Comparison
Fisetin vs Glutathione
Side-by-side of Fisetin and Glutathione. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
Fisetin
Fisetin is a flavonoid found in strawberries with senolytic activity in mouse models. Hickson 2019 confirmed senescent-cell clearance in human adipose tissue.
Glutathione
Glutathione (GSH) is the body's primary intracellular antioxidant. Oral supplementation has variable bioavailability; sublingual, liposomal, and IV forms.
Effects at a glance
Fisetin
- •Flavonoid found in strawberries; most potent natural senolytic in screening assays (Yousefzadeh 2018)
- •Hickson 2019 confirmed reduced senescent-cell burden in human adipose tissue at 20 mg/kg pulsed for 2 days
- •Pulsed Mayo protocol (20 mg/kg/day x 2 days monthly) is the only dose with human biomarker evidence
- •Daily low-dose (100-500 mg) is mechanistically weaker but commonly used
- •Low oral bioavailability; with-fat dosing modestly improves absorption
- •Active cancer is a relative contraindication pending clearer polyphenol-treatment data
Glutathione
- •Body's primary intracellular antioxidant; tripeptide of glutamate, cysteine, glycine
- •Oral bioavailability poor; sublingual, liposomal, IV more reliable
- •Richie 2014 trial showed body GSH store increases at 250-1000 mg/day for 6 months
- •NAC supplementation often more cost-effective indirect strategy
- •Modest signals in NAFLD, skin aging, immune support; weak in cardiovascular
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Fisetin | Glutathione |
|---|---|---|
| Category | supplement | supplement |
| Also known as | 3,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxyflavone | GSH, L-glutathione, reduced glutathione |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 2 | 0.5 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 500 | 500 |
| Dosing frequency | pulsed 2 days/month (Mayo protocol) or daily continuous (empirical) | daily, often divided |
| Routes | oral | oral, sublingual, intravenous |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 4 | 2 |
| Molecular weight | 286.24 | 307.32 |
| Molecular formula | C15H10O6 | C10H17N3O6S |
| Mechanism | Senolytic via Bcl-2 family inhibition (Bcl-xL, Bcl-w); broad polyphenol with Nrf2 activation, mTOR inhibition at high concentrations, and antioxidant effects. | Tripeptide antioxidant; substrate for glutathione peroxidase (H2O2 reduction), GST (xenobiotic conjugation), glutaredoxin (redox signaling). GSH:GSSG ratio is the central cellular redox indicator. |
| Legal status | OTC dietary supplement | OTC dietary supplement |
| WADA status | allowed | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement | OTC supplement |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data | Insufficient data at supplemental doses; endogenous compound is safe |
| CAS | 528-48-3 | 70-18-8 |
| PubChem CID | 5281614 | 124886 |
| Wikidata | Q230614 | Q116907 |
Safety profile
Fisetin
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
- headache (rare)
Contraindications
- active cancer (theoretical, polyphenol interactions)
- pregnancy and lactation (insufficient data)
- concurrent CYP3A4-sensitive medications
Interactions
- statins (CYP3A4 substrates): theoretical reduction in statin clearance at high fisetin doses(minor)
- warfarin: theoretical CYP-mediated interaction; monitor INR if combining(moderate)
- other senolytics (rapamycin, dasatinib + quercetin): additive senolytic effect; pairing is investigational(minor)
Glutathione
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
Contraindications
- asthma (IV / inhaled forms specifically)
- active chemotherapy without oncologist guidance
Interactions
- chemotherapy agents: theoretical interference with GSH-depletion-dependent agents(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Glutathione comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-B outcome catalogued. Fisetin is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Fisetin.
- → If your priority is liver function, pick Glutathione.
- → If your priority is immune support, pick Glutathione.
Edge case: Half-lives differ materially (Fisetin ~2 hr vs Glutathione ~0.5 hr). Fisetin reaches steady state faster; Glutathione is easier to dial in if tolerability is uncertain.
Default choice: Glutathione. Lower friction to source, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Fisetin only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between Fisetin and Glutathione?
Fisetin and Glutathione differ in category (supplement vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Fisetin or Glutathione?
Fisetin half-life is 2 hours; Glutathione half-life is 0.5 hours.
Can you stack Fisetin with Glutathione?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
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