High GGT and ALP

[verticity]

One thing I've been wondering about since this came up is the possible role of naturally occurring glutathione in kava in the elevated GGT levels seen in the Australian studies.

The function of the enzyme GGT is to metabolize glutathione, which is an antioxidant that is naturally synthesized by the human body. But what happens when someone consumes a significant quantity of extra glutathione by, for example, drinking kava? Is it possible excess exogenous glutathione could stimulate higher GGT levels, simply because it is needed to metabolize the extra glutathione, and not indicate any damage or even stress on the liver? The usual reasoning is: if GGT is elevated, that means glutathione is being depleted. But if elevated GGT is a result of elevated glutathione, maybe it is just a normal homeostatic response...

The two Aboriginal studies were on traditionally prepared kava and aqueous extract, both of which would contain high levels of glutathione. A 1:1 ratio of glutathione to kavalactones, according to this paper which discusses the (unproven) hypothesis that glutathione in kava has a protective effect on the liver:

Whitton - Kava lactones and the kava-kava controversy

Important note about the above paper: it claims that kavalactones are hepatotoxic, which Dr. Schmidt convincingly argues is not true:

Schmidt - ARE KAVALACTONES THE HEPATOTOXIC PRINCIPLE OF KAVA EXTRACTS? THE PITFALLS OF THE GLUTATHIONE THEORY

 

[verticity]

I wonder why it's not part of the liver tests done in the states. I suppose it may be a sign of some liver stress, but clearly not sufficiently reliable to merit being included in these tests. I've read somewhere that a high % of men have genetically high levels of GGT without any other symptoms of any kind of liver problems. If that's true then I guess high GGT is not a big problem.

My understanding is it's not done here because it is so non-specific that it is not considered that useful.

 

[Deleted User01]

I posted good results (see post above) in 2017 with my results. A month ago, 2018, I got my liver enzymes checked along with the whole bloody panel. Actually, good nurse, not that bloody. The results were perfect. So make that 4 years of kava drinking with pristine liver results. And why? Cuz I drink 1/20 of the liquor I used to drink and I do so in super moderation. Yeah, alcohol doesn't get along with all the kavalactones in your blood stream so you sip very, very slow and make it last. And you never mix the two on your precious alcohol days. Hey, if you follow those rules, no hangover either!

 

[kastom_lif]

One thing I've been wondering about since this came up is the possible role of naturally occurring glutathione in kava in the elevated GGT levels seen in the Australian studies.

The function of the enzyme GGT is to metabolize glutathione, which is an antioxidant that is naturally synthesized by the human body. But what happens when someone consumes a significant quantity of extra glutathione by, for example, drinking kava? Is it possible excess exogenous glutathione could stimulate higher GGT levels, simply because it is needed to metabolize the extra glutathione, and not indicate any damage or even stress on the liver? The usual reasoning is: if GGT is elevated, that means glutathione is being depleted. But if elevated GGT is a result of elevated glutathione, maybe it is just a normal homeostatic response...

The two Aboriginal studies were on traditionally prepared kava and aqueous extract, both of which would contain high levels of glutathione. A 1:1 ratio of glutathione to kavalactones, according to this paper which discusses the (unproven) hypothesis that glutathione in kava has a protective effect on the liver:

Whitton - Kava lactones and the kava-kava controversy

Important note about the above paper: it claims that kavalactones are hepatotoxic, which Dr. Schmidt convincingly argues is not true:

Schmidt - ARE KAVALACTONES THE HEPATOTOXIC PRINCIPLE OF KAVA EXTRACTS? THE PITFALLS OF THE GLUTATHIONE THEORY

People have been saying that glutathione in kava is what prevents other compounds in kava from being hepatoxic, versus lab tests where they use just one chemical at a time.

 

[verticity]

A missing piece in my above comment is whether all the GSH (glutathione) that you ingest is broken down in your digestive tract. But both the paper by Whitton, and Lance Armstrong's* ( ) web site suggest that even if GSH is digested it increases levels of the component amino acids which can be reconstituted into GSH in your body, so

"Glutathione obtained from food sources seems to raise blood levels and provide antioxidant protection according to James Holly, M.D. with the Southeast Texas Medical Associates. Holly states in his literature review that rats are able to absorb glutathione in supplemental form, but human studies haven’t shown blood levels to increase with high doses of glutathione.... Supplementing your diet with the precursors for glutathione may improve your blood levels. Author, Kathy Browning in “Autoimmunity: It’s Time for the Truth; It’s Time to Heal,” recommends ingesting certain foods and the precursor amino acids to boost your glutathione levels."
https://www.livestrong.com/article/321580-glutathione-supplements/

Seems that the effect of ingested GSH in the gut before it is digested is more certain than the possibility that it could actually somehow effect the liver... but the the latter is possible too, and also there is a suggestion that food sources as opposed to pills are more effective at raising blood levels of GSH. (Traditional kava should act like a "food"...) As they say, More Research is Needed..

*Lance Armstrong knows all about biochemistry and stuff...

 

[verticity]

I hope you all realize the above is Wild Ass Speculation (W.A.S.) on my part...

To test this out you would need to do experiments such as:

1) Inject IV GSH into human subjects and saline solution into controls, to bypass digestion, and measure both blood GSH levels and GGT. If both blood GSH and GGT go up that would partly support the W.A.S. by showing that exogenous glutathione can influence GGT in the W.A.S. way. Other things that might happen: blood GSH going up, GGT unchanged; GSH up, GGT down; both down; or both unchanged.

2) Prepare traditional kava bevarage and serve it to human subjects and controls over a long period of time. Measure the exact amounts of KLs and GSH in the kava. Measure blood levels of GSH and GGT. If the kava subjects have both higher GSH and GGT than the controls it would be good evidence for the W.A.S.