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Glycine

Proposed Uses: Schizophrenia; Cancer Prevention; Diabetes; Enhancing Memory and Mental Function; Epilepsy; Immune Support; Kidney Protection; Liver Protection; Prostate Enlargement (BPH); Sports Performance; Strokes

Glycine is the simplest of the 20 different amino acids used as building blocks to make proteins for your body. It works in concert with glutamine, a substance that plays a major role in brain function. Glycine has shown some promise as an aid in the treatment of schizophrenia, and may have other uses related to the brain as well, such as enhancing mental function.

Requirements/Sources
Your body is able to make glycine using another amino acid, serine. Because you can manufacture glycine, you don't really have to consume any, so it's called a "nonessential amino acid." Most of us get about 2 grams (g) of glycine a day from the foods we regularly eat anyway. This dietary glycine comes mostly from high-protein foods like meat, fish, dairy products, and legumes. For treating certain disease conditions, however, much larger amounts than are normally consumed have been advocated; such high doses can only be obtained by taking supplements.

Therapeutic Dosages
Dosages of oral glycine used in clinical trials for therapeutic purposes range from 2 g to 60 g daily.

Therapeutic Uses
Several studies have evaluated glycine as a supportive treatment for schizophrenia. Preliminary evidence suggests that high doses of glycine (from 15 to 60 g daily) can augment the effectiveness of most medications used for this disease. The one notable exception is clozapine (Clozaril); one study suggest that glycine may actually decrease the effectiveness of this drug.

One large double-blind study suggests that low doses of glycine may be helpful for limiting the spreading brain damage that occurs during stroke. However, there are also theoretical concerns that glycine could increase such damage, so you should not try this treatment except under physician supervision.

A small double-blind study found evidence that glycine may help improve long-term blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes.
One small study weakly suggests that glycine may enhance memory and mental function.

Glycine alone and in combination with other amino acids has shown a bit of promise for enhancing wound healing.

Animal studies suggest that dietary glycine may protect against chemically induced damage to the liver or kidneys.

Other studies in laboratory animals suggest that dietary glycine may prevent tumor formation and growth in the livers of mice and rats. However, it is too early to say whether glycine has cancer preventive effects in humans.

Manufacturers advertising glycine supplements have made a number of additional claims for it, including prevention of epileptic seizures, reducing acid in the stomach, multiple sclerosis, boosting the immune system, and calming the mind. It is also proposed as a sports supplement, said to work in this capacity by increasing release of human growth hormone (HGH). As yet, there is no real scientific evidence that glycine works for any of these purposes.

Because it has a sweet taste, glycine has also been recommended as a sugar substitute for people with diabetes.

Safety Issues
No serious adverse effects from using glycine have been reported, even at doses as high as 60 g per day. One participant in the 22-person trial described above developed stomach upset and vomiting, but it ceased when the glycine was discontinued.

In contradiction to the study on strokes mentioned above, theoretical concerns have been raised that suggest glycine might actually increase brain injury in strokes. In fact, drugs that block glycine have been investigated as treatments to limit stroke damage. However, the authors of the study on strokes described above make an argument that suggests the overall effect of glycine is protective. Until this controversy is settled, prudence suggests not using glycine following a stroke, except on the advice of a physician.

In addition, as noted above, it is possible that use of glycine could reduce the benefits of clozapine.

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