Comparison
Glutathione vs Urolithin A
Side-by-side of Glutathione and Urolithin A. 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.
Urolithin A
Urolithin A supplement guide: pomegranate-derived metabolite, 500-1000 mg Mitopure dosing, mitophagy and muscle endurance 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
Urolithin A
- •Gut-microbiome-derived metabolite of pomegranate and walnut ellagitannins
- •Roughly 40% of adults are 'urolithin producers' from dietary intake; ~60% are non-producers
- •Ryu 2016 (Nature Medicine) reported lifespan extension in C. elegans and muscle benefits in aged rodents
- •Andreux 2019 first-in-human trial (n=60) established safety and mitochondrial gene-expression upregulation
- •Singh 2022 (n=66, 4 months, 1000 mg/day) reported improved muscle endurance in older adults
- •Most human trial portfolio is Amazentis-funded; independent replication is thin
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Glutathione | Urolithin A |
|---|---|---|
| Category | supplement | supplement |
| Also known as | GSH, L-glutathione, reduced glutathione | UA, Mitopure, ellagitannin metabolite |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 17 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 500 | 500 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, often divided | daily, morning with food |
| Routes | oral, sublingual, intravenous | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 2 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 4 |
| Molecular weight | 307.32 | 228.2 |
| Molecular formula | C10H17N3O6S | C13H8O4 |
| Mechanism | Tripeptide antioxidant; substrate for glutathione peroxidase (H2O2 reduction), GST (xenobiotic conjugation), glutaredoxin (redox signaling). GSH:GSSG ratio is the central cellular redox indicator. | Induces mitophagy via potentiation of PINK1/Parkin signaling, leading to selective degradation of damaged mitochondria. Secondary anti-inflammatory effects via NF-kB modulation. |
| Legal status | OTC dietary supplement | OTC dietary supplement (US GRAS 2018; EFSA Novel Food 2021) |
| WADA status | allowed | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement | OTC supplement (not scheduled) |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data at supplemental doses; endogenous compound is safe | Insufficient data; not routinely recommended |
| CAS | 70-18-8 | 1143-70-0 |
| PubChem CID | 124886 | 5488186 |
| Wikidata | Q116907 | Q27101321 |
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)
Urolithin A
Common side effects
- mild GI upset (rare)
- soft stools (rare)
Contraindications
- pregnancy and lactation (insufficient data)
- active chemotherapy (consult oncology)
Interactions
- chemotherapy agents: theoretical interaction with mitochondrial-targeting agents; consult oncologist(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Urolithin A 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 liver function, pick Glutathione.
- → If your priority is immune support, pick Glutathione.
- → If your priority is muscle hypertrophy, pick Urolithin A.
- → If your priority is mitochondrial function, pick Urolithin A.
Edge case: Half-lives differ materially (Glutathione ~0.5 hr vs Urolithin A ~17 hr). Urolithin A reaches steady state faster; Glutathione is easier to dial in if tolerability is uncertain.
Default choice: Urolithin A. 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 Urolithin A?
Glutathione and Urolithin A 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 Urolithin A?
Glutathione half-life is 0.5 hours; Urolithin A half-life is 17 hours.
Can you stack Glutathione with Urolithin A?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
Go deeper