Comparison
Glutathione vs Melatonin
Side-by-side of Glutathione and Melatonin. 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.
Melatonin
Melatonin as a sleep supplement: 0.3-1 mg matches physiological output, 3-10 mg is pharmacological. Shifts circadian phase, shortens sleep latency.
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
Melatonin
- •Shortens sleep onset latency by ~7 to 12 minutes at physiological 0.3 to 1 mg doses
- •Advances circadian phase when taken 30 to 60 minutes before target bedtime, useful for jet lag and shift work
- •Does not meaningfully increase total sleep time in healthy adults without circadian misalignment
- •Endogenous nighttime production is not suppressed by short-term exogenous supplementation
- •Higher doses (3 to 10 mg) raise plasma levels above physiological range and often increase morning grogginess
- •Effective for delayed sleep-wake phase disorder and reducing jet-lag severity in eastward travel
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Glutathione | Melatonin |
|---|---|---|
| Category | supplement | supplement |
| Also known as | GSH, L-glutathione, reduced glutathione | N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 0.75 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 500 | 0.5 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, often divided | daily, 30 to 60 minutes before target sleep time |
| Routes | oral, sublingual, intravenous | oral, sublingual |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 0.5 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 1 |
| Molecular weight | 307.32 | 232.28 |
| Molecular formula | C10H17N3O6S | C13H16N2O2 |
| Mechanism | Tripeptide antioxidant; substrate for glutathione peroxidase (H2O2 reduction), GST (xenobiotic conjugation), glutaredoxin (redox signaling). GSH:GSSG ratio is the central cellular redox indicator. | Agonist at MT1 and MT2 receptors in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, signaling biological night and promoting sleep-onset gating plus circadian phase shifts. |
| Legal status | OTC dietary supplement | OTC in US; prescription in UK, EU, Japan |
| WADA status | allowed | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement | OTC supplement in US; Rx in UK, EU, Japan, Australia |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data at supplemental doses; endogenous compound is safe | Insufficient data; not routinely recommended |
| CAS | 70-18-8 | 73-31-4 |
| PubChem CID | 124886 | 896 |
| Wikidata | Q116907 | Q179243 |
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)
Melatonin
Common side effects
- vivid dreams
- morning grogginess (higher doses)
- headache
- dizziness
Contraindications
- autoimmune disease (theoretical)
- concurrent anticoagulant therapy without monitoring
Interactions
- fluvoxamine: CYP1A2 inhibition raises melatonin levels substantially(major)
- warfarin: possible increased bleeding risk(moderate)
- benzodiazepines and alcohol: additive sedation(moderate)
- antihypertensives: may alter blood pressure response(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. Melatonin 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 sleep onset or sleep quality, pick Melatonin.
- → If your priority is circadian regulation, pick Melatonin.
Default choice: Glutathione. Lower friction to source, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Melatonin 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 Melatonin?
Glutathione and Melatonin 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 Melatonin?
Glutathione half-life is 0.5 hours; Melatonin half-life is 0.75 hours.
Can you stack Glutathione with Melatonin?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper