Glycine – what it is, sources, benefits, dosage, and side effects!

Glycine is an amino acid, a building block of proteins . It is not considered an “essential amino acid” because the body can obtain it from other chemicals. A typical diet contains about 2 grams of glycine per day. Primary sources are protein -rich foods , including meat, fish, dairy and legumes.

Glycine is used in the treatment of schizophrenia, stroke , sleep problems. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), metabolic syndrome and some rare hereditary metabolic disorders. It is also used to protect the kidneys from the harmful side effects of certain drugs used after organ transplantation. As well as the liver from the harmful effects of alcohol.

It can also be used to reduce the risk of psychosis. Other uses include cancer prevention and memory enhancement. Some people apply glycine directly to the skin to treat leg ulcers  and heal other wounds.

What is glycine?

Glycine ( also known as 2-aminoacetic acid) is an amino acid and a neurotransmitter. The body makes glycine on its own, synthesized from other natural biochemicals, most often serine. But also choline and threonine. We also consume it through food. This amino acid is found in protein -rich foods , including meat, fish, eggs, dairy and vegetables.

A daily diet typically includes about 2 grams. Glycine is a neurotransmitter with the ability to be both excitatory and inhibitory. Which means it can work both to stimulate brain and nervous system activity and to quiet it down.

People use glycine as an oral supplement for a number of purposes. Including improved sleep, improved memory and increased insulin sensitivity and it is also available in topical form and is used to heal wounds and treat skin ulcers . It has a sweet taste and is commercially manufactured as a sweetener. It is included in products such as cosmetics and antacids. Its name comes from the Greek word, glykys, which means sweet.

Glycine is sometimes used in the treatment of schizophrenia . Usually alongside conventional medication, to help reduce symptoms. In addition, it is also given orally to patients who have had an ischemic stroke (the most common type of stroke). As a treatment to help limit brain damage within the first six hours of a stroke.

Glycine deficiency:

Certain foods, such as bones, cartilage, tendons, skin, etc., are particularly rich in glycine . Hence, chicken or beef broth, which has been cooked with bones, gristle or chicken thighs. It is one of the richest foods. The problem is that most people today don’t use these rich parts anymore . And it prefers meat without skin and gristle.

Other foods are meat, fish, gelatin, protein powder, soy, nuts , pumpkin seeds , lentils, cereals, and peas. If necessary, glycine can be produced in the liver from the amino acids threonine and serine, but only in a certain amount.

At the same time, the liver consumes glycine for detoxification. As well as for certain essential body functions. Consequently, under certain circumstances, insufficient amounts are present to carry out all of its tasks in the body.

Who should use glycine?

Glycine supplementation has many direct and indirect properties that can be beneficial for the following people:

Help combat minor sleep disorders
Improve memory and learning performance during shift work
Help improve cognition during jet lag
Relieve joint pain associated with aging , injury or osteoporosis
Control your blood sugar levels
Efficacy of antipsychotics in those who have schizophrenia
To help sports people and women build lean muscle mass and prevent muscle loss
Help the elderly by preventing muscle wastage associated with aging

How does glycine work?

Glycine is considered one of the most important amino acids for the body . Therefore, it exerts a broad influence on our bodies’ systems, structure and overall health, including cardiovascular, cognitive and metabolic health. Additionally, here are some of the most important and well-understood roles that glycine plays in our health and functioning:

As an amino acid, glycine works as a protein builder in the body. In addition, in particular, it allows the production of collagen , a protein  that is an essential component of muscles, tendons, skin and bones. Collagen is the most  frequently occurring protein in the body, comprising approximately one-third of all proteins  in the body.

It does nothing less than give the body its fundamental structure and strength. Collagen is the protein that helps the skin maintain its elasticity. Therefore, it also facilitates the production of creatine, a nutrient stored and used by the muscles and brain for energy.

Glycine is involved in digestion, specifically the breakdown of fatty acids in food. It also helps maintain healthy levels of acidity in the digestive tract. In addition, it is also involved in the body’s production of DNA and RNA, the genetic instructions that provide the body’s cells with the information they need to function.

This amino acid helps regulate blood sugar levels and transport blood sugar to cells and tissues throughout the body to be consumed as energy. In addition, it helps regulate the body’s immune response, limit unhealthy inflammation , and encourage healing.

Glycine sources:

Getting more glycine in your diet  is probably even easier than you might think. Bone broth is a great source of natural glycine and other amino acids, is inexpensive, simple to make at home, and has far-reaching health benefits. Bone broth – which is made from slowly boiling animal parts, including bones, skin and tendons, in stock contains natural collagen , which releases important amino acids and other substances that are often absent from the  typical Western diet .

However, if you are unwilling to consume bone broth – for example you are a vegetarian or vegan – glycine can also be obtained from plant foods. Plant-based sources include beans; vegetables like spinach, kale, cauliflower, cabbage and squash; in addition to fruits such as banana and kiwi. In addition to bone broth, glycine can also be found in “complete sources of protein ” ( animal proteins  ), including meat, dairy, poultry, eggs, and fish.

Don’t forget that glycine is also found in large amounts in gelatin, a substance made from collagen that is used in certain food products and sometimes for cooking or preparing food. Gelatin is not commonly consumed in large quantities, but it can be added to recipes when making some jellied desserts, yogurts, raw cheeses, or even ice cream.

Why do people take glycine?

Glycine has numerous proposed uses. Few of these suggested uses have enough evidence to fully support effective as it has shown to be the most promising as part of a treatment plan for schizophrenia . In several studies, glycine has increased the effectiveness of other schizophrenia medications  when given in doses ranging from 15 to 60 grams per day.

However, glycine can have the opposite effect when combined with the antipsychotic drug clozapine. A small study suggests it may help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar. But more research is needed to back up this result.

Health benefits of glycine:

1. Helps lower body temperature:

Glycine works to increase blood flow to the extremities of the body, which lowers body temperature. I previously wrote about how fluctuating body temperature affects sleep-wake cycles and your ability to fall asleep initially. A slight drop in body temperature is a key part of the body’s physical progression towards sleep .

A recent study into the effects of this compound as a supplement showed that it caused a drop in body temperature while helping people fall asleep faster and spend more time in REM sleep. Other research has shown that glycine supplementation can help you move faster into deep, slow-wave sleep.

2. Increases serotonin levels:

Serotonin has a complex relationship with sleep. Among other things, serotonin is needed to produce the sleep hormone melatonin. In people who have difficulty sleeping or sleep disorders such as insomnia  and sleep apnea, increased serotonin levels can help restore healthy sleep patterns and encourage deeper, more restful, and refreshing sleep.

Additionally, research shows that oral glycine elevates serotonin, reduces insomnia symptoms, and improves sleep quality. Other studies suggest that it can help you recover from healthy sleep cycles after a period of disrupted sleep.

3. Cognitive and memory enhancement:

Glycine is active in the hippocampus, an area of ​​the brain important for memory and learning. Therefore, in supplement form, it appears to offer benefits for daytime cognitive function. In the same study, they showed that glycine supplementation made it easier to fall asleep and get to slow-wave sleep.

Scientists also found that people scored higher on tests of daytime cognition. Additionally, it has been shown to improve memory and attention in young adults. In addition, scientists are actively investigating the use of glycine in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease .

4. Promotes cardiovascular health:

However, glycine works to support immune health and keep inflammation in check. Providing protection to cardiovascular function. In addition, it also works as an antioxidant, helping to trap and contain damaged cells that can cause disease.

Therefore, higher levels of glycine have been linked to a lower risk of heart attack, and there is some evidence that it may help protect against high blood pressure. Still, the overall relationship between glycine and cardiovascular health is something scientists are still working to better understand.

5. Supports joint and bone health:

It is one of the most important amino acids in the body. It provides your muscles, bones and connective tissues with collagen , the protein  essential to your strength, stability and healthy physical function.

As we age, collagen levels in the body naturally decrease. It is also very effective in suppressing inflammation . Supplemental doses can help strengthen bones and joints and can help prevent arthritis.

6. Supports metabolic health:

Glycine plays an important role in a healthy metabolism . Low levels are linked to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes . On the other hand, higher levels of glycine are associated with a lower risk for this metabolic disorder. But it remains unclear what the cause and effect of this relationship is: whether low glycine levels directly contribute to the metabolic dysfunction that leads to diabetes , or whether they are a result of metabolic dysfunction that is already underway.

Glycine dosage:

The following doses have been studied in scientific research:

By Mouth:  For the treatment of schizophrenia : Glycine has been used in doses ranging between 0.4 and 0.8 g/kg per day, in divided doses. It is usually started at 4 g daily and increased by 4 g daily until the effective dose is reached.

Under the tongue:  To protect brain cells (neuroprotection) after the onset of a stroke caused by a clot (ischemic stroke): 1 to 2 g daily started within 6 hours of the onset of the stroke.

Applied to Skin:  For the treatment of leg ulcers : A cream containing 10 mg of glycine , 2 mg of L-cysteine ​​and 1 mg of DL-threonine per gram of cream was used. The cream was applied to each wound to clean and change dressings once a day, every other day, or twice a day.

Glycine side effects:

For most, glycine supplementation is safe at the recommended dose. However, excessive dosages of 45 to 60 grams per day can cause nausea, vomiting, and stomach upset .

Interactions with glycine:

Glycine is an amino acid that is found in protein . Also, and is reported to not have many known interactions, with the exception of Clozapine (sold under the trade name Clozaril). Therefore, an antipsychotic drug used to treat  severe schizophrenia .