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In this episode of Everything’s Messy Podcast , I have to give the biggest shout-out to my listeners in Australia and New Zealand. When I looked back at my stats from last year, once again you all showed up in a big way, and it honestly blows my mind that this little podcast reaches across the world. I’m so grateful you’re here, and if any of you “down under” have a messy wellness story you want to share, I would absolutely love to hear from you and maybe even have you on the show someday.

So today we’re talking about glutathione — what it really is, why it matters, and why it keeps coming up in health conversations. First things first, glutathione is not a vitamin. It’s an antioxidant, and it’s considered the most important intracellular antioxidant in the body. It’s made from three amino acids — cysteine, glycine, and glutamate — and your body actually produces it inside your cells. Think of it as your body’s internal clean-up crew 🧹 It helps neutralize free radicals, supports detox pathways, helps regulate the immune system, supports mitochondrial health (which means energy production), and even helps recycle other antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E.

So when people talk about toxins, inflammation, immune stress, or chronic illness, glutathione is always part of that conversation because it plays such a big role in protecting our cells.

Now here’s where some of the confusion and controversy comes in. Certain medications, including acetaminophen (Tylenol), are known to temporarily lower glutathione levels. What some researchers and clinicians are pointing out is that if glutathione is already low — and then the body is exposed to something foreign — the clean-up crew may not be operating at full strength. That doesn’t mean anything “causes” autism. It does not. But it does help explain why people are talking about vulnerability, detox capacity, and immune response — especially in bodies that are already under more oxidative stress.

And that’s where autoimmune disease, chronic inflammation, metabolic issues, and neurodivergent nervous systems come into the conversation. These bodies are often already working harder just to maintain balance. So when glutathione is depleted and demand is high, things can stack up instead of being cleared efficiently.

Modern life burns through antioxidants fast — stress, sugar, poor sleep, chronic illness, environmental toxins, busy schedules, and emotional overload all increase oxidative stress. Our bodies are constantly trying to pull us back into balance, and sometimes they’re just exhausted. That’s when symptoms start showing up. That’s when inflammation becomes chronic. That’s when we start seeing autoimmune issues, hormone problems, and nervous system dysregulation.

Which is why I always come back to basics: nutrient-dense food, enough protein, stress management, movement, breathing, and sleep. It’s not glamorous. It’s not trendy. But it works. And even on a budget, there are ways to eat better — I mentioned Dr. Paul Saladino’s videos where he literally shops at Walmart and shows how to choose nutrient-dense foods affordably.

At the end of the day, understanding glutathione isn’t about fear. It’s about knowing that our bodies have incredible systems designed to protect us — and sometimes they just need more support to do their job.

Until next time, my friends — keep it messy 🤍✨