15 Being a powerful antioxidant, glutathione plays a critical role in several metabolic pathways: DNA and protein synthesis, amino acid transport, enzyme activation, immune system function, scavenging free radicals eg hydrogen peroxide, cofactor in Phase I cytochrome P450 enzyme-mediated detoxification, amino acid translocation across cell membranes, detoxification of xenobiotics, maintenance of sulfhydryl groups of proteins, mitochondrial function and maintenance of mitochondrial DNA, catalysis of exchange reactions and many more

It is naturally produced in nearly every cell of the body and plays a central role in: Neutralizing free radicals that cause oxidative stress and cellular damage Supporting liver detoxification , particularly in Phase II detox pathways Regulating the immune system , helping balance inflammation and defense Repairing DNA and proteins , essential for anti-aging and longevity Because of its central role in cellular defense, glutathione is often called the master antioxidant. However, levels can drop due to aging, chronic stress, poor diet, toxin exposure, or genetic variants like MTHFR , which can limit glutathione recycling
In addition, it possesses anti-inflammatory properties
These data collectively suggest that the observed increase in hepatic protein-SSG formation in HFD-fed animals can result from a combination of both increased S -glutathionylation processes and suppressed de-glutathionylation reactions