Glycine is an amino acid involved in building proteins required for tissue repair and hormone balance. Increasing glycine intake may support cardiovascular and liver function, enhance sleep, lower diabetes risk, and help prevent muscle wasting.
Your body produces glycine from other amino acids, and it’s also present in protein-rich foods and sold as a dietary supplement.
Beyond its role as a protein constituent, glycine delivers several notable health advantages.
Below are the top seven health benefits and applications of glycine.
1. Required to make a potent antioxidant
Glycine is one of three amino acids your body uses to synthesize glutathione, a potent antioxidant that defends against oxidative damage from free radicals — damage believed to contribute to many illnesses.
If glycine is insufficient, glutathione production declines, which may impair how the body manages oxidative stress over time.
Moreover, since glutathione levels tend to decrease with age, ensuring adequate glycine intake as you grow older could help preserve health.
2. A building block for creatine
Glycine also combines with two other amino acids to form creatine.
Creatine supplies muscles with energy for brief, intense efforts such as sprinting and lifting weights.
When paired with resistance training, creatine supplementation has been linked to increases in muscle mass and strength.
It has also been researched for positive effects on bone health and neurological disorders.
3. The dominant amino acid in collagen
Collagen, a structural protein, contains large amounts of glycine.
As the most plentiful protein in the body, collagen provides structural integrity to muscles, skin, cartilage, blood vessels, bones, and ligaments.
Taking collagen supplements has been associated with improved skin health and reduced joint pain.
Consequently, obtaining sufficient glycine is important to support your body’s collagen production.
4. May enhance sleep quality
Many people have trouble getting restful sleep, whether falling asleep or staying asleep through the night.
In addition to lifestyle changes like avoiding caffeine late in the day and limiting screen time before bed, glycine might help improve sleep.
Research on individuals with sleep disturbances indicates that taking 3 grams of glycine before bedtime shortens the time needed to fall asleep, improves sleep quality, reduces daytime sleepiness and boosts cognitive function.
For these reasons, glycine could be a viable alternative to prescription sleep medications for enhancing nocturnal sleep quality and reducing daytime fatigue.
5. May protect the heart
Growing evidence indicates glycine may offer protection against cardiovascular disease.
Although these findings are promising, clinical trials in humans are needed to confirm glycine’s role in lowering heart disease risk before formal recommendations can be made.
6. May help people with type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is associated with lower glycine levels.
Higher glycine concentrations have been linked to a decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, even after adjusting for other related factors like lifestyle.
Thus, people with type 2 diabetes might benefit from glycine supplementation, though the research is still preliminary and doesn’t support specific dosing guidance.
If you have type 2 diabetes, the most effective strategy to reduce insulin resistance remains weight loss through diet and exercise.
7. Easy to include in your diet
Glycine is present in varying amounts in meats, especially tougher cuts such as chuck, round, and brisket.
You can also obtain glycine from gelatin, a product derived from collagen that’s used in foods to improve texture.
Other convenient ways to raise your glycine intake include:
Add it to foods and beverages
Glycine is widely available as a supplement in capsules or powder. If you prefer not to swallow pills, the powder form dissolves readily in liquids and tastes mildly sweet.
In fact, the term glycine comes from the Greek for “sweet.”
Because of its pleasant taste, glycine powder can be mixed into:
- coffee and tea
- soups
- oatmeal
- protein shakes
- yogurt
- pudding
Use collagen supplements
Glycine is the principal amino acid in collagen, the major structural protein in connective tissues like bone, skin, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage.
Therefore, taking collagen supplements is another effective way to increase glycine intake. You can read more about supplements that support collagen and related nutrients in our guide to keratin rich foods, which often overlap with collagen-supporting dietary choices.
Is glycine safe?
Glycine supplementation is generally safe when taken in appropriate amounts. Studies have used doses up to 90 grams per day for several weeks without serious adverse effects. By comparison, typical research doses are around 3 to 5 grams per day.
There is no established recommended daily allowance for glycine. Avoid using it if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or if you take medications that might interact with supplements. Always consult your healthcare provider before beginning any supplement.
The bottom line
Glycine is an amino acid with a range of beneficial health effects.
Your body requires glycine to synthesize key compounds such as glutathione, creatine, and collagen.
This amino acid may also shield the liver from alcohol-related harm, improve sleep quality, and support heart health.
Additionally, glycine might help people with type 2 diabetes and protect against muscle loss seen in wasting conditions.
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