Glycine

Dr. Andrew Huberman Recommends as Optional Sleep Aid

Huberman discusses glycine in his Sleep Toolkit episode as an optional sleep supplement that can assist with falling back asleep after middle-of-night awakenings. He places glycine alongside GABA and myo-inositol as secondary additions to his foundational sleep stack of magnesium threonate (145mg), apigenin (50mg), and theanine (100-400mg). While he does not dedicate extensive coverage to glycine specifically, his inclusion of it in his most comprehensive sleep protocol episode signals recognition of its value for sleep quality.

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• 56:30 · Sleep Toolkit: Tools for Optimizing Sleep & Sleep-Wake Timing | Huberman Lab Podcast #84 (Guest: Matthew Walker)

Dr. Peter Attia Personally Supplements Nightly

Attia is the most prominent glycine advocate among the five experts, personally supplementing with it as part of his nightly routine alongside ashwagandha and magnesium L-threonate. He discusses glycine across multiple contexts: as a sleep aid in his personal supplement list, as a methylation cycle supporter in his episode with Chris Masterjohn, and as a key component of collagen for connective tissue health with Luc van Loon. In the hypertrophy supplements episode with Layne Norton, glycine is mentioned in the context of protein quality assessment. His multi-faceted coverage reflects a deep appreciation for glycine's diverse biological roles.

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• 03:11 · Peter Attia's Supplement List
• 45:30 · #46 — Chris Masterjohn, Ph.D.: Pathways to health and disease (NAD, sirtuins, methylation, choline...) (Guest: Chris Masterjohn)
• 00:00 · Are collagen supplements effective and worth taking? | Peter Attia and Luc van Loon (Guest: Luc van Loon)
• 00:16 · The best supplements for hypertrophy training | Peter Attia and Layne Norton (Guest: Layne Norton)

Dr. Rhonda Patrick Values for Collagen Synthesis & Recovery

Patrick discusses glycine primarily through the lens of collagen and connective tissue health. In her smoothie recipe video, she includes hydrolyzed collagen powder specifically for its glycine and proline content, explaining their roles in collagen synthesis, energy production, wound healing, and anti-inflammatory signaling. In her episode with Dr. Luc Van Loon on protein optimization, she explores how collagen supplements rich in glycine may benefit connective tissues like skin, tendons, and cartilage, especially after injury or surgery. While she does not recommend glycine as a standalone supplement for sleep, her coverage emphasizes its importance as a structural amino acid for tissue repair and recovery.

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• 07:49 · Smoothie #2: Prebiotics, Phytochemicals
• 63:43 · Dr. Luc Van Loon: Optimizing Protein Intake & Distribution for Muscle Growth (Guest: Luc Van Loon)

Bryan Johnson Includes in Blueprint Longevity Stack

Johnson includes glycine as a core component of his Blueprint longevity mix — a daily supplement drink that consolidates over 100 individual pills into a single formulation. He takes glycine alongside creatine and CAKG every morning as part of his comprehensive anti-aging protocol. In his morning routine videos and Blueprint preparation guides, glycine appears consistently as part of his longevity stack. Johnson's approach reflects a data-driven commitment to glycine as a longevity compound rather than primarily a sleep aid, using it as part of a morning protocol that has produced some of the best biological age markers documented.

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• 01:43 · My INTENSE Morning Routine (Live to 150+)
• 01:34 · My Complete Anti-Aging Diet (ft. Steve Aoki) (Guest: Steve Aoki)
• 00:56 · A typical Blueprint morning / Nov 2021

Dr. Mark Hyman Recommends for Sleep & Detox Support

Hyman discusses glycine across multiple videos, primarily in the context of sleep optimization and glutathione production. He recommends glycine alongside magnesium for relaxing the nervous system and improving sleep quality. In his glutathione video, he explains that the body produces glutathione from cysteine, glycine, and glutamate, positioning glycine as essential for the body's master antioxidant system. His episode with Stephanie Seneff explores how glyphosate may substitute for glycine during protein synthesis, making supplementation potentially important. In his cognitive decline video with a brain health expert, glycine is recommended alongside GABA and adaptogens for sleep and stress management to prevent Alzheimer's disease.

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• 03:37 · How To Get The BEST SLEEP of Your Life & LIVE LONGER In The Process!
• 14:47 · The Real Reasons We Have Trouble Sleeping
• 01:38 · How to Boost The #1 Molecule for Anti-Aging & Detox
• 12:22 · COMMON PESTICIDES You Use That Can Lead To CANCER & LIVER DISEASE | Stephanie Seneff (Guest: Stephanie Seneff)

How much glycine should I take?

Most experts point to 1-3g of glycine before bed for sleep support (Huberman, Attia, Hyman). Start with 1-2g and increase gradually. Higher amounts, up to 5g, can be obtained through collagen peptides for connective tissue support (Patrick, Attia). Johnson includes glycine daily in his Blueprint longevity mix at clinically relevant doses.

When is the best time to take glycine?

Take glycine before bed for sleep benefits — it helps lower core body temperature to facilitate sleep onset (Attia, Huberman, Hyman). Bryan Johnson, however, takes glycine in the morning as part of his Blueprint longevity drink. For collagen synthesis, timing is flexible, though some evidence suggests taking it with vitamin C may enhance absorption (Patrick).

Can I take glycine with magnesium?

Yes — glycine and magnesium are one of the most commonly recommended sleep stacks across the experts. They work through complementary mechanisms: glycine lowers core body temperature while magnesium activates the parasympathetic nervous system. Attia takes both nightly (glycine plus magnesium L-threonate), and Hyman recommends them together for sleep optimization.

What does glycine do in the body?

Glycine is a conditionally essential amino acid with several roles. It lowers core body temperature to improve sleep (Attia, Huberman, Hyman), serves as one of three precursors to glutathione, the body's master antioxidant (Hyman), and is roughly one-third of collagen by weight, providing building blocks for connective tissue repair in skin, tendons, cartilage, and bone (Patrick, Attia).

Does glycine have side effects?

Glycine is generally very well tolerated with a strong safety profile, and side effects are rare at typical doses of 1-5g. Very high doses above 10g may cause mild GI discomfort, nausea, or soft stools — start with 1-2g and increase gradually. Glycine may also lower blood pressure, so those on blood pressure medication should monitor accordingly.