QUESTION: Is it safe to give oral liposomal glutathione in early or later pregnancy? What doses are given?
ANSWER: All things in pregnancy should be carefully weighed by the physician and the mother informed of pregnancy risk category, known data etc etc. If one has informed consent as a base, there is evidence of not only a biological role for but also need for ReDox support in pregnancy. This need is potentially more acute in early pregnancy as well.
There are documented decreases of ReDox ability in early pregnancy [PMID: 10949968, https://ispub.com/IJNW/1/2/5703, Human Reproduction Vol.17, No.10 pp. 2564–2572, 2002].
There is an excellent presentation from Cambridge University which outlines this: [First trimester embryonic nutrition; Graham J Burton; Centre for Trophoblast Research]
In early pregnancy ReDox status is in progress and changing (as the rest of embryology is as well) and while glutathione early on may be more protective at the maternal side attendance to the ReDox status (including glutathione) is important for normal development. [PMID: 15001647]
ReDox is crucial throughout pregnancy but glutathione related processes may be more active than others in the first trimester [Am J Clin Nutr 2010;91:357–65.]
Altered ReDox status may be implicated in some miscarriage [British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology March 2001, Vol. 108, pp. 244±247]
As to dose, there are multiple considerations:
- Adding an appropriate supportive dose without overdosing
- Assuring cofactor availability
- Form of glutathione supplement and bioavailability
My recommendations generally are to have intake of a supplement with trace elements and other minerals like magnesium, a prenatal supplying the b-vitamin cofactors, and assuring at least 200-600 IU of tocopherols (depending on form). Then the addition of a true liposomal glutathione in the mother at 500 QD-BID is not only safe but balanced and likely to do the most good.
