Evidence supporting the use of: L-cysteine
For the health condition: Liver Detoxification

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 3

L-cysteine is an amino acid that serves as a precursor to glutathione, one of the body’s most important antioxidants, which plays a central role in liver detoxification processes. The liver uses glutathione in both phase I and phase II detoxification pathways to conjugate and neutralize toxins, making them more water-soluble for excretion. Several animal and human studies have shown that supplementation with L-cysteine or its derivatives (such as N-acetylcysteine, or NAC) can increase glutathione levels in the liver, offering protection against liver damage from toxins like acetaminophen, alcohol, and various environmental pollutants. Clinical use of NAC—a more stable form of cysteine—is well established in the treatment of acetaminophen overdose, where it helps replenish glutathione stores and prevent liver failure. However, direct evidence supporting L-cysteine supplementation (as opposed to NAC) for general liver detoxification in healthy individuals is limited. Most research focuses on its role in specific toxic exposures or liver diseases rather than routine detox support. While the biochemical rationale is strong and some clinical evidence exists, the overall strength of evidence for routine use of L-cysteine for liver detoxification is moderate, justifying a rating of 3/5.

More about L-cysteine
More about Liver Detoxification

Other ingredients used for Liver Detoxification

Achyranthes
Adzuki bean
Agrimonia pilosa
Agrimony
AHCC
Akebia
Albizia
Albumin
Alfalfa
Algae
Alisma
Allium tuberosum
Allyl sulfide
Aloe vera
alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG)
alpha-lipoic acid
Alstonia scholaris
American Liverleaf
amino acids
Amor seco
anamu
Andrographis
andrographolide
anemarrhena asphodeloides
ankaflavin
anthocyanins
anthraquinone
Antrodia camphorata
apigenin
apple
Appleblossom Cassia
apricot
Ardisia
arjun tree
arjuna
Arjunolic acid
artichoke
Asam gelugor
ashitaba
asparagus
astragalin
astragaloside
astragalus
atractylone
aucubin
avocado
Baccharoides anthelmintica
bacteria
bael
baicalein
Baikal Skullcap
balsam
banyan
barberry
Barleria
barley
Basidiomycota
Bassia scoparia
BCAA
Beef liver
beet
belleric myrobalan
benzyl isothiocyanate
berberine
Berberis (unspecified)
Bergenia
bergenin
beta caryophyllene
betel
Bifidobacteria
bignay
bile salt
biota seed
birch
bitter principals
black cumin
black garlic
black gram
black nightshade
black root
black seed
blackthorn
Blepharis
blue flag
boldo
borotutu
bottle gourd
bovine liver
branched-chain amino acids
Brassica
Bupleurum
bupleurum falcatum
burdock
butternut
C-phycocyanin
cabbage
calamus
capers
carqueja
Carthamus
cascara sagrada
catalase
caterpillar mushroom
celandine
Centaurium erythraea
centaury
Centella asiatica
chaga mushroom
chanca piedra
chebulic acid
chebulinic acid
chicory
Chinese fleeceflower
Chinese Ligustrum berry
Chinese pond turtle
Chinese salvia root
Chinese silkvine
chirata
chlorella
chokeberry
cholic acid
chrysanthemum
cinnamic acid
cinnamon
cleavers
Clerodendrum indicum
Clerodendrum indicum
Clerodendrum phlomidis
coix
copalchi
Coptis chinensis
cordyceps
coriander
corilagin
coriolus mushroom
corktree
couch grass
coumaric acid
cruciferous
cucumber
curcumin
cuspidatum root
Cyathula
cynarin
cynaropicrin
Cynodon dactylon
d-glucarate
dandelion
deoxyandrographolides
Desmodium
diallyl disulfide (DADS)
diallyl sulfide
dihydromyricetin
dithiolthiones
DL-Methionine
duckweed
ellagic acid
ellagitannin
Embelia
emblicanin
emodin
endive
Enicostemma littorale
epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)
Erodium cicutarium
Ficus religiosa
Ficus simplicissima
flavanones
flavans
flavonolignan
flavonones
Flueggea suffruticosa
fo-ti
fucoidan
Fumaria parviflora
fumitory
gallate
gallic acid
gamma-glutamylcysteine
ganoderma
garden cress
gardenia
Gardenia jasminoides
genipap
gentian root
Gentiana macrophylla
ginger
Glucaric acid
Glucoraphanin
Glucuronic acid
Glutathione
Glycine
Glycophospholipid
Glycosaponin
Glycyrrhizin
goji berry
golden shower tree
goldenrod
gooseberry
green chiretta
green tea
Gypenoside
Hemidesmus
hibiscus
Homalomena
honeysuckle
horse gram
Hygrophila
Indian frankincense
Indian gum arabic tree
Indian nightshade
Indian sarsparilla
indole-3-carbinol
iridoids
isosilybin
isothiocyanates
Jatoba
Java tea
Job\'s tears
jujube
Jurubeba
kale
knotgrass
knotweed
Kokam
Kombucha
kuding tea
kudzu
Kutkins
L-cysteine
L-glutathione
L-methionine
L-ornithine
Lentinula edodes mycelia
Leptadenia
licorice root
Ligustrum
limonene
Lindera
lingzhi
liquid liver fractions
little ironweed
liverwort
lophatherum leaf
Lophira lanceolata
loquat
Loranthus
lotus seed
lovage
Lycium
Maclura tricuspidata
Mesua
Milk thistle
Millettia
Mondo grass
Moringa
Morus
Mulberry
Mung bean
Myrobalan
Myrosinase
Myrrh
Nardostachys
Naringin
Neem tree
Nettle
Niacinamide (vitamin B3)
noni
Oldenlandia diffusa
oleanolic acid
Operculina turpethum
orange
Ornithine
ornithine L-aspartic acid
Osmanthus
Osthole
Oxymatrine
paeoniflorin
perilla
phosphatidylcholine
phospholipids
picrorhiza kurroa
Picroside
Plectranthus amboinicus
Pleurotus eryngii
pollen
Polygonatum
Polygonum
Polyporus
polysaccharides
Premna
Prickly Pear Cactus
pu-er tea
pumpkin
purslane
Qin Jiao
quercetin
radish
reishi mushroom
Rhamnus nakaharai
rhubarb
rhubarb root
Ribose-l-cysteine
Rooibos
root tuber
rosmarinic acid
rosthorn snake gourd
Rubia cordifolia
Rubia yunnanensis
Rubiaceae
Rumex acetosa
S-Methylmethionine
Salvianolic acid
SAMe (S-adenosyl-L-methionine disulfate p-toluensulfate)
Sargassum
Sarivan
sarsaparilla
Scabrous Gentian
Schisandrins
Schizandrol A
Scirpus
Scoparia dulcis
Scopoletin
seaweed
selenium
Selenocysteine
Selenomethionine
Semecarpus anacardium
sheep's sorrel
Silybin
Silybum
Silychristin
Silydianin
silymarin
smilax
Solanum anguivi
soursop
spirulina
Stachytarpheta cayennensis
Stone Root
Sulforaphane
Sweet Woodruff
Swertia
Syringic acid
Szechuan lovage
Tanshinone
Taraxacin
Taraxacum
Taraxasterol
Taraxol
Taurochenodeoxycholic acid
Taurocholic acid
Taurodeoxycholic acid
Terminalia
Theabrownin
Thistle
Tinospora cordifolia
Trametes
Tumerone
turmeric
typhonium
Ursolic Acid
vegetable and fruit blend (proprietary)
Vine tea
vitamin B6
vitamin C
vitamin E
Walnut
Wasabi
Watercress
Watermelon
Wax Gourd
wheat grass
Whey protein
Withanolides
Xanthorrhizol
Yellow Dock
Yellow-Fruit Nightshade
Yin Chen
Yuzu
Zinc
Zingerone

Products containing L-cysteine

Metagenics BioPure Protein® Powder
Metagenics Bone Builder Active
Metagenics Clear Change 10-Day Detox Program with UltraClear Plus Berry
Metagenics Clear Change 10-Day Detox Program with UltraClear Plus pH
Metagenics Clear Change 10-Day Detox Program with UltraClear Plus pH Pineapple Banana
Metagenics Clear Change 10-Day Detox Program with UltraClear Plus Pineapple Banana
Metagenics Clear Change 10-Day Detox Program with UltraClear Plus Vanilla
Metagenics Clear Change 28-Day Detox Program with UltraClear Plus Berry
Metagenics Clear Change 28-Day Detox Program with UltraClear Plus pH Pineapple Banana
Metagenics Clear Change 28-Day Detox Program with UltraClear Plus pH Vanilla
Metagenics Clear Change 28-Day Detox Program with UltraClear Plus Pineapple Banana
Metagenics Clear Change 28-Day Detox Program with UltraClear Plus Vanilla
Metagenics Collagenics®
Metagenics Echinacea Synergy
Metagenics GI Sustain™ Powder
Integrative Therapeutics Glutathione Cell Defense
Vitabase Hair, Skin & Nails Formula
Metagenics ImmuCore
Metagenics Immune Defense Pack
Designs For Health PaleoCleanse Plus™
Designs For Health PaleoCleanse Plus™
Designs For Health PaleoCleanse Plus™ Detox Program
Designs For Health PaleoCleanse Plus™Chocolate Detox Kit
Metagenics Perfect Protein® Pea & Rice Chocolate Powder
Metagenics Perfect Protein Pea & Rice Vanilla Powder
Metagenics Perfect Protein Whey Chocolate
Metagenics Perfect Protein Whey Vanilla
Designs For Health Plant Protein Cleanse
Designs For Health Plant Protein Cleanse Plus™ 570g
Vitabase Super Antioxidant Formula
Metagenics Ultra Glucose Control® Chocolate
Metagenics Ultra Glucose Control Chocolate
Metagenics Ultra Glucose Control Vanilla
Metagenics Ultra Glucose Control Vanilla
Metagenics Ultra Potent-C 1000
Metagenics Ultra Potent-C 500
Metagenics Ultra Potent-C Chewable
Metagenics Ultra Potent-C Powder
Metagenics UltraClear Detox Powder
Metagenics UltraClear Plus® Detox Powder
Metagenics UltraClear Plus Detox Powder Berry
Metagenics UltraClear Plus Detox Powder Pineapple/Banana
Metagenics UltraClear Plus pH Detox Powder Pineapple/Banana
Metagenics UltraClear Plus pH Detox Powder Vanilla
Metagenics UltraGI Replenish® Chocolate
Metagenics UltraGI Replenish Chocolate
Metagenics UltraGI Replenish Vanilla
Metagenics UltraGI Replenish Vanilla
Metagenics UltraInflamX Plus 360°® Chocolate/Orange
Metagenics UltraInflamX Plus 360° Mango
Metagenics UltraInflamX Plus 360° Mango
Metagenics UltraInflamX Plus 360° Orange
Metagenics UltraInflamX Plus 360° Original Spice
Metagenics UltraInflamX Plus 360° Pineapple/Banana
Metagenics UltraInflamX Plus 360° Pineapple/Banana
Metagenics UltraMeal Advanced Protein® Dutch Chocolate
Metagenics UltraMeal Advanced Protein French Vanilla
Metagenics UltraMeal Advanced Protein Plain
Metagenics UltraMeal Cardio 360°® Pea/Rice Chocolate
Metagenics UltraMeal Cardio 360° Pea/Rice Vanilla