What Is a Glutathione Drip?
The Glow Drip Explained

A glutathione drip is an IV drip that contains glutathione, the body’s most abundant natural antioxidant, usually combined with vitamin C and other nutrients. Because it is often marketed for brighter skin, it is also called a glow drip. Glutathione is made inside your own cells and helps keep oxidative stress in balance. The evidence that IV glutathione changes skin tone is weak, and regulators have warned about high-dose IV glutathione used for skin lightening. This guide explains what glutathione is, how IV and oral forms compare, what the research on skin does and does not show, the safety points to know and who should check first. At mobivIVe our glow drip is The Light Switch (Super Skin Glow IV), with glutathione, vitamin C, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and B complex, for R1,350 over about 45 minutes. A registered nurse gives it after a medical screening questionnaire.

This guide was written under the medical direction of Dr Chris van Zyl (registered as M.C. van Zyl, HPCSA MP0287067), mobivIVe’s medical director. Our IV drips are given by registered nurses after a medical screening questionnaire.

What is glutathione?

Glutathione is a small molecule made of three amino acids (cysteine, glutamate and glycine) that your cells produce themselves, and it is the most abundant antioxidant the body makes. Researchers at Penn State describe it as the most abundant antioxidant the body makes, central to controlling oxidative stress (Richie et al., European Journal of Nutrition, 2015). Inside cells it neutralises reactive molecules, helps recycle other antioxidants such as vitamin C, and plays a role in how the liver processes many substances. Levels vary from person to person and are influenced by diet, age, smoking and general health.

What is a glutathione drip or glow drip?

A glutathione drip delivers glutathione directly into a vein in a saline bag, usually together with vitamin C and other antioxidants. It is called a glow drip because people often choose it before a wedding, a photo shoot, a holiday or another big event when they want to look and feel refreshed. Our version, The Light Switch, contains high-dose glutathione, high-dose vitamin C, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), which the body uses to make its own glutathione, and B complex. Glutathione also appears in many of our other drips, including The Kick-Start, The Detox Guru and The Anti-Clockwise, which you can compare on our drip menu.

Is IV glutathione better than oral glutathione?

IV glutathione reaches the bloodstream directly, while oral glutathione was long thought to be poorly absorbed, although newer research shows it can raise body stores over time. In a 6-month randomised, placebo-controlled trial of 54 adults, 1,000mg of oral glutathione a day raised glutathione levels in red blood cells, plasma and lymphocytes by 30% to 35%, and levels returned to baseline a month after stopping (Richie et al., 2015). IV delivery skips digestion and gives a higher level straight away, but there is little published research comparing the two routes head to head for skin or wellness outcomes.

Does a glutathione drip lighten or brighten skin?

There is no good evidence that IV glutathione lightens skin. A review in the Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology explains that glutathione can shift melanin production in the lab, but concludes that, although IV glutathione is popular, there is no evidence to prove its efficacy for skin lightening (Sonthalia et al., 2016). The same review found three randomised trials supporting a modest effect for oral and topical forms, with open questions about how long any effect lasts. We do not sell The Light Switch as a skin lightening treatment. People choose it as an antioxidant and vitamin C top-up before an event.

What have regulators said about IV glutathione for skin lightening?

The Food and Drug Administration of the Philippines has issued a public warning against using IV glutathione for off-label purposes such as skin lightening, citing reported adverse effects. This warning is described in the 2016 dermatology review by Sonthalia and colleagues. The concern is mainly very high or repeated doses given for skin whitening, often in unregulated settings without medical screening. In South Africa glutathione for injection is a Schedule 3 medicine, so it should only be given under medical oversight. At mobivIVe it is given by a registered nurse under Dr Chris van Zyl’s protocols, not as a skin whitening course.

What else is in our Light Switch glow drip?

Alongside glutathione, The Light Switch contains high-dose vitamin C, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and B complex. Vitamin C is an antioxidant the body needs to make collagen, the protein that gives skin its structure, and it helps recycle glutathione. IV vitamin C reaches far higher blood levels than oral: in one NIH study, about 6.5 times higher at the same 1.25g dose (Padayatty et al., 2004). NAC supplies cysteine, the building block the body uses to make its own glutathione. B vitamins help the body turn food into energy. Amounts are set by our medical protocols.

Is a glutathione drip safe?

For healthy adults, a glutathione and vitamin C drip given by a nurse after screening is generally well tolerated, but the usual IV risks apply. These include infection or bruising at the needle site (Cleveland Clinic), irritation of the vein and, occasionally, an allergic reaction to an ingredient. The high-dose vitamin C in a glow drip matters too: people with G6PD deficiency should not receive high doses of vitamin C because of the risk of red blood cells breaking down, and kidney failure has been reported in people with existing kidney disorders (US National Cancer Institute). Read more in Is IV therapy safe?

Who should not have a glutathione drip?

Check with us before booking if you have G6PD deficiency, kidney disease or kidney stones, a heart or liver condition, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. The vitamin C content is the main reason for the G6PD and kidney questions. A registered nurse gives every drip after a medical screening questionnaire, under the protocols of our medical director, Dr Chris van Zyl. If you have a heart, kidney or liver condition, are pregnant, or take chronic medication, tell us before you book. If our screening suggests The Light Switch is not suitable, the nurse can discuss a gentler option, such as a smaller 200ml bag or a different formula, or ask you to check with your own doctor first.

How much is a glutathione drip at mobivIVe?

The Light Switch, our glow drip, costs R1,350 and takes about 45 minutes. The price includes a 200ml or 1000ml saline bag; a 1000ml bag with dextrose is R200 extra, and extra vitamins can be added. You can have it at our lounges in Sunninghill, Stellenbosch or Queenstown (Komani), or a nurse can come to you in Johannesburg, the Winelands or Cape Town for a call-out fee of R400 minimum, or R150 per person for groups (first 15km). book online or WhatsApp us on 061 509 6038. Compare all our IV drip prices.