. An increased ratio of GSSG-to-GSH is an indication of oxidative stress.
So it is formed by amino acids. GSH is converted to GSSG via Gpx. Then , GRx recycles GSSG back to GSH. According to mainstream science, you should have higher ratio of GSH to GSSG. Finasteride somehow impairs GPx and the GRx enzymes. So in theory you’d have more GSH at first, but then you have poor glutathione recycling…so, I wonder if taking more glutathione, cysteine, would be beneficial…
If someone has tried supplementing glutathione let me know. The theory is you should feel worse at first (since you are clearing a pathogen) but then improve.