Here's more info on the topic of glutathione and the prostate, most of which I looked up a while ago when a relative asked for advice re: high PSA levels. It's interesting that many of the foods that boost glutathione are foods that moderners avoid or don't eat much of. I didn't know about the iodine angle then, so that info has been helpful, though I did know about the reputed benefits of seafoods rich in selenium and iodine for glutathione levels and prostate issues, so it doesn't surprise me.
Glutathione from cysteine-rich whey protein lowers PSA and protects against prostate cancer:
> Bounous G. Whey protein concentrate (WPC) and glutathione modulation in cancer treatment. Anticancer Res 20: 4785-92,2000.
> Bounous G, Beer D. Anticancer Res. 2004 Mar-Apr;24(2B):553-4. Molecular pathogenesis and prevention of prostate cancer.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15160993?ordinalpos=&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.SmartSearch&log$=citationsensor
> Kent, Harper, and Bomser; Effect of whey protein isolate on intracellular glutathione and
oxidant-induced cell death in human prostate epithelial cells, Toxicology In Vitro, February, 2003, 17(1):27-33,
http://www.angelfire.com/art/MJPPortfolio/protient/wpi_prostate.pdfSelenium glycinate supplementation increases blood glutathione peroxidase activities and decreases prostate-specific antigen readings in middle-aged US men.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21419321You can't digest glutathione, but you can digest the precursors and cofactors. The precursors of glutathione include cysteine, glycine and glutamic acid. Selenium, B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium and Zinc are important cofactors (
http://www.glutathionediseasecure.com/glutathione-cofactors.html).
"Eggs contain cysteine, glycine and glutamic acid, all of which are the building blocks for [glutathione]." --Dane Miller, owner of "the world's first strength farm," Real and Raw Food Series #6: Eggs,
http://www.garagestrength.com/?page_id=907&cpage=1Some foods rich in L-Cysteine:
Animal sources (the most bioavailable):
Fresh unprocessed animal foods [which probably does not include pemmican, at least not old pemmican], especially raw egg yolks, raw meats, raw yogurt and raw whey cheese
Plant sources (sulfurous veggies):
Asparagus
Avocado
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Curcumin (Turmeric)
Garlic
Onions
Spinach
Tomatoes
The cysteine in egg yolks is most bioavailable raw:
"To Cook, or Not to Cook? The Benefits of Raw Egg Yolks
Many people believe that the health benefits of egg yolks are greater when the yolks are consumed raw. Heat destroys enzymes, reduces the amounts of certain nutrients, and may make the amino acid cysteine less available, which is needed to synthesize the master antioxidant of the cell, glutathione.
Those who eat raw egg yolks report easier digestion, increased stamina, and resistance to illness — not to mention a quicker snack if they're on-the-go."
(The Incredible, Edible Egg Yolk, July, 2005, by Chris Masterjohn,
http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com/Egg_Yolk.html)
Some foods rich in glycine:
Gelatin (ex: Great Lakes kosher beef gelatin)
Skin of Pork (pigs feet and ears), Chicken (esp. feet), Turkey and Beef
Egg whites
Crustaceans: shrimp, crab
Whitefish
Seaweed
Mollusks: scallops
Seeds
Legumes
(Sources:
http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-000094000000000000000.html, http://www.dietandfitnesstoday.com/foods-high-in-vitamin.php?nutid=516, http://beeblefitness.com/diet/search/nutrient_search/516/glycine/, [PDF]
Optimum Condition of Extracting Collagen from Chicken Feet -
http://www.ajas.info/Editor/manuscript/upload/14-246.pdf, Cooking with Bones -
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/cooking-with-bones/#axzz27xUhel84)
Some foods rich in glutamic acid:
Egg whites
Legumes
Chicken
Seeds
Whey cheese
Fish
(Sources:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/261322-foods-high-in-glutamic-acid, http://beeblefitness.com/diet/search/nutrient_search/515/glutamic-acid/, http://www.dietandfitnesstoday.com/foods-high-in-vitamin.php?nutid=515)
Some of the research connecting cysteine-rich foods to cancer therapy:
A placebo controlled clinical trial the health benefits of an undenatured whey protein isolate in cancer patients:
Antiox. & Redox Signaling. 2008. Feb;10:395-402. PMID:18158761.
Cysteine-Rich Protein Reverses Weight Loss in Lung Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy or Radiotherapy
Tozer RG, Tai P, Falconer W, Ducruet T, Karabadjian A, Bounous G, Molson JH, Dröge W.
“The patients treated with the cysteine-rich protein had a mean increase of 2.5% body weight, whereas casein-treated patients lost 2.6%”.
Anticancer Res. 2004 Mar-Apr;24(2B):553-4.
Molecular pathogenesis and prevention of prostate cancer.
Bounous G, Beer D.
Source
Research and Development Department, Immunotec Research Ltd., Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec, Canada. jmolson@immunotec.com
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15160993?ordinalpos=&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.SmartSearch&log$=citationsensor
Abstract
Studies in laboratory animals indicate inhibition of chemically-induced carcinoma by cystine-rich diets enhancing the cysteine-GSH antioxidant system. The progression of carcinoma of the prostate is also inhibited by these diets, which were later found to raise the level of GSH in the prostate epithelium of man. New data presented at the July 13, 2003 meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research indicates that higher levels of total cysteine in plasma may predict a reduced risk for breast cancer. This prospective investigation was conducted among 32,000 women in the Nurses Health study. The previously reported prostate cancer data appears then not to be strictly gender-related as the antioxidant role of the cysteine-GSH system may also apply to breast cancer prevention.
SUCCESS STORIES:
Immunocal whey-cysteine supplement success story in curing prostate cancer and lowering PSA:
RE: Cancer, The day my life changed forever!
by Wolfmont on Tue Feb 20, 2007 12:00 AM
http://www.cancercompass.com/profile/Wolfmont?tab=user-messages"It was very traumatic when my doctor told me I had a 50% chance of survival. That was the day my life changed forever! I started taking better care of myself, exercising, eating high alkaline foods, since cancer cannot thrive in a high alkaline environment and of course taking HMS90 [aka Immunocal,
www.immunotec.com] along with my hormone treatment. As a caregiver I will assume you know a little about the immune system and of course Glutathione. But if you do not I would seriously make it a priority to find out what it's all about. Within 3 months of taking HMS90 my PSA had gone down from 128 to 2.7. Even my Doctor at the Royal Victoria Hospital was very surprised at such a quick recovery!"
Immunocal Reduced His PSA Readings for Prostate Cancer
http://www.immune-health-solutions-for-you.com/immunocal-reduced-his-psa-readings-for-prostate-cancer.html"Can Immunocal help with reducing PSA readings in cases of prostate cancer?
Immunocal raises glutathione. Read how raising his glutathione helped a 68 year-old semi-retired doctor named Franklin here.
The following case study is taken from Dr. Jimmy Gutman's latest bestseller- "Glutathione - Your Key to Health", page 201:
"Franklin was a semi-retired general practitioner who at age 68 scored a PSA reading of over 8 micrograms/liter on a routine screening exam, suggesting a high possibility of prostate cancer. In continued tests, a urologist took a cystoscopic biopsy and confirmed the diagnosis. Four out of Franklin's six biopsy sites tested positive for high-grade tumor.
For personal and practical reasons, Franklin delayed aggressive treatment and opted to take 30 grams/day of a specially-prepared whey-protein isolate that raises glutathione levels.
Bimonthly PSA levels showed a gradual decline, his latest reading being 3.8 u/L. He is still being closely followed by his urologist, and his decision to undergo chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgery will be deferred unless his PSA levels rise again."
Franklin took a whey-protein isolate named Immunocal, which raised his glutathione, and reduced his PSA readings. You can learn more about Immunocal and all the ways to raise glutathione here.
You can learn more about glutathione and cancer research here.
http://www.immune-health-solutions-for-you.com/cancer-research.html"
High Glutathione and Cysteine Levels also Prevent Hair Graying:
"I have mentioned often that I have less gray hair now than I had at the age of 40. I have attributed that to my intake of Ultrathione, the source of glutathione in Guardian [an anti-aging supplement]. ...
The evolutionary hypothesis relating melanogenesis and oxidation states that GSH [Glutathione sulfhydry] and cysteine levels must be high for the animal to afford the high cost of melanogenesis. Greying occurs when there are low levels of GSH and cysteine." (Art DeVany, The Free Radical Theory of Graying,
http://artdevanyonline.com/1/post/2012/09/the-free-radical-theory-of-graying.html)