Glycine—a single compound present in meals—is taking TikTok by storm.
The compound has been on the rise for some time, however not too long ago went viral on social media due to an infomercial focused in direction of “glycine girlies,” a distinct segment group of younger ladies obsessive about the up-and-coming complement. However it’s sparked a dialog, with loads of folks questioning what precisely it’s—and whether or not or not it’s value taking.
To assist reply these questions, we spoke with considered one of our registered dietitians Katherine Basbaum to dig into the science.
What’s glycine?
Glycine is among the amino acids, that are the building blocks of protein in your body. “It’s thought of a non-essential amino acid for the reason that physique can produce glycine, versus important amino acids, which might solely be obtained from dietary sources,” Basbaum explains.
That mentioned, the quantity of glycine your physique produces typically isn’t sufficient to satisfy your every day wants. Whereas you should purchase glycine dietary supplements, the amino acid can be naturally found in protein-rich foods like meat, poultry, fish and legumes.
The potential advantages
“Glycine’s main function is to assist promote the expansion and well being of cells within the physique,” Basbaum explains. Nevertheless, research has proven there could also be extra advantages to consuming the amino acid, which embody:
How a lot glycine do you want for these advantages? Effectively, there’s no official Dietary Reference Intake for it (or any of the non-essential amino acids, for that matter). Nevertheless, some studies recommend an consumption of 1.5 to three grams per day. Basbaum says the typical grownup at the moment consumes about 2 grams per day.
The best way to incorporate glycine into your food plan
If you wish to up your glycine consumption, Basbaum recommends prioritizing protein in your food plan. “A great way to make sure enough amino acid consumption is thru dietary protein equivalent to meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy, soy merchandise, beans and legumes,” she says. You may monitor your protein consumption by means of the MyFitnessPal app to get a good suggestion of your present consumption degree.
And as for these fashionable glycine dietary supplements you would possibly see throughout TikTok, Basbaum advises in opposition to them for now. As an alternative, persist with actual meals. “Not solely are you able to usually get all of the vitamins your physique wants by means of a balanced food plan, however it’s typically a safer guess as dietary dietary supplements will not be regulated as rigorously by the FDA,” she cautions.
