Glycine

[kim]

Thanks to Carolyn N, (luv reading your posts Carolyn) I got to looking at glycine again. I had a urine test quite a while back for my youngest son that suggested that he needed glycine. He had high benzoate/low hippurate. I had read in several places that you shouldn't supplement individual amino acids with out a complete AA profile and without physician assistance, which we didn't have at the time. Here are a couple of things that I found. The first one (wiki) makes me wonder once again if this will have a beneficial affect for some but not for others. Are others reading that statement the same way ( glutamate+glycine are excitatory at the glutamate (NMDA) receptors?

 

bolding mine

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycine

 

As a neurotransmitter

Glycine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, especially in the spinal cord, brainstem, and retina. When glycine receptors are activated, chloride enters the neuron via ionotropic receptors, causing an Inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP). Strychnine is a strong antagonist at ionotropic glycine receptors, whereas bicuculline is a weak one. Glycine is a required co-agonist along with glutamate for NMDA receptors. In contrast to the inhibitory role of glycine in the spinal cord, this behaviour is facilitated at the (NMDA) glutaminergic receptors which are excitatory. The LD50 of glycine is 7930 mg/kg in rats (oral),[10] and it usually causes death by hyperexcitability.

 

 

As a potential antipsychotic

Dr. Daniel Javitt a clinical researcher had studied people who were addicted to PCP (angel dust) and Ketamine (special K) (Javitt, DC, Negative Schizophrenic Symptomatology and the Phencyclydine (PCP) Model of Schizophrenia, Hillside Journal of Psychiatry 1987 9:12-35. Their brains had been damaged by the use of this drug. In studies, it was found that their glutamate receptors had been damaged. Since use of PCP and ketamine creates psychosis similar to schizophrenia, it was hypothesized that giving glycine to people with schizophrenia would potentially reduce their psychotic symptoms. In a controlled study people with schizophrenia who were given glycine had their symptoms reduced in a measurable sense, primarily in the area of negative and cognitive symptoms when used as an adjunct to current antipsychotics. There have been some psychiatrists who have used it out of study as a primary antipsychotic with benefits on positive as well as negative and cognitive symptoms. Glycine's primary drawback is its required use in powdered format. However, as an NMDA receptor modulator, it is part of a class of antipsychotics in study that do not cause tardive dyskinesia or diabetes, the current long term side effects of dopaminergic antipsychotics as well as not creating extra pyramdial side effects (movement disorders), weight gain or sedation. These medications along with other new classes of medications in study may eventually replace the current antipsychotics which, from Thorazine to Abilify, have all been based on the dopamine hypothesis and in depleting the levels of dopamine create tardive dykinesia and other Parkinsonian movement disorders and potentially tardive psychosis which is still in study. Glycine, is part of a promising new class of treatment for schizophrenia that may promote a full recovery without debilitating physical side effects.

 

 

detailed GABA Glycine article

 

http://www.acnp.org/G4/GN401000008/Default.htm

 

 

Recently, the expression of a1 and a2 subunits has been shown to be developmentally regulated with a switch from the neonatal a2 subunit (strychnine-insensitive) to the adult a1 form (strychnine-sensitive) at about 2 weeks postnatally in the mouse (8). The timing of this "switch" corresponds with the development of spasticity in the mutant spastic mouse (5), prompting speculation that insufficient expression of the adult isoform may underlie some forms of spasticity.

 

 

http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/aminoacids/pages/glycine.html

 

Glycine is the simplest amino acid and is the only amino acid that is not optically active (it has no stereoisomers). This amino acid is essential for the biosynthesis of nucleic acids as well as of bile acids, porphyrins, creatine phosphate, and other amino acids. On a molar basis, glycine is the second most common amino acid found in proteins and enzymes being incorporated at the rate of 7.5 percent compared to the other amino acids. Glycine is also similar to gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamic acid in the ability to inhibit neurotransmitter signals in the central nervous system.

 

http://www.physorg.com/news144681111.html

 

Medicine & Health / Research

The nonessential amino acid glycine has been shown to be anti-inflammatory in several animal injury models. Recent studies demonstrated that dietary glycine protected both the lung and liver against lethal doses of endotoxin in rat or other animals and improved graft survival after liver transplantation. The influence of dietary glycine on oxidant-induced or cholestatic liver injury was not known.

 

http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/abstract/28/39/9755

 

Thus, our results demonstrate the central role played by GlyT2 in determining inhibitory phenotype and therefore in the physiology and pathology of inhibitory circuits.

[ilovedogs]

This is interesting stuff, Kim. We see the same naturopath as Carolyn N. and he has my son on glycine, as well. He wanted me to try the l-glutamine but I just didn't want to overload ds, so I'm sticking with the glycine for now. I truly can't tell if it's helping but I know Carolyn saw great benefits from it with her son. I had read some articles on glycine and figured it couldn't hurt to give it to him. We use the Carlson powdered form and mix it into drink mixes for him.

Thanks for posting this!

Bonnie

[CarolynN]

Kim,

 

Thank you for the kind words and also thank you for the good information. You are such a great source of reference.

 

Have a great weekend.

 

Carolyn

[Char]

ilovedogs,

 

I am considering using Glycine for my son. I am wondering if you have seen any improvements with using the glycine? Has it helped your child's tics? Any suggestions? Thanks Char....

[CarolynN]

Hello!

 

I just wanted to quickly add that we use Glycine for our son. I would say it does help him. The naturopathic doctor explained to me that it helps the neurotransmitters run more smooth. The good thing is it is not overly expensive compared to a lot of the other supplements. You can disguise it very easily in yogurt or juice. There really is not much of a flavor to it.

 

Like any supplement though is it takes time to get results. I think that is why a lot of people get so frustrated is because of the fact it is not always a quick answer. But like any supplement you start if you can run it by a Naturopathic type doctor that is the safest way to make sure you are doing the best for yourself or your child.

 

Have a great week!

 

Carolyn

[ml_gwi]

hi everyone,

 

i put my son a higher dose ( 2500 mg / day ) of glycine after he started losing weight on taurine, however, i found out ( please correct me if i am wrong ) that glycine raises one's blood sugar ( ? ) and it made him lethargic and sleepy, it also made him have a feeling fullness so that his appetite was affected.

 

so i pulled back on glycine and is now using a more balanced dose of taurine ( 1500 mg. ) and glycine ( 1000 mg. ) for his daily regimen.

 

he seemed to immediately become more active after i made the switch but we are still living day-to-day and making adjustments to his supplements/minerals by trial and error.

 

by the way, would anybody know if selenium helps ? and if so , at what dose ? he is 13 and 78 lbs.

 

and if anyone knows anything else that could be of help to control his tics, it would really be appreciated.

 

thanks and am very glad that i found latitudes.org

 

 

ml_gwi

[iladvocate]

First of all let's start right here. I wrote that Wikipedia entry from clinical sources. I know glycine is available but it must be taken under the care of a psychiatrist. I have nothing against natural remedies. I take some. But glycine is a Phase II antipsychotic in FDA study. I have been identified as having made a full recovery from schizoaffective disorder and my psychopharmocologist will be documenting the results in a psychiatric journal. However, in the official study I cited its used as an adjunct. He spoke to a major provider agency which I cannot name until they make a public statement and they are reccomending to psychiatrists that it be used as an adjunct as in the official study which I cited.

Its very important not to guesstimate with an unknown quantity. But if a psychiatrist supervises it that's fine. But it is an antipsychotic compound, a glutamate antagonist, a new form of antipsychotic that will promote a fuller recovery and not cause tardive dyskinesia or diabetes. But some other natural remedies are not safe. I tried Tyrosine and it raised my blood pressure and its highly dangerous. Another "no go" is Taurine which is the active ingredient in Red Bull Energy drink. That made me psychotic. Those are completely unsafe.

Now as to why I am on glycine its because I have schizoaffective disorder and have advanced tardive dyskinesia and could not tolerate Clozaril. However, I have made a full recovery with glycine. And it will be reccomended as an adjunct antipsychotic for others (the dose range is 20 grams to 40 grams, I believe it may have gone to 60 grams but one thing the study got wrong is to give it one lump sum, in me it has to be titrated throughout the day). And as well there are glutamate antagonist antipsychotics that will be primary antipsychotics such as the Phase II study drug Eli 2140023. When the study is published it will be linked up as needed and I can't name the provider agency that will make a statement. Nor my psychopharmocologist. However, I can say the fact that I made a full recovery from schizoaffective disorder with glycine (which has not been researched on Tourrette's yet) and am under study for the until now controversial criteria tardive psychosis has been noted in a letter by myself and my psychopharmocologist to the director of the APA. I'll let you know more when I can. But please anyone reading this or my article (which had clear sources) take glycine only under the direction of a psychiatrist. But your psychiatrist may be learning more about it and the information once available will be there for their knowledge. Thanks.

[ilovedogs]

Just wanted to add that my ds is on glycine, as well. He takes 4600 mg a day, so that's 4.6 grams a day. I'm not sure it's helping but I know these things take time. The good news is that I have not seen any negative side effects at all. We are supposed to be trying glutamate, as well, but I wanted to try a supplement for about 6 months before I start adding or switching, etc. I have read some of the studies about using glycine for schizoaphrenic disorder and I've read that people have used it successfully in the place of drugs for their disorders. Anyway, I am hoping that our naturopath will continue to help my ds improve. His anxiety is better but his tics have increased this past month or so.

 

Bonnie