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Glutathione · Dose evidence · updated 8 October 2026

Glutathione dosage: what studies actually used

The short answer

No glutathione drug product is FDA-approved in the US, so there is no US label dose4. Trials gave it into a vein (1.5 g/m² before each chemotherapy dose, 1,400 mg three times a week, or 1,200 mg twice a week), by mouth (250 mg to 1,000 mg a day), in the nose, by inhaler and as a skin lotion1356789. The largest trial found no benefit, and a 2025 review said IV glutathione should not be used for skin lightening510. No dose is established for skin lightening or wellness, and we found no trial that gave glutathione as a shot under the skin11.

Not dosing advice. This page reports doses that studies and approved labels used, with their sources. It does not recommend a dose, and we do not give mixing, injection or unit-conversion instructions. Gray-market vials often do not contain what their label says. How we report doses.

Every dose studied in people

StudyWhoPeopleDose and routeWhat happened
Leal 2014 (N08CA), randomized double-blind placebo-controlled Phase 3 trial US adults starting paclitaxel and carboplatin chemotherapy 185 1.5 g/m² (grams per square meter of body surface) before each chemotherapy dose
IV infusion over 15 minutes · Chemotherapy planned for at least 12 weeks; nerve symptoms tracked over the first six cycles		 No difference in nerve damage (neuropathy) on either scale, and the time to grade 2 or worse neuropathy on a standard severity scale (P = .039) and acute paclitaxel pain with weekly dosing (P = .002) favored placebo5. The authors said the results do not support glutathione for preventing this nerve damage5.
Griese 2013, randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial (registered as Phase 2) People with cystic fibrosis aged 8 and older 153 646 mg every 12 hours
Inhaled from a nebulizer · 6 months		 No difference in lung function, flare-ups or quality of life; a small gain at 3 months did not last, and side effects were similar to placebo9.
Smyth 1997, double-blind randomized trial Women with stage I to IV ovarian cancer on cisplatin chemotherapy 151 Not stated in the abstract
Not stated in the abstract · With each of six planned cisplatin cycles		 58% vs 39% received all six cycles (P = 0.04), and quality-of-life scores were better; tumor response, 73% vs 62%, was not significantly different (P = 0.25)12.
Weschawalit 2017, randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial with three groups Healthy women aged 20 to 50 in Bangkok, Thailand 60 250 mg a day, at bedtime (one group took reduced glutathione, one the oxidized form)
By mouth (capsules) · 12 weeks		 Skin melanin tended to be lower than on placebo at every site, but not significantly; in women over 40, one sun-exposed forearm site was significantly lower on reduced glutathione (P = 0.031)2. Two women stopped because of raised liver enzymes, which went back to normal2.
Arjinpathana 2012, randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial Healthy medical students in Bangkok, Thailand 60 500 mg a day, split into two doses
By mouth (capsules) · 4 weeks		 Skin melanin fell at all 6 sites but beat placebo at only 2 (right face, p = 0.021; sun-exposed left forearm, p = 0.036), and the authors said long-term safety was not established13.
Richie 2015, randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial Healthy non-smoking adults 54 250 mg or 1,000 mg a day
By mouth · 6 months, then 1 month off		 On 1,000 mg, glutathione was 30 to 35% higher in red cells, plasma and lymphocytes at 6 months; on 250 mg, it rose 17% in blood and 29% in red cells7. Levels returned to baseline 1 month after stopping7.
Zubair 2016, placebo-controlled study; each treated woman was matched with a control of the same age and skin tone Healthy women aged 25 to 47 at a hospital in Multan, Pakistan 50 1,200 mg twice a week (12 doses), in a product that also contained vitamin C and collagen
Slow injection into a vein over 30 minutes · 6 weeks, with follow-up to 6 months after		 Among the 16 women analyzed in each group, skin was at least one shade lighter in 6 on glutathione and 3 on placebo (p = 0.054), and only 1 kept the change at 6 months1. All 25 women given glutathione had side effects; 8 stopped because of abnormal liver tests and 1 had anaphylactic shock, a severe allergic reaction1.
Cascinu 1995, randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial People with advanced stomach cancer on weekly cisplatin chemotherapy 50 1.5 g/m² before each cisplatin dose, plus 600 mg into muscle on days 2 to 5
IV infusion over 15 minutes, plus injection into muscle · Assessed after 9 and 15 weeks of chemotherapy		 After 15 weeks, 4 of 24 assessable patients on glutathione had nerve damage vs 16 of 18 on placebo (P = .0001), and tumor response was 76% vs 52%14.
Mischley 2017, double-blind placebo-controlled Phase IIb trial People with Parkinson’s disease at Hoehn and Yahr stage 1 to 3, a scale of how far it has progressed 45 100 mg or 200 mg three times a day
In the nose (intranasal) · 3 months, then 1 month off		 All groups improved, including placebo, and neither dose beat placebo8. One person on 200 mg developed cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle; the abstract does not say whether glutathione caused it8.
Allen 2011, randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial Healthy adults in Washington State 40 500 mg twice a day
By mouth · 4 weeks		 No change in markers of oxidative stress or in glutathione measures in red blood cells15.
Watanabe 2014, randomized double-blind placebo-controlled split-face trial Healthy Filipino women aged 30 to 50 30 2% lotion of oxidized glutathione (GSSG) on one side of the face and a placebo lotion on the other, twice a day
On the skin (lotion) · 10 weeks		 Melanin was significantly lower on the treated side from week 1 through week 10 (P<0.001 at 10 weeks), and no reactions were linked to the lotion3. It used the oxidized form because ordinary reduced glutathione breaks down easily in water-based products3.
Hauser 2009, randomized double-blind placebo-controlled pilot People with Parkinson’s disease whose symptoms were not well controlled by their medicines 21 1,400 mg three times a week
IV · 4 weeks, then 8 weeks of follow-up		 Well tolerated with no safety concerns, but symptom scores did not differ significantly from placebo during treatment (P = 0.32) or over the next 8 weeks (P = 0.54)6.
Aebi 1991, study of how the body handles a large dose Healthy volunteers 10 2 g/m², once
IV infusion · Single dose		 Total glutathione in plasma rose from 17.5 to 823 micromoles per liter on average, and the amount passed in urine rose 300-fold in the 90 minutes after the infusion16.

Studies, animals and users: kept apart

Doses below are what studies used or what a label says. They are not advice, and gray-market products may not contain what their label says.

In human studies

IV: 1.5 g/m2 over 15 minutes before each chemotherapy dose514, plus 600 mg into muscle on days 2 to 5 in one trial14; 1,400 mg three times a week for 4 weeks in Parkinson’s disease6; and a single 2 g/m2 infusion in a study of how the body handles it16. By mouth: 250 or 1,000 mg a day for 6 months7, 500 mg twice daily for 4 weeks15, and 500 mg a day for 4 weeks for skin13. Nasal: 100 or 200 mg three times a day for 3 months8. Inhaled: 646 mg every 12 hours for 6 months9. We found no human study of glutathione injected under the skin, so we know of no dose studied for the way most gray-market vials are used11.

In animal studies

Not summarized. Glutathione has been tested directly in human trials, so this entry does not rely on animal dosing.

What users report Anecdotal · not validated · not a recommendation

A dosing-calculator site lists 100 to 200 mg by injection under the skin, once a day or every other day. The site presents these as educational protocols, not trial results17.

Half-life and how it is taken

Half-life
About 14 minutes in plasma (14.1 ± 9.2 min)16After a single IV infusion of 2 g/m2 in 10 healthy volunteers
Routes
  • Intravenous infusion (human trials in chemotherapy and Parkinson’s disease)
  • Intramuscular injection (given with IV doses in one chemotherapy trial)
  • Oral capsules (dietary supplement; small trials)
  • Intranasal spray (one Parkinson’s trial)
  • Inhaled by nebulizer (one cystic fibrosis trial)
  • Topical creams and lotions (small skin-lightening trials)
  • Subcutaneous injection (clinic and gray-market use; no trials found)

Why no dose is established for skin or wellness

In 2019, the Philippine FDA said injectable glutathione was approved there as an add-on treatment in cisplatin chemotherapy, not for skin lightening, and that there were no published guidelines for dosing or length of treatment for skin lightening18. The trials above each tested one use. Glutathione did not prevent nerve damage from paclitaxel and carboplatin in the largest trial, did not beat placebo in two Parkinson’s trials and did not improve lung function in cystic fibrosis5689.

For skin lightening, a 2025 systematic review found that oral doses of 250 mg once a day, 250 mg twice a day and 500 mg once a day lowered skin melanin more than placebo in five randomized trials and one open study, and that topical glutathione at 0.5% worked better than 0.1% or placebo10. It found pills and creams moderately effective but not lasting, and it concluded that IV glutathione is contraindicated, meaning it should not be used, because of lack of efficacy and side effects10. Its figures for the one placebo-controlled IV study it found, 6 of 16 vs 3, match the Zubair trial in the table110.

The 2026 reactions to glutathione drips

In 2026, people became ill after injectable glutathione that compounding pharmacies had made with a dietary-supplement-grade ingredient419. FDA says supplement-grade glutathione is not an appropriate ingredient for injectable drugs19.

  • 27 August 2026: FDA said at least 30 patients had fever, chills, pain, dizziness, signs of shock or sepsis-like symptoms after IV glutathione, and some needed hospital care19. The pharmacies involved had all used one lot (#229536) of supplement-grade glutathione from Medisca19.
  • 15 September 2026: CDC reported over 25 people sickened in at least four states (Texas, Washington, Florida and New York) after injectable glutathione4. At least 3 were hospitalized, and one needed intensive care for shock and abnormal blood clotting4. Patients had received it by IV, under the skin or into muscle4.
  • 1 October 2026: Greenwich Rx, a compounding pharmacy in Texas, recalled 10 lots of glutathione vials meant for injection under the skin because their levels of endotoxin, toxic material from bacteria, might be too high20. It reported two patients who received emergency department care after IV use of a glutathione product not made for IV use20.

This was not the first time. In 2018 and 2019, FDA reported reactions in people given 2,400 mg and 1,400 mg of compounded glutathione by IV, and its testing found excess endotoxin in the supplement-grade powder behind the 2019 cases21.

Drips and the anti-doping rule

Glutathione itself is not named on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2026 Prohibited List or on the 2027 list published 21 September 20262223. For athletes who are tested, the way it is given can still break the rules: IV infusions or injections of more than 100 mL per 12 hours are prohibited at all times, unless received during hospital treatment, surgery or clinical diagnostic tests22. This rule (method M2.2) is unchanged in the 2027 list23.

Questions people ask

How much glutathione should I take a day?

No dose of glutathione is established for the uses it is sold for, and no glutathione drug product is FDA-approved4. Trials gave 250 mg to 1,000 mg a day by mouth for 4 weeks to 6 months, with mixed results271315. Whether to take it, and how much, is a question for a prescriber who knows your health.

What is the dose of glutathione IV?

No IV dose is established for wellness or skin lightening, and there is no US label4. Trials gave 1.5 g/m² before each chemotherapy dose, 1,400 mg three times a week for 4 weeks in Parkinson’s disease, and 1,200 mg twice a week for 6 weeks for skin lightening156. A 2016 review found no study of the safety of long-term IV use, and a 2025 review said IV glutathione should not be used for skin lightening1024.

How much glutathione for skin whitening?

No dose is established; in 2019 the Philippine FDA said there were no published guidelines for dosing injectable glutathione for skin lightening18. Small trials used 250 mg or 500 mg a day by mouth, a 2% lotion of oxidized glutathione twice a day, and 1,200 mg by IV twice a week12313. A 2025 review found pills and creams moderately effective but not lasting, and said IV glutathione should not be used for this10.

Is it safe to take glutathione every day?

Daily pills were well tolerated in trials of 4 and 12 weeks, though in the 12-week trial two of 60 women stopped because of raised liver enzymes that went back to normal213. The oral trials here lasted 4 weeks to 6 months, and the authors of one said long-term safety has not been established713.

Go deeper

Sources

  1. 1Efficacy of intravenous glutathione vs. placebo for skin tone lightening Journal of Pakistan Association of Dermatologists, 2016. jpad.com.pk
  2. 2Glutathione and its antiaging and antimelanogenic effects Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  3. 3Skin-whitening and skin-condition-improving effects of topical oxidized glutathione: a double-blind and placebo-controlled clinical trial in healthy women Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2014. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  4. 4Adverse Events Linked to Injectable Glutathione Compounded with Dietary Supplement Grade Ingredient: Current Situation U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 Sep 2026. cdc.gov
  5. 5North Central Cancer Treatment Group/Alliance trial N08CA-the use of glutathione for prevention of paclitaxel/carboplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy: a phase 3 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study Cancer, 15 Jun 2014. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  6. 6Randomized, double-blind, pilot evaluation of intravenous glutathione in Parkinson’s disease Movement Disorders, 15 May 2009. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  7. 7Randomized controlled trial of oral glutathione supplementation on body stores of glutathione European Journal of Nutrition, Mar 2015. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  8. 8Phase IIb Study of Intranasal Glutathione in Parkinson’s Disease Journal of Parkinson’s Disease, 2017. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  9. 9Inhalation treatment with glutathione in patients with cystic fibrosis. A randomized clinical trial American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 1 Jul 2013. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  10. 10Glutathione as a skin-lightening agent and in melasma: a systematic review International Journal of Dermatology, Jun 2025. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  11. 11PubMed search: human clinical trials with glutathione in the title and subcutaneous in the title or abstract (4 results, none giving glutathione under the skin) National Library of Medicine (PubMed), accessed 7 Oct 2026. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  12. 12Glutathione reduces the toxicity and improves quality of life of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer treated with cisplatin: results of a double-blind, randomised trial Annals of Oncology, Jun 1997. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  13. 13Glutathione as an oral whitening agent: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study Journal of Dermatological Treatment, Apr 2012. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  14. 14Neuroprotective effect of reduced glutathione on cisplatin-based chemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial Journal of Clinical Oncology, Jan 1995. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  15. 15Effects of oral glutathione supplementation on systemic oxidative stress biomarkers in human volunteers Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Sep 2011. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  16. 16High-dose intravenous glutathione in man. Pharmacokinetics and effects on cyst(e)ine in plasma and urine European Journal of Clinical Investigation, Feb 1991. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  17. 17Glutathione (600 mg Vial) Dosage Protocol PeptideDosages, 20 Sep 2026. peptidedosages.com
  18. 18FDA Advisory No. 2019-182: Unsafe use of glutathione as skin lightening agent Food and Drug Administration Philippines, 5 Jul 2019. fda.gov.ph
  19. 19FDA reminds compounders not to use dietary supplement grade glutathione for injectables U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 27 Aug 2026. fda.gov
  20. 20Greenwich Rx Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Compounded Glutathione Due to Elevated Endotoxin Levels U.S. Food and Drug Administration (company announcement), 1 Oct 2026. fda.gov
  21. 21FDA highlights concerns with using dietary ingredient glutathione to compound sterile injectables U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 7 Jun 2019. fda.gov
  22. 22World Anti-Doping Code International Standard: Prohibited List 2026 World Anti-Doping Agency, 24 Sep 2025. wada-ama.org
  23. 23World Anti-Doping Code International Standard: Prohibited List 2027 World Anti-Doping Agency, 21 Sep 2026. wada-ama.org
  24. 24Intravenous glutathione for skin lightening: Inadequate safety data South African Medical Journal, 6 Jul 2016. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Not medical advice. Talk to a licensed clinician before using any drug. Report an error.