Glutathione

ND-recommended test reviewed: glutathione.
Indications reviewed: fatigue, general wellness, 'detoxification support'; no validated indication identified for this presentation.
Not ordered. Rationale discussed: no guideline or study establishing a validated clinical use for a blood glutathione level was identified; listing in the OHIP Schedule reflects billing eligibility, not a clinical indication.
Patient informed test available privately via ND. Patient given info page: https://labs.ajaxharwoodclinic.com/glutathione/patient
Revisit if: a specific concern emerges for which a validated test exists.

Indicated when

None recorded.

Not indicated when

• —Investigating fatigue, 'detoxification capacity,' oxidative stress, or general wellness in primary care: no guideline or systematic review addressing a validated clinical use for a blood glutathione level in these settings was located in this session
• —Routine addition to a wellness or nutrient panel

Why not

No guideline, systematic review, or validated clinical indication for measuring a blood glutathione level was located in this session. Its presence as a billable item in the 2026 Schedule of Benefits for Laboratory Services (L114 Glutathione, [1]) establishes that Ontario community labs are capable of running the assay and that it is insured when a physician orders it, but a line existing in a fee schedule is not the same as a guideline-endorsed indication; many older Schedule items reflect legacy laboratory capability rather than a current, actively recommended use, and this session did not find literature establishing one for glutathione in the outpatient settings this test is typically proposed for.

Better first step

For fatigue, oxidative-stress concerns, or a wish to support 'detoxification,' address diet, sleep, alcohol use, and other standard causes directly; a glutathione level does not add information that changes this approach.

Typical ND rationale

An ND may order a glutathione level reasoning that glutathione is the body's main antioxidant, that low levels could reflect oxidative stress or impaired detoxification capacity, and that a result below the reference range supports recommending supplementation or IV glutathione.

Ontario coverage & CONO orderability

OHIP status

insured

Glutathione is listed by name in the 2026 Schedule of Benefits for Laboratory Services (L114 Glutathione), without a stated clinical-criteria restriction, so it is insured when a physician orders it after clinically assessing the patient [1]. This reflects billing eligibility only and is separate from this record's clinical verdict; being insurable does not establish a validated indication. ND-ordered testing is patient-paid regardless (Reg. 552 s.22; [4]).

CONO orderable

Yes — CONO list #74

CONO list item 74, blood: 'Glutathione.' Not seen named on any of the 6 Ontario ND clinic pages or 3 lab catalogues fetched for the nd-landscape.md sweep, so it is CONO-listed but not confirmed as commonly marketed in this session's sources.

Linked conditions

• tired ↗

Counselling script

“I couldn't find good evidence that a blood glutathione level changes what we'd do for you, even though it's a real and important substance in your body. There's no validated reference range that tells us how to act on a result. Let's focus on things that do have a clear path forward, like your sleep, diet, and any specific symptoms you're having.”

Revisit if

• —A specific, testable clinical concern emerges (this test does not have a defined revisit trigger of its own)

References

1. [1]Ontario Ministry of Health (2026). Ontario Health Insurance Plan: Schedule of Benefits for Laboratory Services (effective April 1, 2026) - L114 Glutathione. linkGlutathione is listed by name in the 2026 Schedule of Benefits for Laboratory Services
2. [2]Ontario Ministry of Health (2026). Ontario Health Insurance Plan: Schedule of Benefits for Laboratory Services (effective April 1, 2026). linkCommunity lab tests are insured only when ordered under the Schedule by an authorized prescriber
3. [3]Government of Ontario (e-Laws) (2026). Health Insurance Act, R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 552: General, s. 22 (insured laboratory services). linkA lab test is insured only when ordered by a physician, midwife, or NP who has clinically assessed the patient
4. [4]Ontario Ministry of Health (2026). Ontario Health Insurance Plan: Schedule of Benefits for Laboratory Services (effective April 1, 2026). linkTests ordered by anyone other than an authorized provider, including NDs, are not insured services