Should You Take Glutathione Before A Mycotoxin Test?

Testing For Mycotoxins

Great Plains Laboratory uses a technology called liquid chromatography / mass spectometry which is most accurate, reproducible and specific to what is being tested.  Real Time Labs uses ELISA technology which measures toxins and their metabolites and is semi-quantitative.   Vibrant Wellness is another lab we use.  There are pros and cons to each test and if possible several should be performed.

Should You Take Glutathione Before A Mycotoxin Test?

The answer is not a simple yes or no! It depends on two key factors

1. The lab you are using to test mycotoxins.
2. The individuals detoxification capacity, especially related to glutathione conjugation.

Mosaic Diagnostics, formerly Great Plains Laboratory, says that mass spectrometers (what they use when analysing your urine) detect only molecules of a specific exact mass. Furthermore, all the reference ranges for Mosaic Diagnostics were established using normal volunteers not using glutathione. So, stop any glutathione use as long as possible prior to urine collection for mycotoxin testing.

With Real Time Labs it is recommended to take something to bind and pull mycotoxins from the tissues so that it will be excreted in the urine (more on how to do this later in the blog).

As already mentioned Mosaic (Great Plains Lab) does not recommend provocation before testing.

A Personalised Approach To Glutathione Before A Mycotoxin Test

Dr. Jill Crista, a world renowned expert in mould illness and mycotoxins says that if someone as compromised detox pathways then supplementing glutathione before testing for mycotoxins, including Mozaic’s test, may be helpful. When considering whether someone might have compromised detox pathways we can consider a couple of key things:

1. Do they have genetic SNP’s in the glutathione conjugation pathway.
2. Do they have something like multiple chemical sensitivity.

Glutathione Conjugation And The Need to Supplement

I often run a detox genetic report to help understand someones potential when it comes to detoxification. The below image is a sample of the report which shows that this individual had compromised Glutathione Conjugation. As you can see, the lab explain how this may result in a reduced ability to neutralise a metabolite of Aflatoxin B1. This pathway is used to detox other mycotoxins too.

In this scenario, it may be wise to supplement glutathione before doing a mycotoxin test. In my experience, this does indeed aid the bodies elimination of these toxins and therefore gives you a more accurate indication of the persons total body burden (i.e the amount of mycotoxins in the body).

How To Supplement Glutathione Before A Mycotoxin Test

With Real Time Labs it is recommended to take something to bind and pull mycotoxins from the tissues so that it will be excreted in the urine.  I have found that supplementing liposomal glutathione 500mg 1-2 times per day, for a week prior to testing, helps get a more accurate indication of the total body burden of mycotoxins. It’s important to note that some people do not tolerate this dose. If the glutathione is too much and is mobilising toxins faster than can be eliminated someone may feel worse. As a result with some of my more sensitive clients,  I recommend proceeding with the urine test right away.

Also, it can be helpful to consider sweating as a way to support elimination. This could be achieved via exercise, a sauna session or a hot bath. I have heard Dr. Nathan recommend doing this the night before completing the test. But I have also heard the recommendation of doing this approximately 30 minutes before completing the test.

This is the same process I use for Mozaic Diagnotics too.

I hope this article was helpful. Any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out.