What is the recommended dosage of Glutathione (Glutathione) to lower Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) levels?

Glutathione Dosing for Lowering GGT Levels

Direct Answer

There is no established clinical guideline or FDA-approved dosage of glutathione specifically for lowering GGT levels, as glutathione supplementation is not a recognized therapeutic intervention for elevated GGT in clinical practice.

Understanding the Relationship

The relationship between glutathione and GGT is biochemically inverse to what the question implies:

• GGT (gamma-glutamyl transferase) is the enzyme that breaks down extracellular glutathione as the first step in glutathione degradation, allowing cells to utilize its component amino acids for intracellular glutathione synthesis 1
• Elevated GGT typically indicates increased cellular demand for glutathione or liver pathology, not a condition that glutathione supplementation would directly address 2
• GGT elevation is invariably seen with certain medications (like mitotane) without clinical consequences, and monitoring focuses on other liver enzymes (GOT, GPT, bilirubin) to assess actual hepatotoxicity 2

Evidence on Glutathione Supplementation Dosing

While not indicated for lowering GGT, research has established effective dosing for glutathione supplementation to increase body glutathione stores:

Standard Oral Glutathione

• 250-1,000 mg daily has been shown to increase glutathione levels in blood, erythrocytes, plasma, and lymphocytes over 6 months in healthy adults 3
• At 1,000 mg/day, GSH levels increased 30-35% in erythrocytes, plasma, and lymphocytes after 6 months 3
• Effects are dose and time-dependent, with levels returning to baseline after discontinuation 3

Liposomal Glutathione

• 500-1,000 mg daily of liposomal formulation produces more rapid increases, with maximum elevations occurring after 2 weeks: 40% in whole blood, 25% in erythrocytes, 28% in plasma, and 100% in peripheral blood mononuclear cells 4
• No significant differences were observed between the two dose levels in the small pilot study 4

S-Acetyl Glutathione

• Safety has been established up to 1,500 mg/kg/day in animal studies (the highest dose tested), with no adverse effects on liver, kidney, or other organ function 5
• This represents a well-tolerated bioavailable form for maintaining circulating glutathione levels 5

Clinical Context for Elevated GGT

When GGT is elevated, the appropriate clinical approach focuses on identifying and treating the underlying cause rather than supplementing glutathione:

• Alcohol consumption, fatty liver disease, medications, and biliary obstruction are common causes requiring specific interventions
• Monitoring should include comprehensive liver function tests (AST, ALT, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase) to distinguish isolated GGT elevation from true hepatocellular injury 2
• If GGT rises rapidly (>3-fold baseline) along with other liver enzymes, this indicates risk of liver failure and requires immediate intervention, not supplementation 2

Important Caveats

• Glutathione supplementation has not been studied or validated as a treatment for elevated GGT levels
• The biochemical role of GGT is to degrade extracellular glutathione, making supplementation an illogical therapeutic target for lowering the enzyme itself
• Any attempt to address elevated GGT must first identify the underlying pathology through appropriate diagnostic workup