Let’s talk about Glutaryl. This is a transdermal glutathione spray that I’ve seen many functional medicine doctors recommend specifically for kids with autism. I’ve looked into the science and I’ve even tried it myself. So here’s what you need to know very quickly.
Glutathione is your body’s master antioxidant. It helps with
- detoxification,
- reduces oxidative stress,
- supports immune function,
- reduces inflammation, and
- plays a huge role in keeping cells healthy.
And it’s especially important for many, but not all, children with autism. And we’ll get into that.
Glutaryl advantages
This product delivers glutathione through the skin, which is great if your child
- can’t swallow pills
- Maybe they have pill fatigue (that is a real issue)
- If they have gut issues that affect absorption.
But the real question is, does it actually work?
Study
So there was a recent pilot study that looked at this exact product, Glutaryl. There are two strengths of it, and I looked at the science. And the results are pretty exciting.
Participants used four sprays on their abdomen twice a day for just three days. And they were doing blood samples. So they took it after one hour, after four hours, and after 72 hours. And what they found was pretty impressive.
The study showed that there was
- an increase in glutathione levels in both red blood cells and immune cells,
- a decrease in oxidative stress markers like MDA, which is a specific oxidative stress marker, and
- an increase in key immune-boosting cytokines like IL2.
All of that just from this topical spray. And this was again after three days of consistent use, twice a day.
So even though glutathione has a short half-life in the bloodstream, doctors still recommend it because of its ability to quickly enter tissues, replenish glutathione stores inside the cells, and create measurable health benefits, just like this study showed.
Let me show you the products. There are two strengths. So there’s Glutaryl, and that’s what the research was done on, and then there’s Glutaryl plus.
Glutaryl
So let me first show you Glutaryl. So this is a small bottle. It’s one fluid ounce. You’re supposed to put it somewhere on the body that does not have hair.
Smell
Now, I’m gonna tell you, this does smell. So it’s very nice that you don’t have to swallow pills, but you do have to smell that sulfur smell.
I’ll do four pumps. And now, when you’re doing it on the arm like that, there is that smell, but you can kind of put it away from your nose. You can smell it, though. It doesn’t last long, but there is a smell.
Don’t miss
So you can kind of smooth it into the skin to help it dry. And when I sprayed it on my arm, I have to say, like, a lot of it missed. So, spraying on the abdomen would definitely be better because you’re spending money on this product. You don’t want it to just go into the air or on my desk.
Stickiness
And it does get kind of sticky. It’s wet and sticky. It doesn’t feel thick or anything. It does feel more waterish. For kids who have sensory issues, you want to at least know what this feels like.
It takes about two minutes to really dry. Oh, wow. And now my desk. My desk is very sticky. And I’m a kind of person who doesn’t really like stickiness. So I’m sure it will wipe off with water.
So you will have this kind of tackiness that’s on my fingers. You can see a little bit. It’s a little tacky. When it dries, it can feel like there’s a little bit of a film on it.
Instructions say you can leave it on for 45 minutes, and if it really bothers you that that kind of that feel, you can wipe it off. I’ve done this a few different times, a few different places, and things like that. And after a while, I have to say I don’t feel it, at least with this spray one, but you can see it’s still kind of tacky. So I would allow, like, five minutes to fully dry. And it does help if you kind of fan it and stuff like that. So that’s the regular strength. It really comes out as a spray.
Glutaryl Plus
Now let’s get into the Glutaryl Plus. So this is the extra strength. It is a little spray bottle again. But the interesting thing is, it really doesn’t come out as a spray. It’s more like a stream, and it forms like these little bubbles of the product. Oh boy. Now I’ve got it on my laptop. It was only two pumps. But it’s getting messy quickly.
Oily and sticky
So you rub it in. This is a thicker feeling, so it feels a little more oily. It definitely feels more like a lotion. The regular strength felt more watery. This gets very sticky, very, very sticky. And so this really has to dry for five minutes, otherwise it’ll stick to your clothes. And I did do that once. I got a little impatient, and it stuck to my shirt.
I tried it on different parts of my body, and if I put it on my back, I only put it on one side. I don’t try and cross the midline cuz that’s where a lot of movement is. I felt it more even throughout the day. I never washed it off. I didn’t feel like, “oh, it’s so, so annoying that I had to wash it off”. But I did have to wash my hands. And I will definitely go wash my hands because it’s very tacky. And when you have it in a place that moves a lot, then that can get really frustrating and annoying.
But overall, if your child’s not taking pills, then this certainly is a reasonable option. Again, it’s drying, but you can see how tacky it is, right? Because I have it on my fingers, and then I have it on my skin there. You really have to let it dry. And for some kids, that sensory feel might be a little too much.
Not for everyone
Glutathione is not right for everyone with autism. First, you want to make sure that your child actually needs glutathione before spending $125 for the regular or 208 for the plus.
Some kids are sensitive to sulfur compounds or have methylation issues. Other issues that really need to be addressed first. So please, if you’re going to spend money like this, you really want to make sure that it’s necessary, that it’s needed, that it’s specific, you can measure changes.
Remove the toxin
And if you’re using glutathione to help with detox, please make sure that you’ve removed the toxin from the environment first. Whatever it is that is creating the issue, so many heavy metals, mold, and all. There’s a list of probably a hundred different things that could be contributing to the need to detox. So, make sure to do the homework first to identify what it is and then remove it from the environment so the glutathione has a chance to really make an impact and not just basically like treading water. If you’re still getting exposed and trying to detox, you typically don’t really get to go that far. And this product is not cheap, right? So you really want to be thoughtful. Before jumping in and wasting time and hope and resources, and money, make sure that you really need the glutathione.
Conclusion
But if your child’s chemistry shows a need for glutathione support, then definitely Glutaryl or Glutaryl Plus is certainly an option. So, it has published research showing that their product does increase glutathione. And the spray option is nice to have if your child doesn’t swallow pills or if they don’t like the liposomal options, or pill fatigue.
I can swallow pills, but I kind of enjoyed doing this. You could also get glutathione compounded as a cream, and some insurances do pay for that, so keep that as an option as well.
If you’re wondering whether your child is ready for glutathione or how to know if it’s helping, that’s exactly what I help parents with. Inside the Navigating AWEtism platform. We use lab tests and science, real data to work with doctors and make smart decisions together. Click the link to find out more information.
Bottom line, Glutaryl is not hype. It is a real option backed by emerging science, and it’s great to have a non-pill option.
