A "non-essential" amino acid, glycine is necessary for the synthesis of bile acids, nucleic acids and other amino acids. Glycine aids in skin and tissue repair; it is important to central nervous system function.
Glycine is a part of many proteins in plants and animals. It is listed as a nutrient and an antipruritic in the Merck Index, and it is listed in the U.S.P.
Glycine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter thought to work much like GABA. It is secreted mainly at synapses in the spinal cord.
Glycine is used to treat bipolar disorders and hyperactivity.