Glycine is a safe, non-addictive and effective herbal extract that helps with insomnia and improves sleep quality without the ‘morning hangover’ effect associated with prescription or over-the-counter sleep medication. While sleeping, this amino acid assists the body and performs many essential functions.
Glycine is the smallest and simplest amino acid, making it versatile in many functions. Essential for much different muscle, cognitive, and metabolic functions. Glycine is necessary to produce glutathione, collagen, DNA, creatine, bile, haemoglobin, and most proteins. It helps break down and transport nutrients like glycogen and fat to be used by cells for energy, and in the process, it supports digestive and nervous systems. In addition, it functions as a calming neurotransmitter in the brain, where it facilitates nerve impulses and is essential for the maintenance of healthy sleep patterns.
TOP 9 HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF GLYCINE
1. Glycine helps the body make glutathione, an important antioxidant that protects your body against cell damage.
2. Glycine is a component of creatine, a compound that provides muscles with energy and has been associated with other health benefits, such as improved bone health and brain function.
3. Glycine is the most abundant amino acid in collagen, a structural protein with several health benefits, including for skin, joints, and bones.
4. Glycine may promote sleep and enhance the quality of sleep through its calming effects on the brain and its ability to lower core body temperature.
5. Eating a diet with glycine decreases and reverses alcohol-induced liver injury in rats, but its effects in humans are unknown.
6. Glycine may lower heart disease risk factors by preventing the build-up of a molecule associated with heart disease and by increasing the body's ability to use nitric oxide.
7. Supplementing with glycine may improve impaired insulin action, a hallmark of type 2 diabetes. However, research to make specific recommendations for its use in people with the condition is insufficient.
8. Glycine may preserve muscle mass in wasting conditions, such as cancer, malnutrition, and burns, though more research in humans is needed.
9. Glycine powder is readily available and can easily be added to one’s favourite drinks and some foods. Collagen supplements are also an efficient way to boost glycine intake. Both methods are a safe way to get more of this critical nutrient.
