Safety
There is no FDA label for injectable glutathione, and compounded glutathione isn’t FDA-reviewed for safety, effectiveness or quality. In the Parkinson’s trial, side effects were similar to placebo, and no safety concerns were found over 4 weeks.
Talk to a licensed clinician about your health history and every medication you take before you start.
Legal status
Prescription only; compounded and not FDA-approved. Glutathione is prepared by a compounding pharmacy for an individual prescription. Compounded products are not FDA-approved, and the FDA does not review them for safety, effectiveness or quality. Glutathione is not FDA-approved. FDA lists it in Category 1 of its 503A bulk substances list (updated May 14, 2026), an interim policy under which licensed pharmacies may compound it for individual prescriptions from an FDA-registered source. It is not on the final list.
What glutathione is
Glutathione disulfide appears only as an ingredient of an eye-surgery irrigation solution (BSS Plus); no glutathione injection is approved.
Dosing
Injection; also nasal spray and rapid-dissolve tablet. Set by your prescriber. Products we checked include 200 mg/mL injection vials (10 mL) and 50 mg rapid-dissolve tablets.
How well it works
In a 6-month trial in 54 adults, oral glutathione at 1,000 mg a day raised glutathione in red blood cells, plasma and lymphocytes by 30% to 35% (Richie 2015). In 21 people with Parkinson’s disease, 1,400 mg IV three times a week for 4 weeks was well tolerated but did not improve symptom scores more than placebo (Hauser 2009). No trial has tested glutathione injections for aging or lifespan. Individual results vary.
Glutathione cost
Prices vary by clinic.