Nutritional or therapeutic compositions and methods to increase bodily glutathione levels

Abstract

Nutritional or therapeutic compositions containing glutamic acid, cystine, glycine and a selenium precursor and methods for their utilization to increase glutathione synthesis and thereby enhance the immune system are described.

1. A nutritional or therapeutic composition useful for treatment of mammals to enhance immune activity comprising as the essential active ingredients a catalytic quantity of a selenium source together with a glutathione precursor which is a mixture of glutamic acid, cystine and glycine in a molar ratio of about 1:0.5:1, the amount of glutathione precursor being effective to increase the content of glutathione in the body tissue of the mammal above that of a pretreatment level thereby to enhance immune activity. 
     
     
       2. A composition of  claim 1  in dosage unit form. 
     
     
       3. A composition of  claim 1  in bulk form. 
     
     
       4. A composition of  claim 2 , wherein the dosage unit is for oral administration. 
     
     
       5. A composition of  claim 2 , wherein the dosage unit is for nasal administration. 
     
     
       6. A composition of  claim 4 , wherein the dosage unit is for sublingual administration. 
     
     
       7. A composition of  claim 4 , wherein the dosage unit is for buccal administration. 
     
     
       8. A composition of  claim 1 , useful for treating a human. 
     
     
       9. A composition of  claim 1  useful for treating an animal. 
     
     
       10. A method of treating a mammal to increase the tissue glutathione concentration in said mammal which comprises treating a mammal in need of such treatment with a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising as the essential active ingredients a catalytic quantity of a selenium source together with a glutathione precursor which is a mixture of glutamic acid, cystine and glycine in a molar ratio of about 1:0.5:1. 
     
     
       11. A method of  claim 10 , wherein the mammal is an animal. 
     
     
       12. A method of  claim 10 , wherein the mammal is a human. 
     
     
       13. A composition for increasing the level of glutathione in a mammal consisting of:
 (A) an anabolic precursor of glutathione, consisting of glutamic acid or a salt, an ester, or an anhydride thereof, cystine or a salt, an ester, or an anhydride thereof and glycine or a salt, an ester, or an anhydride thereof, which collectively convert to glutathione; and   (B) a source of selenium, in an amount that is non-toxic to the mammal on a daily total unit dosage delivery basis; wherein said source of selenium is selenium methionine, selenium cystine, a mono-seleno carboxylic acid with seven to eleven carbon atoms in a chain, or a di-seleno carboxylic acid with seven to eleven carbon atoms in a chain.   
     
     
       14. The composition according to claim 13 in unit dosage form. 
     
     
       15. The composition according to claim 13 in bulk form. 
     
     
       16. The composition according to claim 14 wherein the dosage unit is for oral administration. 
     
     
       17. The composition according to claim 14 wherein the dosage unit is for nasal administration. 
     
     
       18. The composition according to claim 14 wherein the dosage unit is for sublingual administration. 
     
     
       19. The composition according to claim 14 wherein the dosage unit is for buccal administration. 
     
     
       20. The composition according to claim 14 wherein the dosage unit is for anal or vaginal administration. 
     
     
       21. The composition of claim 13 wherein the mammal is a human. 
     
     
       22. The composition of claim 13 wherein one or more of said glutamic acid, cystine, and glycine are in the form of a salt, an ester, or an anhydride thereof. 
     
     
       23. The composition of claim 13 wherein the glutamic acid is in the form of a salt, an ester, or an anhydride thereof. 
     
     
       24. The composition of claim 13 wherein the cystine is in the form of a salt, an ester, or an anhydride thereof. 
     
     
       25. The composition of claim 13 wherein the glycine is in the form of a salt, an ester or an anhydride thereof. 
     
     
       26. The composition according to claim 13, wherein the source of selenium is in a mucosal-membrane transportable form. 
     
     
       27. A method of increasing the level of glutathione in a mammal comprising administering to said mammal an effective amount of a composition consisting of:
 (A) an anabolic precursor of glutathione, consisting of glutamic acid or a salt, an ester, or an anhydride thereof, cystine or a salt, an ester, or an anhydride thereof and glycine or a salt, an ester or an anhydride thereof, which collectively convert to glutathione; and   (B) a source of selenium, in an amount that is non-toxic to the mammal on a daily total unit dosage delivery basis; wherein said source of selenium is selenium methionine, selenium cystine, a mono-seleno carboxylic acid with seven to eleven carbon atoms in a chain, or a di-seleno carboxylic acid with seven to eleven carbon atoms in a chain.   
     
     
       28. The method of claim 27 wherein cystine converts to cysteine in the intracellular formation of glutathione. 
     
     
       29. The method of claim 27 wherein the source of selenium provides a unit dosage on an elemental basis of from 1 μg to 7.5 μg of selenium.