Glutathione
Master antioxidant and skin peptide
Also known as GSH, reduced glutathione
- Evidence grade
- CSmall or early human studies onlyScale
- Half-life
- Minutes, cleared rapidly
- Schedule
- One to three times weekly, IV or IM
- Maintenance amount
- 600.00 mg
- Vial sizes sold
- 600 mg, 1500 mg
- Cost per dose
- $30
Where a value is not established in people, this table says so rather than filling the box.
Glutathione is a tripeptide made from glutamate, cysteine and glycine that serves as the body’s main intracellular antioxidant. It is used as a supplement and injectable for oxidative stress and, controversially, for skin tone.
Glutathione neutralizes reactive oxygen species and recycles other antioxidants like vitamins C and E, protecting cells from oxidative damage. In skin it can shift melanin production toward a lighter pigment by interfering with tyrosinase, which underlies its cosmetic use. It also supports liver detoxification by binding toxins for clearance. Oral absorption is poor, and injectable skin-lightening use has real safety concerns and weak evidence.
Human trials exist for skin lightening but are generally small and low quality, and injectable safety data is inadequate.
- Acts as a core antioxidant that helps manage oxidative stress
- Supports liver detoxification pathways
- Studied for a lighter, more even skin tone through melanin shifting
- Helps recycle other antioxidants in the body
- Intravenous skin-lightening use carries serious safety warnings, including severe skin reactions
- Injection-site pain or irritation
- Possible skin lightening that is uneven or reverses after stopping
- Rare kidney or liver concerns with high unregulated dosing
A summary of the research, not medical advice. Individual benefits and risks vary, and for some of these compounds the human evidence is still early.
Glutathione is the body's main intracellular antioxidant. Reports describe early changes in energy or skin appearance within one to two weeks, with more consistent changes generally reported over four to eight weeks of regular use.
Read the full timeline →Drawn from published trial data and how the research community commonly describes this stretch. Not a fixed schedule and not medical advice.
One to three times weekly, IV or IM. For research reference only, not medical advice.
| Phase | Amount |
|---|---|
| Ongoing | 600–2400 mg per session |
Injectable skin-lightening use is not an approved indication and carries safety concerns.
A rough shopping estimate at the maintenance amount. Your real needs shift with your dose and titration.
| Item | 12-week plan | 18-week plan | 24-week plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peptide vials (600 mg) | 36 | 54 | 72 |
| Insulin syringes (U-100) | 36 | 54 | 72 |
| Bacteriostatic water (10 mL) | 8 | 11 | 15 |
| Alcohol swabs (100-count box) | 1 | 2 | 2 |
What a course of Glutathione actually costs, worked from list price and the amount in the schedule above, plus the whole vials a 12-week run would take.
| Supplier | Vial | Price | Per mg | Per dose | 12 weeks | Independent test |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BioEdge Research Labs | 1500 mg | $75 | $0.05 | $30 | $1,125 (15 vials) | None on file |
One supplier listed so far for this compound.
List prices, checked September 4, 2026. Sale pricing is ignored on purpose so the table does not swing week to week. Verify before ordering.
Suppliers are listed alphabetically. We do not rank them by price, because the cheapest vial and the one worth buying are rarely the same thing. The column that matters is the last one, and today most of it reads "none on file", including for Quartz Peptides, which is owned by this site’s editor. See the disclosure and the COA guide.
Lyophilized: Keep the sealed powder cold and dark, near -20 °C, dry and out of light.
Reconstituted: Refrigerate the mixed solution at 2 to 8 °C and use promptly, since it oxidizes quickly.
Let a cold vial reach room temperature before you open it, so it takes on less condensation.
How strong is the evidence for Glutathione?
We grade it C on a four-point scale. Skin-lightening trials exist but are small and low quality. Injectable safety data is inadequate.
What is the half-life of Glutathione?
Minutes, cleared rapidly. That is the figure the reported dosing frequency follows from.
What amount of Glutathione is used in the research?
Ongoing: 600–2400 mg per session. Injectable skin-lightening use is not an approved indication and carries safety concerns.
How much does Glutathione cost?
A 1500 mg vial lists at $75 from BioEdge Research Labs, which works out to $0.05 per mg and about $30 per dose at the amount used in research. Prices checked September 4, 2026. Price is not a quality signal, so check the certificate of analysis before ordering from anyone.
How is Glutathione stored once reconstituted?
Refrigerate the mixed solution at 2 to 8 °C and use promptly, since it oxidizes quickly.
