nutrient
Glycine
A small amino acid that is especially important in collagen structure.
Educational draft · Human scientific and editorial review pending. About review status
Glycine’s small side chain lets collagen chains pack closely in their repeating triple-helix structure.
How it works
A small side chain shapes collagen
Collagen contains repeating glycine residues. Their size allows the three protein strands to fit closely together.
Related topics
Glycine is used to build Protein
Glycine is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Worth knowing
It has the smallest side chain. Glycine’s single-hydrogen side chain lets it fit into protein turns where larger side chains would crowd the backbone.
A closer look
The body can make it
Glycine is generally synthesised in the body and is not classified as an essential amino acid for healthy adults.
References
Source-checked local draft.
Human editorial review pending.
- NIH National Library of Medicine (opens in new tab)Biochemistry, Essential Amino AcidsChecked 2026-09-05
- NIH National Library of Medicine (opens in new tab)Biochemistry, Protein CatabolismChecked 2026-09-05
- NIH National Library of Medicine (opens in new tab)Biochemistry, Primary Protein StructureChecked 2026-09-05
- NIH National Library of Medicine (opens in new tab)Biochemistry, Collagen SynthesisChecked 2026-09-05
Take it into the kitchen
Explore this nutrient in simple meals. Recipe pages show estimated amounts and missing data.
Pineapple cashew chicken pan · 25 min →
Coconut ginger chicken rice · 25 min →
Chicken cabbage ginger rice · 20 min →
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