Pyroglutamate (or Pyroglutamic acid) is an intermediate in the glutathione metabolism and a marker of glutathione deficiency.
Pyroglutamate is a step in the production/recycling of glutathione. Glutathione is one of the most potent anti-oxidants in the human body. It is especially important in getting rid of toxins, including the harmful metabolites of estrogen detoxification 4-OH-E1 and 4-OH-E2.
In healthy individuals, a very modest amount of Pyroglutamate is spilled in the urine.
Though it does not directly look at glutathione status, it measures the activity of the rate limiting enzymatic process in the production of glutathione. Thus, it is assessing the process of antioxidant production, and when upregulated informs us of increased stress on the system.
Glutathione, itself, is the major antioxidant produced in abundance in the liver. It is composed of three amino acids: cysteine, glycine, and glutamate. In periods of nutritional deficiency, stress, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), toxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular proliferation, Phase 2 detoxification, etc. glutathione stores are depleted, and the production status is upregulated. Prolonged glutathione depletion leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and is directly supported with glutathione administration.
Pyroglutamic
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