If you are a mouse, yes by about 24%.
In a study conducted by scientists from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, supplementation with Glutathione had a drastic impact on increasing the lifespan in mice given this compared to those who did not receive supplementation. So what is this fountain of youth supplement that can have such a dramatic effect?
Glutathione is the most abundant intracellular antioxidant and the backbone of natural defenses against reactive oxygen species, which are byproducts of normal oxygen metabolism that accumulate in the body with age and interfere with chemical processes. Oxidative stress happens when the delicate balance between the production and degradation of reactive oxygen species is lost. Think of oxidation as rust that accumulates and if we have too much, damage to our cells takes place. Various causes for this can include UV radiation, chemical and environmental exposure, smoking, and also aging. In fact, as we age, glutathione levels decline, so supplementing it makes sense to help slow possible cellular damage and thus slow down various disease processes associated with aging.
In the study with mice, a specific supplement called GlyNAC (a combination of two glutathione precursors - glycine and N-acetylcysteine, or NAC) was used. These substances provide the building blocks for our body to naturally increase glutathione levels. In the Baylor experiment, mice on GlyNAC lived, on average, 24% longer than the controls: 129 vs. 104 weeks. Glutathione concentration in the old animals were about 65% lower, but GlyNAC supplementation was able to bring the levels back to normal. Glutathione synthesis, substantially slowed by age, also bounced back as a result of GlyNAC supplementation.
So what does this mean for humans? Well, we are not mice, and these effects may not always be directly applicable to us, but this kind of data can be promising in helping us to understand the aging process and ways to combat it. Further testing is always needed, but it is important to take away small nuggets from this type of research, and be proactive at keeping the aging process at bay. Unfortunately, our current medical system waits until you are sick and then starts throwing bandaids on you to treat symptoms rather than take a more preventative and proactive approach. As I always say, there is never one magic pill to cure everything. A combination of a healthy lifestyle, appropriate disease management, use of supplements that help us increase our bodies natural glutathione, and getting periodic IV glutathione to maintain levels particularly in times of stress, seem to be more tools in the tool bag to help us extend lifespan.