Alcohol and Glutathione Toxicity

     It’s important to consult a healthcare professional if you suspect toxic overload, heavy metal exposure, or any health condition that may be related to glutathione levels. They can guide you on testing, prevention strategies, and appropriate treatments based on your specific needs and health status.

     The many toxic effects of alcohol result not only from changes in the levels of degradation products, but also from glutathione depletion. This depletion results in the upregulation of gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) to provide more glutathione, likely for Phase II conjugation as well as to counteract oxidative stress. Cellular GGT metabolizes extracellular GSH, allowing the precursor cysteine ​​to be reused for de novo synthesis of intracellular GSH.

    There are some important limitations to using GGT as a measure of excessive alcohol consumption:

1. GGT is also increased by exposure to other chemicals, especially persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and several prescription drugs. One reason is that alcohol consumption may increase the risk of some cancers.

2. Genetics and nutrient availability will affect the sensitivity of GGT to alcohol consumption.

3. Some chronic drinkers (more than 9 drinks per day) have GGT in the “normal” range.

    Generally, GGT returns to “normal” after abstinence for 1 month.