Wellness Tok is aflutter with the newest anti-aging trend.
Some users swear glutathione, an antioxidant IV drip nicknamed the “master detoxifier,” can reverse signs of aging.
But what exactly is it, does it work — and is it safe?
An antioxidant produced in cells, glutathione is comprised largely of three amino acids: glutamine, glycine and cysteine. While the body naturally produces glutathione, levels fluctuate and decline due to poor nutrition, stress, improper rest, environmental toxins and aging.
Glutathione can be administered intravenously, topically or orally, but the drip or shot is rumored to be the favored route of celeb users Kim Kardashian, Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber as it bypasses the digestive tract and delivers the juice directly into the bloodstream.
Reported side effects from glutathione injections or IV drips include body aches, nausea, headaches, chills and diarrhea.
Unafraid of a headache or a belly rumble, advocates maintain that glutathione helps combat age-related changes by stimulating the repair of damaged tissue and promoting the production of new, healthy cells.
Last year on an episode of the podcast “The Art of Well Being,” vagina candle ambassador and Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow copped to loving an IV delivery of glutathione.
TikTok influencer Claire Elizabeth, aka @claire.elis, calls glutathione her “hero supplement,” claiming it has drastically changed her life.
In the viral clip, which follows her as she goes to a clinic for an injection of glutathione, Elizabeth says the supplement “helps support healthy aging, immune function, energy production, but most importantly, detoxing, which is quite literally how we help get rid of toxins in the body, aka rid the body of inflammation and thus feel better.”
Her hype is echoed by influencer and “Love Island” star Olivia Attwood, who appeared on lifestyle brand SheerLuxe’s TikTok channel to share her wellness and anti-aging regimen, which includes glutathione injections.
“It’s a molecule, something we produce that helps our cells to reproduce themselves,” she explained. “They were testing it, and it showed signs that it could actually slow down our cells’ aging.”
What are experts saying about the risks and benefits of the miracle jab?
“Glutathione is a naturally occurring chemical found in all animal cells,” Dr. Andrew Steele, a computational biologist and author of the longevity guide “Ageless: The New Science of Getting Older Without Getting Old,” told the Daily Mail. “There’s evidence that its levels decrease with age — so, the theory goes, perhaps if we can slow its decline, perhaps we could extend the youth of our cells.”
But don’t get your hopes up, folks, as Steele explains:
“Unfortunately, there’s very little evidence for this idea, and more work is needed before we fully understand whether it will affect our skin health or how long we live.”
What’s more concerning is that the so-called miracle may not only be ineffective but could do damage, according to Steele.
“Some research suggests that glutathione supplementation can actually shorten lifespan in worms,” he added, concluding, “While the science here is interesting, I think I’d hold off the glutathione for now.”
In addition to anti-aging intentions, glutathione is sometimes injected directly into the face to brighten or lighten pigmentation, raising ethical and medical concerns.
A British Medical Journal found that when injected into the face, potential side effects of glutathione include toxicity of the nervous system, kidney and liver, plus headaches and rare but serious skin conditions such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), a rare, serious disorder of the skin and mucous membranes.
