Timing Protocol
When to Take Glycine — Expert Timing Protocols
Expert-analyzed timing recommendations for glycine based on what 5 longevity researchers say about when, how, and what to take it with.
Quick Timing Guide
Before bed for sleep benefits — glycine helps lower core body temperature to facilitate sleep onset (Attia, Huberman, Hyman). Johnson takes glycine in the morning as part of his longevity supplement drink. For collagen synthesis benefits, timing is flexible but some evidence suggests taking with vitamin C may enhance absorption (Patrick).
Strong Consensus
on Glycine overall
Full Protocol
Timing
Before bed for sleep benefits — glycine helps lower core body temperature to facilitate sleep onset (Attia, Huberman, Hyman). Johnson takes glycine in the morning as part of his longevity supplement drink. For collagen synthesis benefits, timing is flexible but some evidence suggests taking with vitamin C may enhance absorption (Patrick).
Dosage
1-3g before bed for sleep support (Huberman, Attia, Hyman). Johnson includes glycine as part of his daily Blueprint longevity mix at clinically relevant doses. Higher amounts (up to 5g) can be obtained through collagen peptide supplementation for connective tissue support (Patrick, Attia).
Form
Glycine powder is the most common and cost-effective form — it dissolves easily in water and has a mildly sweet taste. Collagen peptides (hydrolyzed collagen) are an alternative delivery method that provide glycine alongside proline and hydroxyproline for connective tissue benefits (Patrick, Attia). Capsules are available but powder is preferred for flexible dosing.
Notes
Glycine is generally very well tolerated with no significant side effects at typical supplemental doses. It has a naturally sweet taste and can be mixed into water or tea. For glutathione support, glycine works synergistically with NAC (N-acetyl cysteine), which provides the cysteine precursor. Collagen peptides provide approximately 20-25% glycine by weight and offer additional amino acids beneficial for connective tissue.
What Each Expert Says About Timing
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 a...
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 gl...
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...
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 alongs...
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 ...
Important Notes
Glycine is generally very well tolerated with no significant side effects at typical supplemental doses. It has a naturally sweet taste and can be mixed into water or tea. For glutathione support, glycine works synergistically with NAC (N-acetyl cysteine), which provides the cysteine precursor. Collagen peptides provide approximately 20-25% glycine by weight and offer additional amino acids beneficial for connective tissue.
Where Experts Disagree
- Attia and Johnson actively supplement with glycine as a standalone ingredient, while Huberman considers it optional and secondary to his core sleep stack of magnesium threonate, apigenin, and theanine.
- Patrick discusses glycine primarily through the lens of collagen peptides and connective tissue rather than as a standalone sleep supplement, while Attia and Hyman emphasize its direct sleep benefits.
- Hyman raises concerns about glyphosate substituting for glycine in protein synthesis, suggesting supplementation may be necessary to counteract environmental toxin exposure — this perspective is not shared by the other four experts.
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