Glycine Lowers Tsh

[haidut]

This study adds to the evidence that glycine is pro-thyroid and thus anti-stress. A single relatively low (human equivalent) dose of 600mg - 1,500mg blunted the increase of TSH due to stress. Notably, the low HED dose of ~7mg/kg was the most effective, which means 500mg - 700mg is all that is needed for most people. The effects of glycine on TSH were already evident after 30min and continued for more than 2 hours. The study did not measure TSH beyound 2 hours so it is plausible that glycine's effects was even more long lived. Other beneficial amino acids related to glycine such as taurine and beta alanine were not effective. Notably, only glycine reduced TSH increased by TRH and this is significant because free fatty acids lower metabolism by increasing TRH, which triggers increase in TSH and prolactin. Peat has mentioned the connection between TRH and stress in several of his interviews transcribed on the website. Forum member Giraffe transribed one recently that specifically addressed the TRH mechanism during stress.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6132862

"...The importance of several amino acids (glycine, L-glutamic acid, L-serine, taurine and beta-alanine) in the regulation of the stimulated secretion of TSH was studied in male rats using both peripheral and central administration of the amino acids. Glycine (10-200 mg/kg i.p.), L-glutamic acid (10-500 mg/kg i.p.) and L-serine (500 mg/kg i.p.) decreased significantly the cold-induced TSH secretion whereas beta-alanine (1-500 mg/kg i.p.) and taurine (10-100 mg/kg i.p.) were not effective. The effect of L-glutamic acid (100 mg i.p.) was partially antagonized by bicuculline (1 mg/kg i.p.) but not by picrotoxin (1 or 2 mg/kg i.p.). Only glycine (50 and 100 mg/kg i.p.) inhibited the TRH-stimulated TSH secretion. When the intracerebroventricular route was used, L-serine (50 micrograms/rat) decreased the TSH could response whereas glycine and L-glutamic acid (1-50 micrograms/rat) had no clear effect. We conclude that glycine, glutamate and serine inhibit the cold-induced TSH secretion in the male rat. The action of serine and glycine is possibly mediated through the periventricular hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary, respectively. The inhibition caused by glutamate seems to be partially mediated through the bicuculline-sensitive GABA receptors in the hypothalamus. Taurine and beta-alanine play no role in the control of rat TSH secretion."

 

[LucH]

A single relatively low (human equivalent) dose of 600mg - 1,500mg blunted the increase of TSH due to stress.

yes, this is also the dose to counteract tryptophan. I take half a spoonful of collagen when eating lean meat. Collagen is best than glycine alone.
For better sleep, 10 to 15 g collagen is advised one hour before sleep,with orange juice.
Thanks to this, I've cut my pain-drugs for half (willow bark extract, 15 % salicine, 240 mg minimum, 3 times a day) (back pain).
I added one dose pregnenolone too, for more energy (thyroid).

 

[Giraffe]

Peat has mentioned the connection between TRH and stress in several of his interviews transcribed on the website. Forum member Giraffe transribed one recently that specifically addressed the TRH mechanism during stress.

Transcribing was teamwork, and forum member Haidut was very kind to help with unclear parts.

It was this interview: https://raypeatforum.com/community/threads/energy-production-diabetes-saturated-fats-kmud-2011.9174/

 

[InterrogaOmnia]

Is there any reason that taking pure glycine wold cause headaches? I've taken 4-5 grams at once with meals and experienced drawn out migraines later in the day. Smaller doses don't seem to cause trouble.

 

[OrangeJuice]

Is TSH Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, if so is that good or bad? I'm confused.

 

[haidut]

Is there any reason that taking pure glycine wold cause headaches? I've taken 4-5 grams at once with meals and experienced drawn out migraines later in the day. Smaller doses don't seem to cause trouble.

I posted a human study that shows a dose of about 4g - 6g glycine lowered the glycemic response of glucose infusion by 60%+. The dose of glucose was not small, so if glycine can lower blood sugar so much it is something that it probably best taken with a big meal to be safe. Headache usually means low blood sugar and/or stress response.

 

[haidut]

Is TSH Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, if so is that good or bad? I'm confused.

TRH is the hormone released by the hypothalamus in response to stress (usually) or toxins. TRH signals the pituitary to produce TSH and prolactin. All three of them are not something you want to have elevated chronically. TSH, besides being used for diagnosing hypothyroidism, is also inflammatory as are TRH and prolactin. The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA/HPTA) is antagonistic to thyroid function. You want it as quiet as possible for optimal health unless it is a short term stressful event that needs attention, but even that short event leaves a negative imprint and reduces your health/vitality.

 

[InterrogaOmnia]

I posted a human study that shows a dose of about 4g - 6g glycine lowered the glycemic response of glucose infusion by 60%+. The dose of glucose was not small, so if glycine can lower blood sugar so much it is something that it probably best taken with a big meal to be safe. Headache usually means low blood sugar and/or stress response.

That makes sense and it's what I figured was going on. I had to eat a lot to get rid of the migraine.

 

[milk_lover]

yes, this is also the dose to counteract tryptophan. I take half a spoonful of collagen when eating lean meat. Collagen is best than glycine alone.
For better sleep, 10 to 15 g collagen is advised one hour before sleep,with orange juice.
Thanks to this, I've cut my pain-drugs for half (willow bark extract, 15 % salicine, 240 mg minimum, 3 times a day) (back pain).
I added one dose pregnenolone too, for more energy (thyroid).

Do you take it in solid state or dissolved in some kind of liquid?

 

[LucH]

Do you take it in solid state or dissolved in some kind of liquid?

This is powder collagen. half orange juice (or apple) and water in a shaker (+/ 700 ml), with 25 g powder .
Hydrolysed Collagen Peptide
I take vanilla or banana: it's best to mix with food.

 

[milk_lover]

This is powder collagen. half orange juice (or apple) and water in a shaker (+/ 700 ml), with 25 g powder .
Hydrolysed Collagen Peptide
I take vanilla or banana: it's best to mix with food.

I tried hydrolyzed collegen before and it didn't agree with me unless I dissolve it in hot liquid. Do you have suggestions with regard to hydrolyzed collegen and cold drinks? It's supposed to be dissolved 100% in cold drinks but I find that hard to achieve unless maybe I stir it for a very long time?

 

[LucH]

I've got a basic shaker with a spiral ball inside. 3 $
Cold liquid first, powder added and spiral ball set on floated mixture. Nothing else otherwise it won't work well. Then shake up and down. All is in the spiral ball.
Make a search on google image with: Spiral ball for shaker . Mine is myprotein.com (offered).

 

[milk_lover]

I've got a basic shaker with a spiral ball inside. 3 $
Cold liquid first, powder added and spiral ball set on floated mixture. Nothing else otherwise it won't work well. Then shake up and down. All is in the spiral ball.
Make a search on google image with: Spiral ball for shaker . Mine is myprotein.com (offered).

Thanks LucH for the tip! I see that could work.

 

[Agent207]

TRH is the hormone released by the hypothalamus in response to stress (usually) or toxins. TRH signals the pituitary to produce TSH and prolactin. All three of them are not something you want to have elevated chronically. TSH, besides being used for diagnosing hypothyroidism, is also inflammatory as are TRH and prolactin. The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA/HPTA) is antagonistic to thyroid function. You want it as quiet as possible for optimal health unless it is a short term stressful event that needs attention, but even that short event leaves a negative imprint and reduces your health/vitality.

Im not sure about that statement, it seems to suggest optimum health is achieved reducing stress the closest to 0 as possible. I find that utopical and, even if accomplished, very deleterious to health long term. Stress, even strenuous stress (not long term) may produce very healthful adaptations. I think equilibrium is the key for optimal health, and turning point is very individual, and obviously depends on baseline health status. There are hundreds of individual factors which determine this turning point; but I don't think generalizing "short stress event reduces health" per-se, since it can be quite the opposite. You're just looking the short term bad part, not the whole net effect.

Acth, a "stress hormone" is key at activating p450scc enzyme.

 

[haidut]

Im not sure about that statement, it seems to suggest optimum health is achieved reducing stress the closest to 0 as possible. I find that utopical and, even if accomplished, very deleterious to health long term. Stress, even strenuous stress (not long term) may produce very healthful adaptations. I think equilibrium is the key for optimal health, and turning point is very individual, and obviously depends on baseline health status. There are hundreds of individual factors which determine this turning point; but I don't think generalizing "short stress event reduces health" per-se, since it can be quite the opposite. You're just looking the short term bad part, not the whole net effect.

Acth, a "stress hormone" is key at activating p450scc enzyme.

The entire premise of Peat's work is that the chronic elevation of stress hormones leads to the adaptations seen in virtually all diseases. In my post, I said if the elevation is short-term then it may be beneficial to help the organism survive a stressor. Long term elevations of stress hormones is very difficult to accept as beneficial. ACTH may induce CYP450 but it will also raise cortisol, incude diabetes and turn your skin into a mole-ridden field that can become cancerous at any time. If high enough, it will give you the so-called "ACTH-dependent ectopic Cushing syndrome". Google for "elevated ACTH" and click on the images link. Yes, ACTH induces CYP450 but that also trigger synthesis of pregnenolone and DHEA as countermeasure so the benefits you mention are probably due to those steroids and not ACTH.
Unless you have specific ACTH elevated levels in mind that you think are beneficial, I'd try to keep it low and if elevated it should be in pulsatile fasion - i.e. as a response to a stressor that then subsides, and not chronic elevation.
Just my 2c.

 

[milk_lover]

haidut, what do you think of these studies: Enhanced prolactin release by injection of glycine in the medial preoptic area (mPOA) of the rat. - PubMed - NCBI and The central actions of glycine and strychnine on prolactin and LH secretion. - PubMed - NCBI
Glycine in those studies increases prolactin secretion. The first one says taurine and beta-alanine had no effect on prolactin, similar to them having no effect on TSH in the study you posted. Also, in another post of yours (the one with glycine being good for menopause), glycine increased serum estrogen, which you said is a good thing because glycine might be flushing estrogen from the cells. Could you explain why there is an increase of prolactin from glycine and if the increase is related to the flushed estrogen from cells?

 

[haidut]

haidut, what do you think of these studies: Enhanced prolactin release by injection of glycine in the medial preoptic area (mPOA) of the rat. - PubMed - NCBI and The central actions of glycine and strychnine on prolactin and LH secretion. - PubMed - NCBI
Glycine in those studies increases prolactin secretion. The first one says taurine and beta-alanine had no effect on prolactin, similar to them having no effect on TSH in the study you posted. Also, in another post of yours (the one with glycine being good for menopause), glycine increased serum estrogen, which you said is a good thing because glycine might be flushing estrogen from the cells. Could you explain why there is an increase of prolactin from glycine and if the increase is related to the flushed estrogen from cells?

I think somebody asked that question in another thread. In general, any amino acid capable of stimulating an insulin response could trigger the prolactin increase due to reactive hypoglycemia. If glycine is powerfully glucose lowering as I posted in another thread then this effect is not surprising, and indicates that glycine should be ingested with food or at least enough sugar. You can achieve the same prolactin elevation effects every time you ingest sufficient protein and insufficient glucose. I think even Peat wrote about this in one of his articles - i.e. raising prolactin on high protein diet with insufficient carbs. Why low dose glycine raised estradiol I don't know. The explanation of high serum estradiol potentially meaning low levels in tissues was a reference to Peat's statement.

 

[milk_lover]

I think somebody asked that question in another thread. In general, any amino acid capable of stimulating an insulin response could trigger the prolactin increase due to reactive hypoglycemia. If glycine is powerfully glucose lowering as I posted in another thread then this effect is not surprising, and indicates that glycine should be ingested with food or at least enough sugar. You can achieve the same prolactin elevation effects every time you ingest sufficient protein and insufficient glucose. I think even Peat wrote about this in one of his articles - i.e. raising prolactin on high protein diet with insufficient carbs. Why low dose glycine raised estradiol I don't know. The explanation of high serum estradiol potentially meaning low levels in tissues was a reference to Peat's statement.

Thanks haidut again! What i don't like about Glycine is that it has a sweet taste like some artificial sugar, adding sugar will make it very sweet in a weird way.