Amino Acid
Sarcosine
SaveN-methylglycine, an intermediate in glycine metabolism that acts as a glycine transporter (GlyT1) inhibitor, increasing synaptic glycine levels and thereby modulating NMDA receptor function.
Quick verdict
Promising adjunctive data in schizophrenia for negative symptoms. Niche compound with limited mainstream supplementation data.
Evidence score
A rough internal score reflecting quantity, quality, and consistency of human evidence. Not a clinical recommendation.
What the research shows
Several small randomized trials in schizophrenia patients showed improvements in negative symptoms and overall functioning when sarcosine was added to antipsychotic treatment. The mechanism (GlyT1 inhibition) enhances glutamatergic neurotransmission via the NMDA glycine site. Data outside of psychiatric populations is very limited.
Benefits
- Adjunctive improvement in schizophrenia negative symptoms
- Enhances NMDA function via glycine-site modulation
- Novel mechanism distinct from most supplements
Dosage notes
Clinical trials used 1–2 g/day as adjunct to antipsychotics.
Side effects
- Generally well tolerated in trials
- Nausea
- Insomnia at higher doses
Who should be cautious
Should not be combined with clozapine (may reduce its efficacy via shared glycine-site mechanism). Limited safety data for long-term use in healthy populations.
What this page cannot tell you
Evidence is primarily in schizophrenia. Extrapolating to cognitive enhancement in healthy individuals is speculative.
Leaderboard scores
- Mood45
- Focus35
- Memory30
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