By: Dr. Michael Morsillo, B.Sc., N.D.

Do you experience shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, trouble expelling mucus, or a chronic cough?  Do you feel overwhelmingly fatigued, especially with a small amount of exertion?  Inhalation therapy with glutathione has the amazing ability to improve ALL of these symptoms and more.

Inhaled Glutathione is used to treat a number of upper and lower respiratory conditions.  Most research has been done regarding:

  • Chronic Rhinitis
  • Sinusitis
  • Asthma
  • Emphysema
  • Cystic Fibrosis
  • COPD
  • Bronchitis
  • Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

What is Glutathione and how is it administered?

Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant and immune system modulator.  It is a naturally occurring compound produced in most cells in the body and is made up of 3 amino acids.  Glutathione can be administered in a wide variety of ways, from oral ingestion of capsules to intravenous injection.  At Newmarket Naturopathic Health Centre, we use inhalation treatments with glutathione (also known as “nebulized glutathione”) to provide direct administration to the respiratory tract including the lungs.  For respiratory conditions, the preferred method of glutathione administration is via inhalation.

What is Glutathione used for in the body and  how does it help with respiratory disorders?

In respiratory disorders, Nebulized Glutathione has been shown to:

  •       Improve immune system function by increasing the numbers of white blood cells.
  •       Have “mucolytic” action:  It breaks up thick mucus secretions produced in the respiratory tract, allowing mucus to be expelled much easier.
  •     Improve pulmonary function:  by helping to increase total amount/volume of air that the lungs can take in.
  •     Increase oxygen saturation of red blood cells.  This increases the amount of oxygen carried to every cell in the body.
  •     Reduces congestion in the nose, ears, and sinuses and reduces chronic runny nose.
  •     Improves antioxidant concentration in the respiratory tract; thus, decreasing oxidant-induced damage to lung tissue.
  •     Decreases smoking-induced damage to lung tissue.

What is a treatment like?

Nebulized glutathione treatments take 15-20 minutes.  During the treatment, a small mask placed over the mouth and nose and patients simply inhale a cool mist.  The glutathione has a mild sulphurous smell, and the treatment itself is painless.  In severe cases 2  treatments per week for 4 weeks is sufficient to improve pulmonary function.  Milder cases typically require fewer treatments per week.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact our clinic:

Newmarket Naturopathic Health Centre
Dr. Michael Morsillo, B.Sc., N.D.
905-898-1844 ext. 135
dr.morsillo@gmail.com

 

Articles on Nebulized Glutathione:

Prousky, J.  The Treatment of Pulmonary Diseases and Respiratory Related Conditions with Inhaled (Nebulized or Aerosolized) Glutathione.  2007.  eCam

Bishop, C et al.  A pilot study of the effect of inhaled buffered reduced glutathione on the clinical status of patients with cystic fibrosis.  2005, Chest. 127(1): 308-317.

Lamson, DW and Bringnall MS, The use of nebulized glutathione in the treatment of emphysema:  a case report.  2000 Alternative Medicine Review.  5(5):429-31.