Glutathione calculator
The body's main intracellular antioxidant, given by IV and orally for various uses. Oral absorption is poor; IV use is clinical.
Also known as: GSH, Reduced glutathione
FDA status — not an approved drug Glutathione is not FDA-approved as a drug for general use. It is available as a supplement and is administered intravenously in clinics, but it is not FDA-approved to treat any condition.
This draw does not fit the selected syringe.500 units exceeds the 100-unit barrel. Choose a larger syringe, use less bacteriostatic water, or split the dose.
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What Glutathione is
Glutathione is a tripeptide that serves as the body's primary intracellular antioxidant, protecting cells from oxidative damage. It is given intravenously in clinics and sold as an oral supplement. Oral absorption is poor, and while IV use raises blood levels, evidence for many marketed uses is limited.
Research depth: 3/5 Well-established biochemistry; clinical benefit for most marketed uses is limited, and IV use carries risks. Human trials: Biochemical + some clinical. This measures how much has been studied — counting animal and laboratory work — not whether it works for you.
How Glutathione works
It neutralizes reactive oxygen species and regenerates other antioxidants like vitamins C and E, protecting cells from oxidative stress. It also plays a role in detoxification in the liver. Its antioxidant role is well established biochemically, but translating supplementation into clinical benefit for most marketed uses is unproven.
Glutathione side effects
Commonly reported
- Oral: generally well tolerated but poorly absorbed
- IV: flushing, headache, or crampy abdominal discomfort
- Rapid IV infusion can cause reactions
Serious — seek medical care
- IV administration should be clinical — rapid infusion causes reactions
- Skin-lightening use has been linked to serious adverse effects and is not approved
- Long-term high-dose safety not established
This list is not exhaustive. Report anything unexpected to the clinician who prescribed it. If you have severe abdominal pain, trouble breathing, or signs of an allergic reaction, seek care the same day. See also our guide to peptide side effects by class.
A worked example
A 600 mg vial reconstituted with 5 mL of bacteriostatic water gives 120 mg/mL. A 600000 mcg dose is then 5 mL — about 500 units on a 100-unit insulin syringe, giving roughly 1 doses per vial before accounting for residual volume left in the vial and syringe.
Prefer paper? Download the printable Glutathione dosing chart (PDF) — every vial size and water volume in syringe units, with the same review byline as this page. All charts →
Commonly cited dose range
Figures circulating for Glutathione run from 200000 mcg to 1200000 mcg. IV administration is in the hundreds of milligrams, given clinically. Figures shown are total milligrams in micrograms — 600,000 mcg is 600 mg. IV use is a clinical procedure, not a home reconstitution.
Read this as reference information, not instruction. These numbers describe what is commonly discussed, not what is right for any individual. Dose, frequency, and whether to use Glutathione at all are decisions for a licensed clinician who knows your history.
Common questions
Is glutathione a peptide?
Technically it is a tripeptide (glutamate, cysteine, glycine), but it functions as the body's main antioxidant rather than as a signaling peptide. It is usually discussed separately from therapeutic peptides.
Does glutathione supplementation work?
Oral glutathione is largely broken down before absorption. IV administration raises blood levels and is used clinically for some purposes, but evidence for many of its marketed uses — including skin lightening — is limited, and IV use carries risks.