How Immunocal Works
Immunocal can help the problem
Immunocal is proven and patented to raise glutathione. It is a natural source of the glutathione building block called cysteine, for the maintenance of a strong immune system.
Thats all well and good but how does it work?
Glutathione is an essential component of your cells, with low glutathione levels, cells cannot perform many of their functions properly. Although glutathione functions in dozens of roles in our metabolism, the major functions can be summarized in four areas:
It is the major antioxidant produced by the body. Antioxidants such as vitamins C or E cannot be made by your body and in fact could not work properly if glutathione were not present.
Our immune systems depend on a steady supply of glutathione. Without it, our immune defenses become weakened.
It is important in detoxifying many substances including heavy metals, breakdown products of cigarettes and automobile exhaust, many cancer-causing agents, and a multitude of pollutants and toxins we encounter on a daily basis.
The major source of energy produced in our cells is derived from tiny structures called mitochondria. These mitochondria would literally burn up without the presence of glutathione.
So now you know how glutathione works, and Immunocal can raise it, but why?
Why it works
So we know we have a critically vital substance in our body called glutathione which is responsible for many life giving functions, without it we would be dead. The good news is our body manufactures glutathione (which is a tripeptide), meaning it is made from three amino acids, Glutamate, Glycine and Cysteine. The bad news is most of us simply can't make enough glutathione. While Glutamate and Glycine are readily available in our diet, Cysteine is very limited in supply, hence it's known as "the limiting factor" resulting in low levels of Glutathione in most people.
Low Glutathione levels are linked with the onset and severity of almost all of the most common diseases of our time as well as newly emerging diseases and premature ageing. Immunocal provides us with that "missing link" Cysteine, as it is a patented and clinically proven "Bonded Cysteine Delivery System", ie. providing your body with a rich source of bioavailable cysteine.
In nature, this usable form of Cysteine can be found in eggs, but the eggs must be raw, otherwise the proteins that carry the cysteine are changed by heat and lose their efficiency as a “Cysteine delivery vehicle”. Another good source would be meat, but again, the meat would need to be raw to be a competent source of Cysteine. Aside from a well-prepared steak tartar, safe sources of raw meat are not abundant. What about vegetables? You guessed it. Raw cruciferous veggies are a decent source, but you would have to eat a whole bunch of broccoli with all the gaseous consequences your spouse will suffer.
Whey, a protein fraction of milk, is loaded with glutathione precursors. The problem here, as was the problem in eggs and meat, is that heat destroys the ability of these proteins to raise glutathione efficiently. The other downside of whey, is that it may contain differing amounts of fat and lactose, which for many individuals is a no-no. In addition, the vast majority of whey protein on the market has been subject to multiple passes of pasteurization, which if you remember your high school biology, is a form of heating. However, there is a way around this problem.
The glutathione building blocks in whey are very fragile, but techniques to extract these valuable proteins have been developed. Researchers at McGill University had started investigating these GSH precursors as early as the 1980’s. The original research team headed by Dr. Gustavo Bounous eventually formed a private enterprise to further develop and market these glutathione building blocks. They adopted the trade name “Immunocal” for the eventual formulation and Immunotec continues to enhance this product.
During the manufacturing process both the fat and lactose content are removed. This allows even the most lactose-intolerant individual to consume our product safely. For those rare people who have a true allergy to milk proteins, it must be noted that up to 80% of these people are allergic to the protein called “caseine”. Caseine is not a protein that we desire as a glutathione precursor and the amounts found in Immunocal is in the range of 1-2%.
Of critical importance is the biological activity associated with the proteins involved. The vast majority of whey proteins are not tested for this factor. The research most of these companies use as “scientific references” for their product was in fact done by Dr. Bounous and his team toward the development of Immunocal. Whether any of these products actually work or not has been anybody’s guess because they have not withstood the test of real research.
