b'How Glycine Fights VirusesBY DR. JOSEPH MERCOLAC ollagenaccountsforaboutGlycineintakeattheaforementioned 30% of the total protein in your body; 28% ofcollagen, in turn, is made up of gly- dosepreventsthespreadofviruses cine, and it is the amino acid with the highest concentration in collagen. 1 It isbystrengtheningtheextracellular a mildly sweet amino acid that can also be used as a sugar substitute. matrix barriers against their advance.Glycine,proline,andhydroxypro- ~ Journal of Functional Foods, January 2021lineare the raw materials for connective tissue, but the benefits of glycine go far beyond connective tissue health. 2For ex- Isaprecursortoglutathione,araising the risk of viruses being able to ample, glycine: powerfulendogenousantioxidantproliferate through your tissues. Many Haspotentanti-inflammatoryef- that declines with age. infectious agents secrete proteases that fects, in part by inhibiting activationActs as a neurotransmitter. 5 It maydestroy collagen to facilitate their prolif-of immune cells and suppressing thealso play an important role in depres- eration.productionofproinflammatorycy- sion. 6 Its also been shown to allevi- Some viruses are also known to inhibit collagen synthesis, which has the same ef-tokines,andinpartbyinhibitingateneuroinflammationandprotectfect. 10 Making sure you have enough gly-theconsumptionofnicotinamideagainst cognitive deficits in mice withcine in your system at all times can help adeninedinucleotidephosphatehy- neurodegeneration. 7 prevent viruses from destroying enough drogen (NADPH), asdetailed in myHelps prevent cancer by inhibitingcollagen to get inside your cells. previous article on glycine as a sugarthe growth of blood vessels that feed substitute. tumors. 8 Another Mechanism Plays an important role in the ag- to Explain Glycines ing process. In some animal studies,Glycine Protects againstInfection Protectiondiets containing 8% to 12% glycineViral Infections A2020study showedanantiviral increased the median lifespan by asInterestingly, glycine also helps protectmechanism for glycine in that it prevents much as 28.4%. 3According to pre- against viruses by reinforcing your extra- for formation of capsids. 11You proba-vious research, glycine may even becellular matrix, as evidenced in a 2021bly didnt know this, but viruses carry responsible for the epigenetic regu- study. 9 Collagen, which is high in glycine,around an outer shell of proteins called a lation that drives the aging processis the primary protein of the extracellularcapsid. This capsid acts like a lockpick in as a whole. 4 It also inducesautoph- matrix, which acts as a physical barrierthat it attaches to and pries open the cells agy, so that renewal and regenera- against infectious agents such as bacteria,membrane it is seeking to infect.tion of your damaged cells can takeviruses and fungi. The virus then hijacks the cells inner place. When youre deficient in glycine, yourworkings,forcingittomassproduce extracellular matrix is weakened, therebythe virus genetic material and construct 10 H ealtHF reedomN ews /s priNg2024'