GLUTATHIONE ALTERNATIVES
Updated: 5d
Glutathione doesn't agree with everyone. Some people are too sensitive to it, and some just want more ways to help the body make its own. These are the ideas I trust most, from everyday habits to supplements, including Dr. Horowitz's pick for people who can't tolerate glutathione.
Short on time or energy? A quick-view graphic with the key points is at the bottom of this post.
Want to learn about glutathione itself, its different forms and the brands I use? See my sister post:
GLUTATHIONE
WHY SOME PEOPLE NEED ALTERNATIVES
- Dr. Neil Nathan finds that at least half of his sensitive patients get worse on glutathione, because it moves toxins out faster than their bodies can clear them.
- Dr. Tania Dempsey says some of her mast cell (MCAS) patients don't do well with glutathione, and that it can be hard for some people with SIBO. She prefers helping the body make its own whenever possible.
- Dr. Jill Carnahan sees reactions to glutathione most often when the body's drainage pathways aren't open yet, or when someone struggles with sulfur. She calms the mast cells and makes sure drainage is working (regular bowel movements, fluids, sweating) before adding glutathione or other detox support.
- Dr. Marty Ross uses a mix of NAC, ALA and glutamic acid for people who can't take glutathione by mouth because of the taste or allergies, though he finds glutathione itself the stronger option.
- Sulfur matters here: glutathione contains sulfur, and so do some of the alternatives, like NAC and ALA. If you're sulfur sensitive, go extra slowly.
LIFESTYLE IDEAS
1. EAT FOR GLUTATHIONE
- Dr. Richard Horowitz recommends a protein-rich diet, which supplies cysteine, glycine and glutamic acid, the building blocks your body uses to make glutathione.
- Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, kale and Brussels sprouts) contain natural compounds that help your body make more glutathione.
- Cut back on processed food, sugar and alcohol.
- If you're sulfur sensitive, sulfur-rich foods like garlic, onions and cruciferous vegetables may bother you, so go slowly.
- My own note: be careful if you have food sensitivities or histamine intolerance.
2. STAY HYDRATED
- Drink plenty of water. Dr. Carnahan and Dr. Crista both stress hydration to keep your drainage pathways open. Electrolytes may help.
3. LOWER STRESS
- Dr. Carnahan lists managing stress among the natural ways to support glutathione. In a 2025 study of heart patients, 12 weeks of tai chi lowered stress and raised glutathione peroxidase, an antioxidant enzyme that works with glutathione.
4. GENTLE MOVEMENT, AT YOUR OWN PACE
- Dr. Carnahan lists moderate exercise, like walking or yoga, among the ways to support glutathione, and advises against pushing too hard without enough recovery. A 2022 review found gentle movement like tai chi and qigong raised glutathione peroxidase in middle-aged and older adults. Only do what your body allows.
5. GOOD SLEEP
- Dr. Carnahan lists sleep among the natural ways to support glutathione. A 2022 study found women with insomnia in perimenopause (the years before menopause) had a less healthy glutathione balance.
6. LOWER YOUR TOXIN LOAD
- Dr. Carnahan lists cutting down on toxins. See my posts on detox, non-toxic products and mold.
SUPPLEMENT IDEAS
1. CONTINUAL-G (DR. HOROWITZ'S PICK)
- Dr. Richard Horowitz keeps a basic supplement list for his patients that starts with NAC, ALA and glutathione. For people who have a hard time tolerating glutathione, he lists Continual-G, at one 400 mg capsule a day. Its ingredient, gamma-glutamylcysteine (sold under the name Glyteine), is the step right before glutathione, and your body only has to add glycine to finish it. Human research on it is still small and early.
- Continual-G comes as capsules or as a lemon-lime powder. The powder also contains guar fiber, stevia and soy lecithin, so the capsules are the simpler choice if you're sensitive.
- Christina, an admin in our community who can't tolerate glutathione, has liked it.
- Unfortunately, I couldn't find anything like it on Fullscript, but I was able to get you a 10% savings. It's the best I could do so far, and I'll keep working on it. Using my link also raises money to help other patients:
2. NAC (N-ACETYL CYSTEINE)
- Dr. Horowitz calls NAC, ALA and glutathione the three most essential supplements to start with, and says NAC supports glutathione production.
- A 2024 review of 20 exercise studies found glutathione went up after NAC. A 2026 review in Parkinson's patients found NAC raised glutathione levels, though the studies were small.
- Dr. Carnahan includes NAC for patients with Lyme and Bartonella. She values it both for breaking up biofilm and for boosting glutathione.
- Babesia: two dog studies (2025 and 2026) found adding NAC to Babesia treatment improved antioxidant levels. These were in dogs, not people.
- Good to know: Designs for Health S-Acetyl Glutathione Synergy already contains NAC.
3. GLYCINE WITH NAC (GLYNAC)
- This combination has encouraging human research, though the trials are small. In a 2023 Baylor College of Medicine trial in 24 older adults, those taking glycine and NAC for 16 weeks raised their red blood cell glutathione by 225%, while the placebo group had no change. Young adults, who started with normal levels, saw no change after 2 weeks.
- Dr. Horowitz lists glycine among his detox supplements.
4. ALA (ALPHA LIPOIC ACID)
- Dr. Horowitz says ALA helps regenerate glutathione inside your cells.
5. SULFORAPHANE
- Sulforaphane, from broccoli seeds and sprouts, switches on Nrf2, the body's on-switch for detox and antioxidant enzymes, including enzymes that work with glutathione. Dr. Horowitz adds sulforaphane and curcumin to turn on this pathway.
6. TURMERIC / CURCUMIN
- Also an Nrf2 booster on Dr. Horowitz's list. A 2025 review of 28 trials in people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes found curcumin raised glutathione, though the evidence was rated low certainty.
7. SELENIUM
- Your body needs selenium to make glutathione peroxidase, the enzymes that use glutathione. Extra selenium raises these enzymes only if you're low.
- The daily amount for adults is 55 mcg, and the upper limit is 400 mcg. A single Brazil nut can have 68 to 91 mcg, so go easy on them.
8. VITAMINS C AND E
- Dr. Horowitz lists vitamins C and E among the supplements he uses to keep oxidative stress down during Bartonella treatment.
- Vitamin E: in a 2025 trial in 180 children with thalassemia (an inherited blood disorder), 12 months of vitamin E improved glutathione and other antioxidants compared with placebo.
9. MILK THISTLE
- Dr. Horowitz lists milk thistle for liver support. In a small 2025 pilot trial in 66 hospital patients on the antibiotic vancomycin, glutathione rose in the group taking milk thistle (silymarin).
10. HELPERS: RIBOFLAVIN AND MAGNESIUM
- Riboflavin (vitamin B2) helps power glutathione reductase, the enzyme that recycles used glutathione.
- Magnesium is needed to make glutathione.
BEFORE YOU START
- Read the warning on each bottle and talk with your doctor first, especially if you're pregnant, nursing or on medications.
- Start low and bring in just one new thing at a time. Dr. Jill Crista recommends this pace so your body isn't pushed into a herx.
- NAC: Dr. Horowitz says it thins the blood slightly, so check with your doctor if you take aspirin or blood thinners.
- ALA: it can lower blood sugar. Rarely, it has triggered a serious low blood sugar condition, including one case during pregnancy.
- Turmeric: liver injury has been reported with extra-absorbable curcumin products, and turmeric supplements may be unsafe in pregnancy.
- Vitamin E: higher doses can raise bleeding risk, especially with blood thinners.
- Selenium: check with your doctor if you take blood thinners or statins.
- Milk thistle: people allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds or daisies may react.
MY EXPERIENCE
Glutathione itself works well for me, so I use some of these alongside it. I take ALA (Xymogen ALAmax CR), mainly for neuropathy. I love glycine for sleep. I've used milk thistle in combination formulas, never on its own. Right now I get NAC through Designs for Health S-Acetyl Glutathione Synergy, which combines S-acetyl glutathione with NAC and vitamin B6.
WHERE TO BUY
Buy products on Fullscript for a 25% discount
Buy here (Integrative Therapeutics NAC: N-acetyl cysteine 600 mg):
Buy here (Designs for Health Glycine Powder: glycine):
Buy here (Xymogen ALAmax CR: alpha lipoic acid, controlled release, with biotin):
Buy here (Designs for Health BroccoProtect: broccoli seed extract with mustard seed):
Buy here (Xymogen CurcuPlex-95: turmeric extract):
Buy here (Pure Encapsulations Selenium: selenium 200 mcg):
Buy here (Allergy Research Group Magnesium Ascorbate: buffered vitamin C with magnesium):
Milk thistle product ideas are in my Milk Thistle post.
MORE RESEARCH WITH MIXED RESULTS
- GlyNAC: a 2022 two-week trial in 114 healthy older adults didn't raise glutathione overall, though in a later look at the data, people with high oxidative stress and low glutathione on the higher doses did see a rise. It was run by Nestle, which sells glycine and NAC products.
- Milk thistle: a 2024 review of 15 trials found no significant change in glutathione, though it did lower some markers of inflammation.
- Magnesium: a 2025 review found no clear effect on oxidative stress markers, though it did lower CRP, an inflammation marker.
RELATED POSTS
HERX - POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
NEUROPATHY - POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
MITOCHONDRIAL HEALTH POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
LIVER SUPPORT - POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
MOLD - POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
SOURCES
- LymeDisease.org, "MEDICAL DETECTIVE: Effective treatments for Bartonella infections" by Dr. Richard Horowitz (February 28, 2025)
- LymeDisease.org, "How good nutrition can help you recover from Lyme disease" by Lindsay Christensen, MS, CNS (December 8, 2021)
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, "Selenium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals" (updated September 2025)
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, "Riboflavin: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals" (updated May 2022)
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, "Magnesium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals" (updated January 2026)
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, "Vitamin E: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals" (updated October 2026)
- NIH NCCIH, "Turmeric" (updated April 2025)
- NIH NCCIH, "Milk Thistle" (updated February 2025)
- "The impact of N-acetylcysteine on lactate, biomarkers of oxidative stress, immune response, and muscle damage: A systematic review and meta-analysis," Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine (December 2024)
- "The role of N-acetylcysteine and glutathione in the management of Parkinson's disease: a systematic review of oxidative biomarkers and clinical outcomes," Amino Acids (March 2026)
- "N-acetylcysteine as an adjunct therapy ameliorates oxidative stress and attenuates anaemia, acute phase response and hepatic injury in clinical Babesia gibsoni infection in dogs: a pilot study," Molecular Biology Reports (March 2026)
- "Effect of N-Acetylcysteine on Oxidative Stress and Hematological Recovery in Dogs with Babesia Gibsoni Infection," Acta Parasitologica (August 2025)
- "Supplementing Glycine and N-Acetylcysteine (GlyNAC) in Older Adults Improves Glutathione Deficiency, Oxidative Stress, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Inflammation, Physical Function, and Aging Hallmarks: A Randomized Clinical Trial," The Journals of Gerontology, Series A (January 2023)
- "A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial in Healthy Older Adults to Determine Efficacy of Glycine and N-Acetylcysteine Supplementation on Glutathione Redox Status and Oxidative Damage," Frontiers in Aging (2022)
- "Sulforaphane as a potential therapeutic agent: a comprehensive analysis of clinical trials and mechanistic insights," Journal of Nutritional Science (2025)
- "Efficacy of curcumin/turmeric on inflammation and oxidative stress in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis," Inflammopharmacology (December 2025)
- "Oxidative stress markers and tissue iron overload after 12-months vitamin E supplementation for children with transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia on different iron chelators: A randomized placebo-controlled trial," Clinical Nutrition (July 2025)
- "Protective effects of silymarin on preventing vancomycin nephrotoxicity in infectious patients: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, pilot clinical trial," Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology (March 2025)
- "The effects of silymarin consumption on inflammation and oxidative stress in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis," Inflammopharmacology (April 2024)
- "Alpha-lipoic acid as a trigger of insulin autoimmune syndrome: Current evidence, a case-based approach, diagnostic pitfalls, and practical management," Metabolism Open (September 2026)
- "A Case of Hirata Syndrome in Pregnancy Induced by Alpha-Lipoic Acid: Diagnosis and Management," AACE Endocrinology and Diabetes (2025)
- "Unlocking the Power of Magnesium: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Regarding Its Role in Oxidative Stress and Inflammation," Antioxidants (June 2025)
- "Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Hybrid Tai Chi Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme for Psychological Stress Reduction and Oxidative Stress in Patients With Chronic Coronary Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial," Stress and Health (October 2025)
- "Effects of Traditional Chinese Exercise on Oxidative Stress in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Network Meta-Analysis," International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (July 2022)
- "Glutathione Component of Antioxidant Status in Menopausal Women with Insomnia," Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine (October 2022)
- Dr. Richard Horowitz, "Nutrition & Supplements" (June 2026) and 16-Point MSIDS Map (January 2022)
- "Bypassing the bottleneck: Gamma-glutamylcysteine supplementation for brain glutathione enrichment in Alzheimer's disease," Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (October 2026)
- Integrative Therapeutics NAC and Pure Encapsulations Selenium product labels on Fullscript (checked October 2026)
- Continual-G capsule and powder labels on the maker's website (checked October 2026)
- Dr. Marty Ross, "Glutathione: The Great Fixer" (January 2025)
- Dr. Neil Nathan, interview with Better Health Guy, "The Sensitive Patient's Healing Guide," episode 200 (April 2024)
- Dr. Tania Dempsey, "More Advanced Therapies (part 2)" (March 2026)
- Dr. Jill Carnahan, "Clinical Pearls for Mold and Mycotoxin Illness" (August 2026), "Glutathione 101" (October 2024) and "Nutrients That Support Bartonella Treatment" (April 2026)
- Dr. Jill Crista, "Mold Recovery Without the Crash" (September 2025)
Disclaimer: Rise Above Lyme makes no claims about any possible benefit of using any product mentioned within this site. Always consult with your doctor before adding anything. The information shared is based on personal experience, years of accumulated researched resources from Lyme Literate doctors and polls conducted within Lyme groups from actual patient experience using these solution ideas.
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