Possible benefits of glutathione in the elderly

Glutathione is a very powerful antioxidant created within the body to prevent oxidative damage due to free radicals attacking and destroying cells. With age the amount of glutathione in the body particularly the brain decreases, and could set the stage for age-related health problems, particularly dementia, but also cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.

Unfortunately glutathione cannot effectively be given as a supplement because it is poorly absorbed, but N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is converted into glutathione, and also helps the body to make more glutathione.
It is difficult in humans to trial this, but in a rather nice study (click here) the authors gave NAC to isolated liver cells in both young and old rats exposed to high levels of oxidants.  N-acetylcysteine was very protective and reduce the amount of damage greater than twofold.

Oxidative stress does appear to be a major cause of disease in today's world; antioxidants taken orally are relatively weak compared to the antioxidants created within the body (glutathione, catalase, superoxide dismutase etc.). The production of the latter tends to be less as we get older, and are frequently overwhelmed by our toxic world. It thus does seem reasonable to suggest that people should take products which could help the creation of these internal antioxidants, such as N-acetylcysteine.

Calcium supplements are safe! 

This is the conclusion from a new joint clinical guideline from the National Osteoporosis Foundation and the American Society for Preventive Cardiology (click here) . Over the years there have been many reports on the benefits and adverse effects of calcium both taken in the diet, and as supplements. Occasional studies have suggested that calcium in the diet has no effect on cardiovascular disease, but supplements might have. (The word might is in italics because in some trials there is only a suggestion but it is not clinically significant). There are also some studies which show benefit, including one which showed women taking more than 1000 mg of supplemental calcium per day had less cardiovascular disease than those who did not.  Because there are obvious benefits in bone and other health from taking calcium both in the diet and as supplements, these 2 bodies looked at all the evidence that was available, and concluded "dietary and supplemental calcium are safe for cardiovascular health when consumed in the recommended amounts. The recommendation applies to calcium consumed either alone or with vitamin D that does not exceed the National Academy of medicine is tolerable upper intake limit of 2000 to 2500 mg per day""  There will always be studies which so some benefit or lack of benefit, particularly the smaller studies, many of the studies are impure because patients report the amount of calcium they either consumer as supplements or diet during the day, and follow-up is incomplete. There is also a strong lobby against the use of supplemental calcium (in fact the use of supplements), but even if there is an indication rather than a statistically significant result, this will be reported out of proportion to its scientific evidence. When 2 major societies in the United States come to the conclusion that calcium supplementation is safe, there seems little point in individu
als debating the results of further studies.