Glutathione, Reduced Unit Converter

Reduced glutathione (GSH) is a small molecule made of three amino acids: glutamate, cysteine, and glycine. It is the most abundant antioxidant produced inside your cells and plays a central role in protecting them from damage.

Glutathione exists in two forms: reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG). The reduced form is the active version that does the work. In healthy cells, over 98% of glutathione is in the reduced form.

The blood test measures reduced glutathione in whole blood, which primarily reflects levels inside red blood cells. The ratio of GSH to GSSG is used as an indicator of your body's oxidative stress burden.

Nearly all cells in the body can synthesize glutathione, but the liver is the primary production site and the major source of circulating GSH. It is built in two enzymatic steps from the amino acids glutamate, cysteine, and glycine, with cysteine availability being the main limiting factor.