The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and its associated delirium are due mostly to serotonin overload and functional GABA deficiency. As such, anti-serotonin drugs can be very beneficial but they often have side effects and cannot be freely obtained. This human study showed that a single, relatively low dose glycine (700mg) greatly reduced the severity of the delirium in most patients and completely prevented it in some. Glycine is a known GABA agonist and the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain stem and spinal cord. In addition, glycine has shown benefit in human trials with schizophrenia, which is a serotonin-driven condition like all psychoses. Thus, glycine is likely anti-serotoninergic as well.
Application of glycine in acute alcohol hallucinosis. - PubMed - NCBI
"...RESULTS: The 20 patients randomised to the active drug (700 mg glycine sublingually) demonstrated a significant decrease in severity of hallucinosis compared to the 20 patients receiving placebo. CONCLUSION: The positive effects of glycine may be related to an altered balance between excitatory and inhibitory amino acid neurotransmitters."
Application of glycine in acute alcohol hallucinosis. - PubMed - NCBI
"...RESULTS: The 20 patients randomised to the active drug (700 mg glycine sublingually) demonstrated a significant decrease in severity of hallucinosis compared to the 20 patients receiving placebo. CONCLUSION: The positive effects of glycine may be related to an altered balance between excitatory and inhibitory amino acid neurotransmitters."
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