Glycine, all about this amino acid

Glycine: an important amino acid

Glycine is a non-essential and protein-forming amino acid. This amino acid contributes to numerous metabolisms in the body and is also found in food in natural form or as a food additive (E640).

Characteristics of wisteria:

Non-essential amino acid that has the simplest structure
Has many metabolic roles (neuromediators, detoxifier, constituent of hemoglobin, etc.)
Found mainly in products of animal origin
Flavor enhancer widely used by manufacturers (E640)
In the form of a food supplement, glycine helps promote sleep and good muscle recovery.

Why consume foods rich in glycine?

Benefits and roles of glycine in the body

Neurotransmitter

Glycine has a neurotransmitter function and acts as an inhibitor in the spinal cord.

Help with muscle recovery

It plays a role in creatine metabolism, so glycine participates in muscle recovery.

Anti-oxidant

It acts positively on anti-oxidant enzymes and will therefore participate in slowing down cellular aging.

Detoxifying

We notice a detoxifying action of glycine on the liver since it participates in the synthesis of bile acids.

Promotes quality sleep

Glycine also intervenes at the brain level where it acts as a soothing neurotransmitter and promotes sleep.

20 foods rich in glycine

Glycine has a sweet taste and is therefore found as a food additive to improve the taste of certain sweeteners. It is found naturally in many meats and fish but also in soy derivatives.

Food	Portion (g)	Amount of glycine (mg)
in religion	100	3911
Sesame flour	100	3434
Pork shank	100	3343
Dried smelt	100	3280
Spirulina	100	3099
Sun-flower seeds	100	3083
Dehydrated cod	100	3015
Bacon	100	2691
Beef steak (nuts)	100	2471
Almond powder	100	2448
Veal liver	100	2288
Cuttlefish	100	2032
Tofu	100	1872
Pumpkin seeds	100	1843
Chicken	100	1837
Wheat germ	100	1791
Veal chop	100	1770
Chorizo	100	1730
Salami	100	1723

Use of wisteria

It is recommended to take 500 to 2000 mg of glycine per day. However, this amino acid can be synthesized by the body, so it is not an essential amino acid.

Glycine as a food supplement: reviews and dosage

Glycine as a food supplement has demonstrated its effectiveness on many levels. It is often used by athletes to improve recovery, but also to promote sleep or to help the liver in its purification functions. In these respects, it is recommended to take 500 to 1000 mg of glycine in free form per day.

Side effects of glycine

Consequence of a glycine deficiency

In the event of a significant glycine deficiency, hypoglycemia, pituitary gland dysfunctions or even muscular dystrophy may be observed.

Consequences of excess glycine

There are no studies to date demonstrating the effects of excess glycine in the body.

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Interactions with mental disorders

Since glycine has a role as a neurotransmitter in the brain, it can interact with treatments prescribed to treat mental disorders such as schizophrenia or paranoia. You should seek medical advice before taking glycine for self-medication.

Chemical properties

The crude formula of glycine is C2H5NO2, its molar mass is 75.0666 g/mol. Glycine is a proteinogenic amino acid. It is the simplest of amino acids, it has no asymmetry in its carbon atoms.

Due to the small size of its structure and its simplicity, glycine is integrated throughout the body and has many roles. It plays the role of neurotransmitter in the brain, but it is also a precursor of porphyrins, creatinine and uric acid. In addition, glycine allows the synthesis of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter essential to the body. It also plays a role in the constitution of hemoglobin and bile acids.

Historical

Nutrient History

Wisteria was first isolated in 1820. Its Greek name literally means “sweet taste.” An amino acid with many metabolic roles, it is today used by the food industry as a flavor enhancer (E640).