Comparison
Glutathione vs TUDCA
Side-by-side of Glutathione and TUDCA. 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.
TUDCA
TUDCA is the taurine-conjugated form of ursodeoxycholic acid, a bile-acid molecule with replicated effects on liver function, ER stress, and bile flow.
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
TUDCA
- •Bile-acid molecule (taurine-conjugated UDCA) with chemical chaperone activity at the endoplasmic reticulum
- •Established pharmaceutical use for cholestasis and primary biliary cholangitis at 500-750 mg/day
- •Reduces ER stress and stabilizes misfolded proteins; the mechanistic basis for emerging ALS / retinal applications
- •Modest improvements in NAFLD markers and insulin sensitivity at 500-1,750 mg/day in small trials
- •Mitochondrial protection signal in animal models drives the longevity-supplement positioning
- •Generally well-tolerated; mild GI effects are the main dose-dependent issue
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Glutathione | TUDCA |
|---|---|---|
| Category | supplement | supplement |
| Also known as | GSH, L-glutathione, reduced glutathione | tauroursodeoxycholic acid, taurine-conjugated UDCA |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 4 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 500 | 500 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, often divided | daily, divided into 2 doses with food |
| Routes | oral, sublingual, intravenous | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 2 |
| Molecular weight | 307.32 | 499.7 |
| Molecular formula | C10H17N3O6S | C26H45NO6S |
| Mechanism | Tripeptide antioxidant; substrate for glutathione peroxidase (H2O2 reduction), GST (xenobiotic conjugation), glutaredoxin (redox signaling). GSH:GSSG ratio is the central cellular redox indicator. | Bile-acid signaling via FXR/TGR5 receptors; chemical chaperone reducing ER stress and unfolded protein response; mitochondrial protection through reduced outer-membrane permeabilization. |
| Legal status | OTC dietary supplement | OTC dietary supplement (US); pharmaceutical in Italy and several Asian countries |
| WADA status | allowed | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement | OTC supplement |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data at supplemental doses; endogenous compound is safe | Insufficient data for supplement use; UDCA used in cholestasis of pregnancy |
| CAS | 70-18-8 | 14605-22-2 |
| PubChem CID | 124886 | 9848818 |
| Wikidata | Q116907 | Q418751 |
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)
TUDCA
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
- diarrhea (dose-dependent)
- constipation (rare)
- nausea
Contraindications
- complete biliary obstruction
- pregnancy / lactation (insufficient supplement-dose data)
- active GI disease without medical supervision
Interactions
- cyclosporine, oral contraceptives, fat-soluble vitamins: modest absorption changes via altered bile-acid pool(minor)
- phenylbutyrate: synergistic for ALS use (Relyvrio combination); consult clinician(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
TUDCA comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. Glutathione is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is immune support, pick Glutathione.
- → If your priority is mitochondrial function, pick TUDCA.
- → If your priority is liver function, pick TUDCA.
Edge case: Half-lives differ materially (Glutathione ~0.5 hr vs TUDCA ~4 hr). TUDCA reaches steady state faster; Glutathione is easier to dial in if tolerability is uncertain.
Default choice: TUDCA. Lower friction to source, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Glutathione 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 TUDCA?
Glutathione and TUDCA 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 TUDCA?
Glutathione half-life is 0.5 hours; TUDCA half-life is 4 hours.
Can you stack Glutathione with TUDCA?
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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