Experts have raised concerns about TikTok’s latest health trend: an intravenous drip of antioxidants that is said to halt aging.
Videos highlighting the seemingly remarkable benefits of glutathione have racked up hundreds of thousands of views.
Users praise its “transformative” effect, which has helped them increase energy levels and even strengthen the immune system. Some have even dubbed it a “master detoxifier.”
The droppers, which are used by Kim Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, Gwyneth Paltrow and Hailey Bieber, are rumoured to be sold in beauty clinics for around £75.
But it can also be taken in injection form or easily purchased online as a supplement for as little as 55 cents a pill.
In a TikTok video posted by SheerLuxe and viewed 44,000 times, influencer and former Love Island star Olivia Atwood confessed this week that she was injecting herself with glutathione. “It’s a molecule, something that we produce that helps our cells reproduce,” she said.
Last year, actress-turned-wellness guru Gwyneth Paltrow also revealed that glutathione drips were her favourite IV drip. She added: “They make me feel so good.”
The droppers, rumoured to be used by Kim Kardashian (pictured), Kendall Jenner and even Hailey Bieber, are sold in beauty clinics for around £75.
However, experts warned today that it was “irresponsible” to label glutathione as anti-ageing and expressed concern about the “very little evidence” of its effectiveness.
Some proponents say the compound can also address skin pigmentation, having a dramatic and positive brightening effect on skin tone and color.
In a TikTok video posted by SheerLuxe and viewed 44,000 times, influencer and former Love Island star Olivia Atwood confessed this week that she was receiving glutathione injections.
“It’s a molecule, something we produce that helps our cells reproduce,” he said.
‘They were testing it and it showed signs that it can actually slow down the aging of our cells.
‘So, supposedly Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner take drops of this substance weekly.’
Last year, actress-turned-wellness guru Gwyneth Paltrow also revealed that glutathione drips were her favorite IV drip.
She added: “That makes me feel very good.”
In another TikTok, American influencer @claire.elis, who has more than 190,000 followers, called glutathione her “go-to supplement.”
Taking her followers into the clinic with her, she said: ‘I’m injecting the master body detoxifier into my bloodstream weekly because my body needs all the help it can get.
‘Glutathione is the body’s primary way of neutralizing free radicals and decreasing oxidative stress, which are two things that, when left out of control, can make you very sick, meaning you have low energy and a weak immune system.
‘Do your research, it’s worth investigating.’
The theory goes that glutathione helps combat age-related changes by stimulating the repair of damaged tissue and promoting the production of new, healthy skin cells.
But Professor Edzard Ernst, a world-renowned complementary medicine expert at the University of Exeter, told MailOnline today: “While glutathione is an intriguing molecule with diverse and not well-understood functions, it is irresponsible, in my view, to call it a ‘fantastic anti-ageing agent’.”
“I am not aware of any convincing evidence to support this claim.”
Meanwhile, Dr Andrew Steele, a computational biologist and author of a book on longevity, said: ‘Glutathione is a naturally occurring chemical found in all animal cells.
There is evidence that its levels decline with age, so the theory goes that perhaps if we can slow its decline, we may be able to prolong the youthfulness of our cells.
“Unfortunately, there is very little evidence to support this idea and more research is needed before we fully understand whether it will affect the health of our skin or how long we will live.”
He also told MailOnline: ‘Some research suggests that glutathione supplementation may actually shorten the lifespan of worms.
Love Island star Olivia Atwood said: ‘So, Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner supposedly take drops of this substance every week’
‘Glutathione is an antioxidant, but that does not guarantee that it will prolong life.
‘A huge review article that looked at data from 300,000 people taking five different antioxidant supplements found that they either had no effect or increased the risk of death.
‘While the science here is interesting, I think I’d leave glutathione aside for now.’
Doctors say that simply taking the supplement orally will not produce the “same detoxifying results” as a drip or injection.
The latter is “more efficient,” says a London clinic, as it “bypasses the digestive tract and sends the antioxidant directly into the bloodstream.”
In addition to the typical side effects including bruising or soreness that occur when receiving any injection, beauty clinics that offer glutathione injections or drips also often warn that clients may experience body aches.
Other suspected symptoms include nausea, headaches, chills without fever, and mild diarrhea.
But in 2016 British Medical Journal According to the report, Dr Ophelia Dadzie, a consultant dermatologist at The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, also warned that the injections (when injected into the face) had caused “other adverse reactions”.
Possible side effects include nervous system, kidney and liver toxicity, headaches and rare but serious skin conditions such as Stevens Johnson syndrome (SJS), he said.
SJS is a rare and serious disorder of the skin and mucous membranes.
In another post, American influencer @claire.elis, who has over 190,000 followers, also called glutathione her “go-to supplement”. Taking her followers to the clinic with her, she said: “I inject the body’s master detoxifier into my bloodstream every week because my body needs all the help it can get.”
She added: “Glutathione is the body’s main way of neutralizing free radicals and decreasing oxidative stress, which are two things that, when out of control, can make you very sick, meaning you have low energy and a low immune system.”
It often begins with flu-like symptoms, followed by a painful, purplish-red rash that spreads and blisters.
Serious ethical concerns have also long been raised about the use of glutathione as a “brightening drop” to lighten skin color.
Experts have warned that the injections are popular in parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia, where some women have reported whiter, brighter and glowing skin.
A 2018 study published in the journal Practical and conceptual dermatologyHe also noted that glutathione has been “hailed for generations as a ‘magic skin-whitening’ molecule.”
“The unrestrained and prolific use of this drug, especially as a parenteral formulation, seems unjustified,” the researchers say.
In her 2016 report, Dr Dadzie also added: ‘In addition to the ethical issues raised by the practice, there are also concerns about efficacy and potential adverse effects.
‘In the UK, there needs to be clear public health information and warnings about this practice from government agencies such as the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency.’