Glutathione and fair skin: What science says

Glutathione has some medical uses, but evidence for cosmetic skin lightening remains limited.

In Short

• Glutathione is a natural antioxidant that helps neutralise damaging free radicals
• In India, IV glutathione is approved only for certain liver conditions
• Experts say evidence for cosmetic skin lightening remains limited and inconsistent

We moved on from Fair & Lovely but walked straight into intravenous (IV) glutathione and pills. A different era and a different trend, but the question remains the same – does it actually work?

Actor-model Shefali Jariwala's unexpected death in July 2025 was allegedly caused by glutathione injections. Although it's unclear if glutathione contributed to her demise, the incident brought the spotlight on this widely used supplement – glutathione.

While the fairness cream obsession has ended, the obsession with fair or brighter/smoother skin still exists.

We are aware and we know better. We've come a long way. Today we know about active ingredients, understand skin barriers and apply sunscreen without a fail. This has also helped us explore new products and look out for the ones that claim to be science-backed or well-researched.

And glutathione pills and injections have long been talked about. We asked experts and read scientific papers to understand: what does science actually say?

WHAT IS GLUTATHIONE?

Glutathione is an antioxidant that is naturally found in the cells of our body. It is produced throughout the body and plays many important roles, including neutralising unstable oxygen molecules called free radicals.

In India, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has approved the use of intravenous (IV) glutathione for treating specific severe liver conditions such as alcoholic fatty liver, liver fibrosis, and cirrhosis. In the Philippines, it is approved for reducing nerve toxicity from cisplatin chemotherapy. But it’s not FDA-approved for the treatment or prevention of any specific disease.

According to Dr Sandeep Khanna, hepatologist at Apollo Hospital, "Glutathione is a scavenger of oxidative molecules [cells experiencing damage]. So, it picks them, functions in a way to detoxify them and theoretically reduces liver-related injury."

So, this works on the principle that when the liver is damaged, glutathione production is blocked. Some studies have shown that intravenous (IV) administration of glutathione can improve liver function tests in patients with various liver diseases, but large-scale trials are still needed.

It helps repair cells damaged by pollution, stress and other harmful influences and is undeniably important, according to UCLA Health's blog post by Dr Robert Ashley, professor of medicine. He also highlighted that “less is known about glutathione’s use as a general supplement."

However, despite its widespread use, its efficacy and long-term safety is often questioned.

GLUTATHIONE IS MISUNDERSTOOD

In the beauty industry, glutathione is commonly misinterpreted, explained Dr Chandani Jain Gupta, Dermatologist at Elantis Healthcare, New Delhi.

She explained that “there isn't sufficient research on glutathione as a skin whitener, and experts agree that larger, longer-term studies need to take place in order to finally determine if glutathione is safe and effective for cosmetic use.” She added that “glutathione typically produces less noticeable results on the skin than expected, and many people mistakenly think of glutathione as the answer to achieving light skin.

The USFDA has not approved any injectable glutathione for skin lightening and warns of risks such as liver and kidney toxicity.

Dr. Chandni noted that some people may experience minor and short-lived brightening effects from using glutathione pills; however, results vary greatly from person to person. “There is a lot of marketing for glutathione injections as a better alternative than pills, but there is insufficient scientific data to document whether you will see consistent long-term results after receiving them," she added.

Dr. Nandini Baruah, Consultant Dermatology, Max Multi Speciality Centre, Delhi said, "It can be viewed as a supporting molecule and not the primary treatment for pigmentation. So, it works best in combination with other treatments."

“Research is limited, there is no strong long-term data, and marketing it as a magic whitening solution is misleading," she added.

Dermatologists acknowledge that there is a dearth of data and pointed out that results vary from case to case. "There are a few studies on the topic, but not enough, and more research is needed," said Dr Kiran Sethi, a Delhi-based skin and longevity expert.

According to Dr Sethi, some people in clinical practice exhibit results, but this doesn't apply to everyone and relies on multiple factors such as poor eating habits, smoking and drinking alcohol regularly.

- Ends