Glycine:

• People use glycine every day to strengthen their body allowing it to work properly. This non-essential amino acid is essential for many different muscles, cognitive and metabolic functions.
• It aids in breaking down and transporting nutrients like glycogen and fat that is used by cells for energy, supporting strong immune, digestive and nervous systems ( a fast inhibitory neurotransmitter).
• Glycine is the organic compound with the formula NH2CH2COOH. It is coded by codons GGU, GGC, GGA, and GGG.
• Glycine is a colorless, sweet-tasting crystalline solid.
• With only a hydrogen atom as its side chain, glycine is the smallest of the 20 amino acids commonly found in proteins. Most proteins incorporate only small quantities of glycine.
• Glycine is unique among the proteinogenic amino acids in that it is not chiral.
• It can fit into the hydrophilic or hydrophobic environment due to its single hydrogen atom side chain.
• Glycine participates in the biosynthesis of heme, purines, and creatine and is conjugated to bile acids and to the urinary metabolites of many drugs.
• Glycine is involved in the body's production of DNA, phospholipids, and collagen, and in the release of energy.
• Glycine levels are effectively measured in plasma in both normal patients and those with inborn errors of glycine metabolism.
• In the human body, glycine is found in high concentrations in the skin, connective tissues of the joints and muscle tissue. One of the key amino acids used to form collagen and gelatin, glycine can be found in bone broth and other protein sources. In fact, glycine (along with many other nutrients like proline and arginine) is part of what gives “superfood” bone broth with its amazing healing abilities.

Nonketotic hyperglycinemia:

• An autosomal recessive condition caused by deficient enzyme activity of the glycine cleavage enzyme system.
• The glycine cleavage enzyme system comprises four proteins: P-, T-, H- and L-proteins. Mutations have been described in the GLDC, AMT, and GCSH, genes encoding the P-, T-, and H-proteins respectively.
• The glycine cleavage system catalyzes the oxidative conversion of glycine into carbon dioxide and ammonia, with the remaining one-carbon unit transferred to folate as methylenetetrahydrofolate.
• It is the main catabolic pathway for glycine and it also contributes to one-carbon metabolism. Patients with a deficiency of this enzyme system have increased glycine in plasma, urine and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with an increased CSF: plasma glycine ratio.
• Glycine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, especially in the spinal cord, brainstem, and retina. When glycine receptors are activated, chloride enters the neuron via ionotropic receptors, causing an Inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP).
• Strychnine is a strong antagonist at ionotropic glycine receptors, whereas bicuculline is a weak one. Glycine is a required co-agonist along with glutamate for NMDA receptors. In contrast to the inhibitory role of glycine in the spinal cord, this behavior is facilitated at the (NMDA) glutaminergic receptors which are excitatory.
• The LD50 of glycine is 7930 mg/kg in rats (oral), and it usually causes death by hyperexcitability.; Glycine is an intermediate in the synthesis of a variety of chemical products. It is used in the manufacture of the herbicide Glyphosate. Glyphosate (N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine) is a non-selective systemic herbicide used to kill weeds, especially perennials and broadcast or used in the cut-stump treatment as a forestry herbicide. Initially, Glyphosate was sold only by Monsanto under the Monsanto tradename Roundup but is no longer under patent.; Helps trigger the release of oxygen to the energy requiring cell-making process

Metabolism:

• Hepatic

Uses/Sources:

• Supplemental glycine may have antispastic activity. Very early findings suggest it may also have antipsychotic activity as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.
• Glycine can be found in supplement form but can be more beneficial when acquired from natural food sources.
• Collagen contains about 35% glycine.
• People who are ill, recovering from surgery, taking medications that hinder certain metabolic processes or who are under a lot of stress can all use extra glycine for recovery.

Nutritional Information and Facts About Glycine:

• The average adult ingests 3 to 5 grams of glycine daily.
• Flavoring ingredient; dietary additive, nutrient. It is found primarily in gelatin and silk fibroin and used therapeutically as a nutrient.
• Glycine can be made in small amounts by the body but can benefit from consuming more in their diet. Of the proteins in the body, it’s concentrated in collagen (the most abundant protein in humans and many mammals) and also gelatin (a substance made from collagen).
• Attributes include promoting better muscle growth, healing the lining of the GI tract, and slowing down the loss of cartilage in joints and skin.
• While high-protein foods (like meat and dairy products) do contain some glycine, the best sources — collagen and gelatin — can be hard to get. These proteins are not found in most cuts of meat and instead are obtained from consuming parts of animals that today most people throw away: skin, bones, connective tissue, tendons, and ligaments.

Glycine Recipes & Supplements:

• Bone broth is a great source of naturally occurring 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 simmering animal parts, including bones, skin, and tendons, in stock — contains natural collagen, which releases important amino acids and other substances that are often missing from the typical Western diet. However, if you’re not willing to consume bone broth — for example, you’re a vegetarian or vegan — glycine can be obtained from plant foods too.
• Plant-based sources include beans; vegetables like spinach, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, and pumpkin; plus fruits like banana and kiwi.
• Other than bone broth, glycine can also be found in “complete sources of proteins” (animal proteins), including meat, dairy products, poultry, eggs, and fish.
• Don’t forget that glycine is also found in high amounts in gelatin, a substance made from collagen that’s used in certain food products and sometimes for cooking or food prep. Gelatin isn’t commonly eaten in large amounts but can be added to recipes when making some gelatin desserts, yogurts, raw cheeses or even ice cream.

Here are several simple recipes you can make at home to boost your glycine intake:

• Homemade Chicken Bone Broth Recipe https://draxe.com/recipe/chicken-bone-broth-recipe/
• Homemade Beef Bone Broth Recipe https://draxe.com/recipe/beef-bone-broth/
• Kale Chips Recipe https://draxe.com/recipe/kale-chips/
• Cauliflower Pizza Crust Recipe https://draxe.com/recipe/cauliflower-pizza-crust/
• Turkey Chili with Adzuki Beans Recipe https://draxe.com/recipe/turkey-chili/

Dosing:

When it comes to glycine supplements and dosage recommendations, here’s what you need to know:

• While some foods (especially animal proteins and bone broth) do provide some glycine, amounts tend to be small overall so you need to consume supplements if you want to obtain a higher dose. There is no established daily requirement or upper limit of glycine at this time.
• It’s believed that most people already get around two grams of glycine daily from their diets, but needs differ a lot depending on someone’s level of activity and state of health. Depending on the symptoms you’re looking to resolve, you might benefit from consuming 10 times the average amount or even more.
• Not all protein/amino acid supplements are created equal; always look for high-quality brands sold from reputable companies, and consume food-based supplements whenever possible. Because glycine is a natural amino acid, there’s not much risk for consuming too much from your diet. In supplement form, higher doses of glycine between 15–60 grams have been used safely to help resolve chronic conditions like mental disorders, but this amount should be taken with supervision from a doctor.
• It’s not known if giving glycine supplements to children, pregnant or breastfeeding women — or people with kidney or liver disease — is safe or a good idea, so avoid using glycine in these cases for now.
• Glycine supplements can also interact with certain medications when taken in high doses (such as those used by people with mental disorders, including clozapine).
• Glycine is beneficial in both food and supplement form for people with joint pain, digestive disorders (like IBS, IBD or food sensitives), fatigue, trouble sleeping, anxiety and low immunity.

Health Effects:

• Chronically high levels of glycine are associated with at least 12 inborn errors of metabolism including:
  • Citrullinemia Type I
  • Hyperglycinemia, nonketotic
  • Hyperprolinemia Type I
  • Hyperprolinemia Type II
  • Iminoglycinuria
  • Isovaleric Aciduria
  • Malonic Aciduria
  • Methylmalonic Aciduria
  • Methylmalonic Aciduria Due to Cobalamin-Related Disorders
  • Non-Ketotic Hyperglycinemia
  • Prolinemia Type II
  • Propionic Acidemia
  • Short Chain Acyl CoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency (SCAD Deficiency)

Benefits and Uses:

• Glycine can be used to help lower symptoms in people suffering from conditions like ulcers, arthritis, leaky gut syndrome, diabetes, kidney and heart failure, neurobehavioral disorders, chronic fatigue, sleep disorders, and even certain cancers.
• Help to build lean muscle mass
• Prevent sarcopenia (muscle loss, muscle wasting or deterioration)
• Production of human growth hormone
• Boost mental performance and memory
• Prevent strokes and seizures
• Protecting skin from signs of aging or cellular mutations
• Protecting collagen in joints
• Reducing joint pain
• Improving flexibility and range of motion
• Stabilizing blood sugar and lowering risk for type 2 diabetes
• Improving sleep quality
• Lowering inflammation and free radical damage by increasing glutathione production
• Reduced risk for certain types of cancer
• Build the lining of the gastrointestinal tract
• Produce bile salts and digestive enzymes
• Helping reduce allergic and autoimmune reactions
• Boost energy levels and fighting fatigue
• Helping produce red blood cells
• Fighting the effects of stress and anxiety
• Helping control symptoms of seizures, schizophrenia and mental disorders.

1. Promotes Muscle Growth:

• Glycine has been found to help inhibit the deterioration of valuable protein tissue that forms muscle and boosts muscle recovery. In fact, it’s known as an “anti-aging amino acid” because of how it helps maintain lean muscle mass into old age, stimulates the secretion of human growth hormone, prevents loss of cartilage in joints, and even improves daytime energy, physical performance and mental capabilities (all important for athletes). Glycine is used during the biosynthesis of creatine, which provides muscles with a direct source of fuel to repair damage and grow back stronger. It also helps provide cells with energy thanks to its role in the conversion of nutrients from your diet, helping feed hungry muscle tissues and boosting endurance, strength, and performance. It also has benefits when it comes to hormone production and regulation, helping the body naturally synthesize steroid hormones that regulate the ratio of fat to muscle mass and control energy expenditure.

2. Repairs and Protects Joints and Cartilage:

• Together with other amino acids found in bone broth (especially proline), glycine plays a part in the formation of collagen, promoting the growth and function of joints, tendons, and ligaments. Approximately one-third of collagen is composed of glycine, and collagen is crucial for forming connective tissue that keeps joints flexible and able to withstand shock. This is why collagen hydrolysate is often used for the treatment of degenerative joint diseases like osteoarthritis. As people get older, it’s especially important to consume enough proteins (amino acids) in order to repair damaged tissues within joints that suffer due to ongoing free radical damage. Glycine is essential for the formation of stretchy, flexible cartilage, helps heal damaged joints, and can prevent loss of mobility and functionality in older adults.

3. Improves Digestion Amino acids:

• Including glycine and proline, rebuild tissue that lines the digestive tract, keeping food particles and bacteria inside the gut where they belong, rather than allowing tiny openings to form that pass particles to the bloodstream, where they trigger inflammation. Glycine helps form two of the most important substances that make up the gut lining: collagen and gelatin. Collagen and gelatine help people with food allergies and sensitivities tolerate foods more easily, can soothe the lining of the GI tract in people with inflammatory bowel diseases or indigestion (including leaky gut syndrome, IBS, Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis and acid reflux), and even promote probiotic balance and growth. Within the GI tract, glycine also acts like a metabolic fuel. It’s needed to manufacture bile, nucleic acids, creatine phosphate and porphyrins to be used to break down nutrients from your diet. For example, it helps break down fats by aiding with the production of bile acids and helps transport glycogen to cells to be used for energy in the form of ATP. Evidence also shows that glycine can help stabilize blood sugar levels, leading to more lasting energy and preventing sugar cravings and fatigue.

4. Slows the Effects of Aging and Builds the Immune System:

• Glycine helps form glutathione, a valuable antioxidant that’s used to prevent cellular damage and various signs of aging. A 2011 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that although glutathione deficiency in elderly people occurs because of a marked reduction in synthesis, supplementation with the glutathione precursors cysteine and glycine fully restores glutathione synthesis. This helps increase concentrations and lowers levels of oxidative stress and oxidant damages that lead to aging. In certain studies, glycine has even been found to help prevent cellular mutations that lead to cancer. There’s some evidence that using targeted amino acid therapy can prevent the growth of cancerous cells by cutting off their energy supply and help turn down inflammation, which is linked to numerous other chronic conditions besides cancer.

5. Calms the Nerves and Feeds the Brain:

• Glycine is beneficial for supporting cognitive performance and the central nervous system because of how it helps regulate the metabolic synthesis of certain nutrients that the brain and nerves use for energy. It helps regulate nerve impulses throughout the body by balancing electrolyte levels, such as calcium, chloride, and potassium. Due to its role in both nerve and neurotransmitter functions, glycine also has implications for helping improve sleep, mental performance, bodily sensations, moods, memory, and behaviors. For example, glycine works with other amino acids, including taurine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), as an inhibitory neurotransmitter. Some evidence shows that glycine can help reduce hyperactivity in the brain and even play a role in the treatment or prevention of mental disorders, including learning disabilities, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder/manic depression and epilepsy. Certain studies have shown that glycine helps reduce psychotic symptoms, strokes, and seizures when used with other supplements as part of a holistic treatment plan for mental/cognitive illness.

6. Fights Fatigue and Promotes Restful Sleep:

• Due to its roles in the central nervous system and the digestive system, glycine can help boost energy levels, balance blood sugar and prevent fatigue. It can even be used to calm anxiety or nervousness that keeps you up at night and gets in the way of getting good sleep — plus it helps directly bring nutrients to cells and tissue for energy at all times of the day. According to research done by the Japanese Society of Sleep Research, glycine supplements improve sleep quality, lessen daytime sleepiness and improve the performance of memory recognition tasks. One of its most important functions is helping carry out the biosynthesis of heme, a component of hemoglobin that helps produce and maintain red blood cells. Red blood cells help carry oxygen around the body, support cellular functions, and provide the tissue, heart, and brain with energy. In fact, glycine is often used in supplements meant to improve energy in athletes, fight fatigue caused by anemia and help regulate blood sugar levels.

Route of Exposure:

• Absorbed from the small intestine via an active transport mechanism.

Central Nervous System:

• There is a strychnine-sensitive glycine binding sites as well as strychnine-insensitive glycine binding sites.
• The strychnine-insensitive glycine-binding site is located on the NMDA receptor complex.
• The strychnine-sensitive glycine receptor complex is comprised of a chloride channel and is a member of the ligand-gated ion channel superfamily.
• The putative antispastic activity of supplemental glycine could be mediated by glycine's binding to strychnine-sensitive binding sites in the spinal cord. This would result in increased chloride conductance and consequent enhancement of inhibitory neurotransmission.
• The ability of glycine to potentiate NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmission raised the possibility of its use in the management of neuroleptic-resistant negative symptoms in schizophrenia. <br/>Animal studies indicate that supplemental glycine protects against endotoxin-induced lethality, hypoxia-reperfusion injury after liver transplantation, and D-galactosamine-mediated liver injury. Neutrophils are thought to participate in these pathologic processes via invasion of tissue and releasing such reactive oxygen species as superoxide.
• In vitro studies have shown that neutrophils contain a glycine-gated chloride channel that can attenuate increases in intracellular calcium and diminished neutrophil oxidant production. This research is early-stage but suggests that supplementary glycine may turn out to be useful in processes where neutrophil infiltration contributes to toxicity, such as ARDS.

Glycine Interacts with Genes:

• GRIA1
• MAPK1
• OTC
• MAPK3
• INS
• ADIPOQ

Disease Inference Score:

• Pneumonia, Pneumococcal 12.22
• Ceroid Lipofuscinosis, Neuronal, 6 11.96
• Asbestosis 11.8
• Obesity 11.63
• Radiation Injuries, Experimental 11.54
• Trigeminal Neuralgia 10.92
• Nerve Degeneration 10.53
• Substance Withdrawal Syndrome 10.42
• Cocaine dependence 10.37
• Gliosis 10.05
• Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 9.62
• Head and Neck Neoplasms 9.39
• Infertility, Female 9.13
• Glucose Intolerance 9.11
• Sepsis 8.31
• Arthritis, Juvenile 8.24
• Hypertrophy 8.24
• Kidney Neoplasms 8.23
• Insulin resistance 7.88
• Brain Ischemia 7.68
• Squamous cell carcinoma 7.44
• Disease Models, Animal 7.4
• Ovarian Neoplasms 7.37
• Fatty Liver 7.26
• Ornithine Transcarbamylase Deficiency, Hyperammonemia 7.26
• Cardiomyopathies 6.85
• Major Affective Disorder 7 6.85
• Neoplasm Invasiveness 6.81
• Diabetes Mellitus, Insulin-Dependent, 2 6.64
• Maturity-onset Diabetes Of The Young, Type 10 6.64
• Myocardial infarction 6.56
• Neoplasm Metastasis 6.55
• Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase Deficiency Disease 6.37
• Stomach Neoplasms 6.31
• Major Affective Disorder 1 6.3
• Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young, Type 1 6.29
• Telomeric 22q13 Monosomy Syndrome 6.29
• Hypotension 6.19
• Lung Neoplasms 6.08
• Hyperalgesia 6.02
• Diabetes Mellitus, Permanent Neonatal 5.94
• Diabetic Ketoacidosis 5.74
• Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental 5.71
• Prostatic Neoplasms 5.69
• Neurocognitive Disorders 5.54
• Ventricular Outflow Obstruction 5.49
• Morphine Dependence 5.47
• Hyperammonemia 5.42
• Endotoxemia 5.38
• Spinocerebellar Ataxia 17 5.38
• Kidney Diseases, Cystic 5.17
• Lewy body dementia 5.03
• Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological 5.01
• Hematologic Neoplasms 4.94
• Metabolic Diseases 4.92
• Diabetic Cardiomyopathies 4.88
• Urinary Bladder Diseases 4.56
• Hyperinsulinism 4.55
• Brain Diseases 4.53
• Chronic myelogenous leukemia 4.52
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease 4.52
• Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic 4.51
• Respiratory Hypersensitivity 4.49
• Hypoglycemia 4.48
• Metabolic Syndrome X 4.48
• Sezary Syndrome 4.43
• Hyperkalemia 4.41
• Cognitive impairment 4.4
• Learning Disorders 4.38
• Panic disorder 4.37
• Glioma 4.33
• Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma 4.32
• Autism 4.28
• Hypertriglyceridemia 4.25
• Pancreatitis 4.24
• Neural Tube Defects 4.22
• Albuminuria 4.2
• Diabetic nephropathy 4.19
• Rhabdomyolysis 4.19
• Hyperkinesis 4.17
• Diabetes mellitus 4.14
• Paresthesia 4.11
• Paralysis 4.07
• Polycystic ovary syndrome 4.07
• Hypokalemia 4.04
• Liver Failure, Acute 4.03
• Alzheimer's Disease 4.01
• Ventricular Dysfunction, Left 4.01
• Heart Arrest 4.0
• Ventricular Fibrillation 3.96
• Bipolar disorder 3.94
• Hepatitis 3.94
• Hyperglycemia 3.92
• Parkinson's disease 3.9
• Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 3.89
• Muscular Diseases 3.85
• Renal Insufficiency 3.73
• Weight Loss 3.7
• Memory Disorders 3.69
• Atrophy 3.67
• Tachycardia 3.66
• Heart failure 3.63
• Hepatocellular carcinoma 3.53
• Edema 3.51
• Acute kidney injury 3.49
• Hypertension 3.25
• Seizures 3.18

Glycine is Found in These Foods: Concentration (per 100 grams)

• Carob 24910 ppm
• Horseradish tree 24225 ppm
• Watercress 22400 ppm
• Sesame 19918 ppm
• Peanut 18993 ppm
• Soybean 18445 ppm
• Jute 17420 ppm
• Chives 17375 ppm
• White lupine 17185 ppm
• Spinach 15914 ppm
• Amaranth 15880 ppm
• Lambsquarters 15861 ppm
• Butternut 15601 ppm
• Common bean 15484 ppm
• Sunflower 15400 ppm
• Fenugreek 14366 ppm
• White mustard 14038 ppm
• boars 13500 mg
• Swamp cabbage 13150 ppm
• Almond 12929 ppm
• Asparagus 12774 ppm
• Winged bean 12437 ppm
• Fennel 12144 ppm
• Broad bean 12100 ppm
• Opium poppy 12047 ppm
• boars 11917 g
• Pistachio 11391 ppm
• Hyacinth bean 11345 ppm
• Purslane 11000 ppm
• Corn salad 10970 ppm
• Breadfruit 10635 ppm
• Lentils 10635 ppm
• Evening primrose 10500 ppm
• Mung bean 10489 ppm
• Lima bean 10090 ppm
• Common buckwheat 9750 ppm
• Malabar spinach 9710 ppm
• Lettuce 9500 ppm
• Common bean 9474 ppm
• Endive 9340 ppm
• Winged bean 9155 ppm
• Chickpea 9075 ppm
• Pigeon pea 8970 ppm
• Adzuki bean 8734 ppm
• Common pea 8704 ppm
• Cashew nut 8169 ppm
• Rye 7870 ppm
• Common walnut 7835 ppm
• Sacred lotus 7464 ppm
• Common pea 7122 ppm
• Sweet orange 7097 ppm
• Cucurbita (Gourd) 6962 ppm
• Sweet basil 6900 ppm
• Brazil nut 6797 ppm
• Sacred lotus 6697 ppm
• Common bean 6680 ppm
• Mung bean 6618 ppm
• Winged bean 6436 ppm
• Chayote 6430 ppm
• Colorado pinyon 6260 ppm
• Pepper (C. frutescens) 6038 ppm
• Potato 5700 ppm
• Common wheat 5635 ppm
• Eggplant 5452 ppm
• Corn 5283 ppm
• Ginkgo nuts 5174 ppm
• Mandarin orange (Clementine, Tangerine) 5158 ppm
• Cucumber 4810 ppm
• Soft-neck garlic 4800 ppm
• Whitefish 4370 g
• Bearded seal 4351 g
• whales 4079 g
• Macadamia nut 3815 ppm
• Garden tomato (var.) 3637 ppm
• Cabbage 3610 ppm
• Sesame 3434 g
• turkey 3340 g
• Smelt 3280 g
• Chicken (Cock, Hen, Rooster) 3248 g
• Avocado 3226 ppm
• Peanut 3145 g
• Spirulina 3099 g
• Sunflower 3083 g
• fish 3015 g
• Date 3010 ppm
• Whelk 2991 g
• Guava 2952 ppm
• Apricot 2930 ppm
• Star fruit 2860 ppm
• Jicama 2855 ppm
• Sweet potato 2725 ppm
• Taro 2520 ppm
• Ginger 2486 ppm
• Mountain yam 2480 ppm
• Jerusalem artichoke 2478 ppm
• Cottonseed 2416 g
• European chestnut 2353 ppm
• Red beetroot 2287 ppm
• Safflower 2224 g
• Bison 2192 g
• Soy bean 2174 g
• cuttlefish 2032 g
• Cassava 2030 ppm
• Oat 2000 ppm
• birds 1963 g
• Deer 1959 g
• Chicken (Cock, Hen, Rooster) 1900 mg
• Mango 1900 ppm
• Sockeye salmon 1870 g
• octopus 1866 g
• Cucurbita (Gourd) 1843 g
• Highbush blueberry 1819 ppm
• Peanut 1800 mg
• Rabbit 1793 g
• scallop 1761 g
• Parsley 1756 g
• sheep 1736 g
• Flaxseed 1700 mg
• European rabbit 1649

Glycine Health Effects:

• Anti acid
• Anti aldosterone
• Anti anemic
• Antidote
• Anti encephalopathic
• Anti gastritic
• Anti granulocytopenic
• Anti prostatitic
• Antipruritic
• Anti sickling
• Anti ulcer
• Antiviral
• Cancer preventive
• Central nervous system stimulant
• Diuretic
• Hepatoprotective
• Hyperuricemic
• Insectifuge
• Lithogenic
• Myocardial Tonic
• Neuro inhibitor
• Neurotransmitter
• Pesticide
• Uricosuric
• Vasodilator