Oxidative Stress & The Power of Antioxidants: How Vitamin C & Glutathione Support Your Body
We use the term oxidative stress all the time in wellness conversations, especially when talking about skin health, immunity, energy, or recovery. So, what is oxidative stress and why do antioxidants play such an important role in protecting our bodies?
What Is Oxidative Stress?
Every day, your body is producing energy, repairing cells, fighting off germs, detoxifying, and doing thousands of tiny processes that keep you alive. These processes naturally produce molecules called free radicals.
Free radicals aren’t “bad” (you actually need them) but when you have too many, they start to damage healthy cells, proteins, and DNA. This imbalance is called oxidative stress.
Common contributors to oxidative stress include:
Chronic stress
Lack of sleep
Intense exercise
Alcohol
Smoking
Environmental toxins
Inflammation
Poor diet
Over time, increased oxidative stress is linked to fatigue, slower recovery, dull skin, weakened immunity, and general inflammation.
How Antioxidants Fit In
Antioxidants are the body’s defense system against oxidative stress. They neutralize free radicals before they can do damage, helping restore balance. Your body naturally produces some antioxidants but not always enough to keep up with the modern stress load. That’s where supportive antioxidants like vitamin C and glutathione come in.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of the most researched antioxidants in the world and for good reason.
Key benefits of Vitamin C include:
1. Reduces Oxidative Stress: Vitamin C helps neutralize free radicals throughout the body, reducing cellular inflammation and supporting long-term health.
2. Boosts Immune Function: It enhances the function of immune cells and supports your body’s ability to respond to stress, infections, and illness.
3. Supports Collagen & Skin Health: Vitamin C is critical for collagen production—leading to brighter, firmer skin and support for wound healing.
4. Enhances Iron Absorption: This helps your energy levels stay steady.
Why IV Vitamin C?
High-dose vitamin C delivered intravenously bypasses digestion and allows for significantly higher blood levels than oral supplements. This can be especially helpful for:
Recovery after illness
Tackling fatigue
Supporting immune health
Skin radiance
Glutathione: The “Master Antioxidant”
If vitamin C is a hero, glutathione is the superhero. It’s often called the body’s “master antioxidant” because of how deeply involved it is in protecting and detoxifying your cells.
Key benefits of Glutathione include:
1. Powerful Cellular Detox: Glutathione helps the liver process toxins, alcohol, heavy metals, and environmental exposures.
2. Reduces Inflammation: By decreasing oxidative stress, it supports a more balanced immune response and reduces overall inflammation.
3. Skin Brightening & Even Tone: Glutathione supports melanin balance, which is why many people notice a brighter, more even complexion.
4. Energy & Mitochondria Support: Your mitochondria (cellular energy producers) rely heavily on glutathione to function well.
Why IV Glutathione?
Because glutathione is fragile and poorly absorbed orally, IV administration delivers higher, more effective levels directly into the bloodstream.
Vitamin C + Glutathione: A Powerful Pair
Why they work well together:
Vitamin C helps recycle glutathione, extending its protective power.
Both reduce oxidative stress in different pathways.
They support skin brightening, immune health, and cellular repair.
The pairing enhances detoxification and recovery from stress, workouts, travel, or illness.
Many clients feel more energized, experience clearer skin, or simply feel “lighter” after incorporating antioxidant therapy into their routine.
Is Antioxidant IV Therapy Right for You?
Antioxidant therapy may be beneficial if you:
Feel run down or fatigued
Want to support immune health
Are recovering from illness or high stress
Care about skin radiance and anti-aging
Want to support detoxification and liver health
Struggle with inflammation
Train intensely or need faster recovery
Let’s discuss what your best treatment looks like and see how these powerful antioxidants can be incoporated into your wellness routine!
Resources:
Ali, A., et al. (2024). Potential of ascorbic acid in human health against different diseases: A review. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B.
Aoyama, K. & Nakaki, T. (2015). Glutathione in Cellular Redox Homeostasis. Free Radical Research, 49(5), 573–582.
Aquilano, K., Baldelli, S., & Ciriolo, M. R. (2014). Glutathione: new roles in redox signaling for an old antioxidant. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 5, 196.
Bajic, V. P., & Liu, C. (2019). Glutathione “Redox Homeostasis” and Its Relation to Disease Development. International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
Kaźmierczak‑Barańska, J., Kleszcz, R., & Bartosz, G. (2020). Two Faces of Vitamin C — Antioxidative and Pro‑Oxidative Agent. Antioxidants, 9(10), 907.
Nimse, S. B. & Pal, D. (2015). Free radicals, natural antioxidants, and their reaction mechanisms. RSC Advances, 5(35), 27986–28006.
Sobhon, P., Savedvanich, G., & Weerakiet, S. (2023). Oxidative stress, inflammation, dysfunctional redox homeostasis and autophagy cause age‑associated diseases. Exploration of Medicine, 4, 45–70.
