Life Extension Glutathione, Cysteine & C - 100 Capsules
Life Extension Glutathione, Cysteine & C - 100 Capsules
Life Extension Glutathione, Cysteine & C is a three-ingredient food supplement in a one-capsule serving: 500 mg vitamin C as ascorbic acid, 200 mg L-cysteine hydrochloride, and 50 mg Setria® reduced L-glutathione. 100 capsules per bottle.
Read the numbers before you buy this one. The largest ingredient by a wide margin is vitamin C at 500 mg per capsule, which is 625% of the EU Nutrient Reference Value. The glutathione content is 50 mg, which is a modest amount compared with single-ingredient glutathione capsules that typically supply 250 mg to 500 mg. If your reason for buying is a high glutathione dose, this is not the formula for that, and we link the alternative below.
What this formula actually is: a high-strength vitamin C capsule combined with L-cysteine, the sulphur-containing amino acid the body uses as a building block in its own glutathione synthesis, plus a small amount of pre-formed glutathione. That is a different proposition from a straight glutathione capsule, and it suits a different buyer.
At a Glance
- Format: Capsules, 100 per bottle, one-capsule serving
- Vitamin C: 500 mg as ascorbic acid, 625% EU NRV
- L-cysteine hydrochloride: 200 mg per capsule
- Setria® L-glutathione (reduced): 50 mg per capsule
- Capsule shell: Vegetable cellulose. Non-GMO formulation
- Directions: 1 to 3 capsules daily on an empty stomach
- Status: Food supplement, regulated in Ireland by the FSAI
- Delivery: Dispatched next day from Dublin, free delivery over €75
Supplement Facts
| Per capsule | Amount | EU NRV |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C (as ascorbic acid) | 500 mg | 625% |
| L-Cysteine Hydrochloride | 200 mg | – |
| Setria® L-Glutathione (reduced) | 50 mg | – |
Other ingredients: vegetable cellulose (capsule), microcrystalline cellulose, stearic acid, silica. Non-GMO. Setria® is a registered trademark of Kyowa Hakko Bio Co., Ltd.
Two notes on reading this panel accurately. First, no EU Nutrient Reference Value has been established for L-cysteine or glutathione, which is why those rows show a dash rather than a percentage. Second, the 200 mg figure is declared as L-cysteine hydrochloride, the salt form, not as free L-cysteine. The label does not state the free L-cysteine equivalent, so we do not quote one. Some US listings for this product show 833% for vitamin C because they use the older US Daily Value of 60 mg. The figure above uses the EU Nutrient Reference Value of 80 mg, which is the correct reference for Ireland.
Key Features
- 500 mg vitamin C per single capsule, 625% EU NRV, as plain ascorbic acid
- 200 mg L-cysteine hydrochloride per capsule, stated as the salt form on the label
- 50 mg Setria® reduced L-glutathione, a branded glutathione from Kyowa Hakko Bio
- One-capsule serving, so the label dose is adjustable from 1 to 3 per day
- 100 capsules per bottle, giving 33 to 100 days depending on the dose taken
- Vegetable cellulose capsule shell, four excipients in total, non-GMO
- Held in Irish stock and dispatched next day from Dublin, no customs charges
Authorised EU Health Claims
This product contains vitamin C at 625% NRV per capsule, well above the 15% threshold required to use vitamin C's authorised claims. The following are authorised under EU law and relate to vitamin C:
- Vitamin C contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress
- Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system
- Vitamin C contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue
- Vitamin C contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism
- Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin, bones, cartilage, gums, teeth and blood vessels
- Vitamin C contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system
- Vitamin C contributes to normal psychological function
- Vitamin C increases iron absorption
- Vitamin C contributes to the regeneration of the reduced form of vitamin E
These are authorised health claims under EU Regulation 1924/2006, as listed in Commission Regulation (EU) 432/2012, and they relate specifically to vitamin C as a nutrient. No health claim is made, or may be made, for L-cysteine or for glutathione. Neither holds an authorised EU health claim.
Is this the right glutathione product for you?
Be honest about which of these two you actually want, because the glutathione doses are ten times apart and returns are nobody's idea of fun.
- You want a high pre-formed glutathione dose: go to NOW Foods Glutathione 500 mg, which supplies 500 mg reduced L-glutathione per capsule rather than 50 mg.
- You want the full range: browse the Glutathione collection to compare formats and doses side by side.
- You want the research background first: read our Glutathione guide for Ireland, which sets out the human trial data, the dosing range used in studies, and what is and is not established.
How to Take
Adults 18 and over. Take one capsule one to three times daily on an empty stomach, or as directed by a healthcare professional. Swallow with water. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose.
At one capsule daily a bottle lasts 100 days. At the maximum label dose of three capsules daily it lasts 33 days. If you are taking more than one capsule a day, note that this also raises your vitamin C intake proportionally, to 1,500 mg at three capsules.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Life Extension Glutathione, Cysteine & C?
It is a food supplement in capsule form containing three declared ingredients per capsule: 500 mg vitamin C as ascorbic acid, 200 mg L-cysteine hydrochloride, and 50 mg Setria® reduced L-glutathione. Each bottle holds 100 capsules and the serving size is one capsule. It is manufactured by Life Extension.
How much glutathione is actually in it?
50 mg of reduced L-glutathione per capsule, as Setria®. We want to be straight about that figure because it is the most misread thing about this product. Single-ingredient glutathione capsules commonly supply 250 mg to 500 mg per capsule, so 50 mg is a small fraction of that. The human trials on oral glutathione have generally used 250 mg to 1,000 mg per day. If a higher pre-formed glutathione dose is what you are after, the NOW Foods 500 mg product linked above is the better match.
What is the difference between L-cysteine and NAC?
They are different compounds. This product contains L-cysteine hydrochloride, the amino acid in its salt form. NAC is N-acetyl cysteine, which is L-cysteine with an acetyl group attached. Both are sulphur-containing forms of cysteine and both are used as sources of cysteine, which the body uses as a building block in synthesising its own glutathione. NAC has the longer clinical research record of the two. Neither L-cysteine nor NAC holds an authorised EU health claim.
What does the vitamin C in it do?
Vitamin C is the one ingredient here that holds authorised EU health claims, and at 500 mg per capsule this product is comfortably above the threshold needed to use them. Under EU Regulation 1924/2006, vitamin C contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress, to the normal function of the immune system, to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin, bones, cartilage, gums, teeth and blood vessels, and it increases iron absorption. Those claims relate to vitamin C, not to the glutathione or the cysteine.
Why does your vitamin C percentage differ from the US label?
Because the reference value differs between markets. The EU Nutrient Reference Value for vitamin C is 80 mg, so 500 mg is 625% NRV. Some US listings show 833%, calculated against the older US Daily Value of 60 mg. For a product sold in Ireland the EU NRV figure is the correct one, so that is what our panel shows.
Are glutathione and L-cysteine supplements legal in Ireland?
Yes. Both are sold in Ireland as food supplement ingredients and are regulated by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland under food supplement legislation. Neither is classified as a medicine by the HPRA and no prescription is required. Separately from legality, neither compound has an authorised EU health claim, which is why this page describes composition and does not attribute benefits to either.
Is it suitable for vegetarians or vegans?
The capsule shell is vegetable cellulose, so the shell itself contains no gelatine. We are not currently labelling the product as vegetarian or vegan, and we would rather tell you why than tag it and hope. Commercial L-cysteine is produced either by microbial fermentation or from animal keratin, and the label does not state which route was used here. The label also lists stearic acid without naming its source. We have those two questions open with Life Extension. Until we have a written answer we will not apply a vegetarian or vegan claim to this listing.
How many capsules are in a bottle and how long does it last?
100 capsules. The serving size is one capsule, and the label permits one to three capsules daily. That gives 100 days at one capsule a day, 50 days at two, and 33 days at three.
Are there any precautions?
Adults 18 and over only. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose. Consult your doctor before use if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or under medical supervision. High intakes of vitamin C can cause gastrointestinal discomfort in some people, so if you are taking two or three capsules daily and notice that, reduce the dose. Keep out of reach of children. Do not use if the seal is broken or missing.
How is it delivered and will I pay customs?
No customs charges. The stock is held in Ireland and dispatched next day from our Dublin base by DPD, so your order does not cross a customs border. Delivery is free on orders over €75.
Life Extension · Glutathione, Cysteine & C · 100 capsules · 1-capsule serving · vegetable cellulose capsule shell · Setria® reduced L-glutathione · food supplement · dispatched from Dublin
Advisory Information (Ireland)
- Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
- This product is a food supplement, not a medicine. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or health condition.
- Intended for adults aged 18 and over. Do not exceed the stated recommended daily dose.
- Consult your doctor or pharmacist before use if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking any medication, or under medical supervision.
- Discontinue use and seek medical advice if any adverse reaction occurs.
- Allergen and suitability information is taken from the manufacturer's label. The source of the L-cysteine and of the stearic acid is not stated on the label and is currently unconfirmed. If either matters to you, contact us before ordering.
- Keep out of reach of young children. Do not use if the seal under the cap is broken or missing.
- Store tightly closed in a cool, dry place.
- Food supplements in Ireland are regulated by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). Medicines are regulated by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA). This product is a food supplement.