Comparison
Glutathione vs Thymosin Alpha-1
Side-by-side of Glutathione and Thymosin Alpha-1. 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.
Thymosin Alpha-1
Thymosin alpha-1 peptide (Zadaxin, thymalfasin): 28-amino-acid TA1 immunomodulator. Dosing, T-cell effects, hepatitis B and HCV adjunct evidence.
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
Thymosin Alpha-1
- •28-amino-acid synthetic peptide identical to thymic-derived immunomodulator
- •Approved in over 35 countries as Zadaxin for hepatitis B, hepatitis C adjunct, and immune support
- •Not FDA approved in US; compounded by 503A/503B pharmacies for off-label immune support
- •Modulates T-cell maturation, NK activity, and Th1 polarization in immunocompromised states
- •Standard label dose: 1.6 mg subcutaneously twice weekly
- •Cleanest safety profile in the peptide class with hundreds of regulated trials behind it
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Glutathione | Thymosin Alpha-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | supplement | peptide |
| Also known as | GSH, L-glutathione, reduced glutathione | Talpha1, Ta1, Zadaxin, Thymalfasin |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 2 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 500 | 1.6 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, often divided | 2x weekly |
| Routes | oral, sublingual, intravenous | subcutaneous, intramuscular |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 24 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 168 |
| Molecular weight | 307.32 | 3108.32 |
| Molecular formula | C10H17N3O6S | C129H215N33O55 |
| Mechanism | Tripeptide antioxidant; substrate for glutathione peroxidase (H2O2 reduction), GST (xenobiotic conjugation), glutaredoxin (redox signaling). GSH:GSSG ratio is the central cellular redox indicator. | Synthetic peptide modulator of innate and adaptive immunity. Promotes T-cell maturation and CD4/CD8 production, modulates Th1/Th2 balance, stimulates NK cell activity, and modulates TLR2/TLR9 signaling in dendritic cells. |
| Legal status | OTC dietary supplement | Approved in 35+ countries as Zadaxin (hepatitis B, hepatitis C adjunct, immune support); not FDA approved in US; compounded by 503A/503B pharmacies for off-label use; not on WADA Prohibited List |
| WADA status | allowed | unknown |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement | Rx only via international approval or US compounding (no controlled-substance schedule) |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data at supplemental doses; endogenous compound is safe | Not recommended; insufficient data |
| CAS | 70-18-8 | 62304-98-7 |
| PubChem CID | 124886 | 16130571 |
| Wikidata | Q116907 | Q913854 |
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)
Thymosin Alpha-1
Common side effects
- mild injection-site irritation (rare)
- transient mild fatigue (rare)
- occasional headache (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- active organ transplant rejection therapy
- systemic immunosuppression for autoimmune disease (relative)
- severe active autoimmune disease (caution)
Interactions
- interferon-alpha: additive immune effect; used clinically in approved combination protocols(minor)
- calcineurin inhibitors (cyclosporine, tacrolimus): theoretical destabilization of immunosuppression; avoid(major)
- antimetabolites (azathioprine, mycophenolate): theoretical destabilization of immunosuppression; avoid(major)
- vaccine administration: may augment vaccine response in elderly or immunocompromised; coordinate with clinician(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. Thymosin Alpha-1 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 post-training recovery, pick Thymosin Alpha-1.
- → If your priority is antiviral action, pick Thymosin Alpha-1.
Edge case: If you want to avoid Approved in 35+ countries as Zadaxin (hepatitis B, hepatitis C adjunct, immune support); not FDA approved in US; compounded by 503A/503B pharmacies for off-label use; not on WADA Prohibited List, Glutathione is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: Glutathione. Lower friction to source, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Thymosin Alpha-1 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 Thymosin Alpha-1?
Glutathione and Thymosin Alpha-1 differ in category (supplement vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Glutathione or Thymosin Alpha-1?
Glutathione half-life is 0.5 hours; Thymosin Alpha-1 half-life is 2 hours.
Can you stack Glutathione with Thymosin Alpha-1?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper