Comparison
Glutathione vs Magnesium L-Threonate
Side-by-side of Glutathione and Magnesium L-Threonate. 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.
Glutathione
Glutathione (GSH) is the body's primary intracellular antioxidant. Oral supplementation has variable bioavailability; sublingual, liposomal, and IV forms.
Magnesium L-Threonate
Magnesium l-threonate (Magtein) crosses the blood-brain barrier. Typical dose 1,500-2,000 mg. Sleep and cognitive trial data, side effects.
Effects at a glance
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
Magnesium L-Threonate
- •Distinct magnesium salt designed for blood-brain barrier penetration; not a higher-quality systemic magnesium
- •Liu 2010 rodent study: elevated CSF magnesium ~15% and increased hippocampal synaptic density
- •Trial portfolio in humans is small and mostly Magtein-funded; cognitive effects are modest where reported
- •Typical dose 1500 to 2000 mg/day delivers only ~108 to 144 mg of elemental magnesium
- •GI tolerability comparable to other magnesium forms; loose stools in a minority at 2000 mg/day
- •Distinct from magnesium glycinate, which is the conventional sleep/anxiety/repletion form
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Glutathione | Magnesium L-Threonate |
|---|---|---|
| Category | supplement | supplement |
| Also known as | GSH, L-glutathione, reduced glutathione | Mg-T, MgT, Magtein, magnesium threonate |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 4 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 500 | 2000 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, often divided | 1 to 3 times daily |
| Routes | oral, sublingual, intravenous | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 2 |
| Molecular weight | 307.32 | 294.5 |
| Molecular formula | C10H17N3O6S | C8H14MgO10 |
| Mechanism | Tripeptide antioxidant; substrate for glutathione peroxidase (H2O2 reduction), GST (xenobiotic conjugation), glutaredoxin (redox signaling). GSH:GSSG ratio is the central cellular redox indicator. | Proposed to deliver magnesium across the blood-brain barrier more effectively than other oral salts via threonate-related transporters, raising CNS magnesium and modulating NMDA receptor function and synaptic plasticity. |
| Legal status | OTC dietary supplement | OTC dietary supplement |
| WADA status | allowed | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement | OTC supplement (not scheduled) |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data at supplemental doses; endogenous compound is safe | Standard magnesium safety; Mg-T-specific data limited |
| CAS | 70-18-8 | 778571-57-6 |
| PubChem CID | 124886 | 10691810 |
| Wikidata | Q116907 | Q27151568 |
Safety profile
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)
Magnesium L-Threonate
Common side effects
- loose stools
- mild GI upset
- headache (rare)
- fatigue (rare)
Contraindications
- severe renal impairment (eGFR below 30)
- hypermagnesemia
- myasthenia gravis (high doses)
- concurrent IV magnesium therapy
Interactions
- tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones: magnesium chelation reduces antibiotic absorption; separate by 2 to 4 hours(moderate)
- bisphosphonates: reduced absorption; separate by 2 hours minimum(moderate)
- muscle relaxants and aminoglycosides: potentiated neuromuscular blockade at high doses(moderate)
- antihypertensives: additive blood pressure reduction at high doses(minor)
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. Magnesium L-Threonate is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is liver function, pick Glutathione.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Glutathione.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Magnesium L-Threonate.
- → If your priority is sleep onset or sleep quality, pick Magnesium L-Threonate.
Edge case: Half-lives differ materially (Glutathione ~0.5 hr vs Magnesium L-Threonate ~4 hr). Magnesium L-Threonate 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 Magnesium L-Threonate 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 Glutathione and Magnesium L-Threonate?
Glutathione and Magnesium L-Threonate 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, Glutathione or Magnesium L-Threonate?
Glutathione half-life is 0.5 hours; Magnesium L-Threonate half-life is 4 hours.
Can you stack Glutathione with Magnesium L-Threonate?
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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