What Is Glycine & What Foods Can I Find It In?

3D-model of Glycine (src)

Glycine is one of the simplest amino acids.

It is a very important amino acid for us because it is very effective in improving our health and supports growth and well-being.

Glycine is a non-essential amino acid. Non-essential means that it can be made by humans in the body when needed.

Table of Contents

Glycine A Simple Acid Found In Proteins

Glycine is a simple, nonessential amino acid. (source )

It’s mostly found in proteins.

As one of the 20 most common amino acids found in proteins, it helps several metabolic functions but is also being released into synapses as a neurotransmitter. (source )

Glycine In Your Body

Glycine is synthesized in the body, from other amino acids, choline, serine, hydroxyproline, and threonine.

It happens through interorgan metabolism where the kidneys and liver are the primary organs involved. (source )

Glycine is found in high concentrations in muscle, skin, bone, hair, and nerves.

It is an important constituent of collagen and the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS).

Benefits Of Glycine

Glycine is very effective in improving the health and well-being of humans. (source )

Glycine has many health benefits, like, DNA production, and protection against oxidative stress.

It is believed that glycine can be beneficial for the prevention of dementia, but the mechanism of the effect has not been elucidated yet.

It is also believed that glycine can help with weight loss, through regulating the expression of appetite-related and energy homeostasis-related genes.

Research-backed benefits of glycine can you find in Glycine: 12 Research-Backed Benefits .

Foods You Can Find Glycine In

Pork skins in a bowl
Pork skins contain glycine

You find glycine mostly in sweets, snacks, pork, american indian and alaska native food products.

Examples of food sources include

Foods in our nutrition tool

You can find regularly updated, top ranked lists of foods for over 200+ nutrients in our nutrition tool.

If you are interested in what foods contain the most glycine, we recommend you visit our tool.

Here's our top ranked list of foods that contain Glycine.

Sara Niemelä

co-founder Care Omnia, Head Content Creator

Author Image of Sara Niemelä

Nutrition is my passion. I've spent thousands upon thousands of hours reading, analyzing, categorizing and comparing research studies.

I’m a wife and a mother of three. I enjoy the outdoors, cooking, and spending time with my family.