Tier 2 — strong

Evaluation of glycine treatment for reducing alcohol craving and self-administration in individuals with alcohol use disorder: A human laboratory trial

Olsson Y, Lidö H, Ericson M, Söderpalm B
Alcohol, clinical & experimental research 2025 49(12):2836-2854

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 41189445
PubMed Central
PMC12721481
DOI
10.1111/acer.70187
Funding
Swedish state and Region Västra Götaland ALF support (ALFGBG-1006760 and 984234), Swedish Society of Medicine (SLS-687241), Alcohol Research Council of the Swedish Alcohol Retailing Monopoly (2017-0065), Swedish Research Council (2024-02466), and Swedish Brain Foundation (FO2024-0080).
Competing interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Study snapshot

DesignRandomized controlled human intervention
ModelAdult humans
Sample48 participants completed the laboratory alcohol challenge
InterventionOral glycine 0.12 g/kg/day in three divided doses versus matched glucose placebo before an alcohol laboratory challenge
Duration5 days treatment, followed by a laboratory challenge
EndpointsAlcohol consumption; Craving; Subjective alcohol effects; Serum glycine

What the study showed, in plain terms

Glycine raised serum glycine but did not reduce laboratory alcohol consumption or craving. Exploratory changes in craving-consumption associations do not overturn the main null result.

Key findings

  • Serum glycine rose by approximately 125%.
  • Alcohol intake, craving and most subjective effects did not differ between groups.

What this study can and cannot tell us

Brief laboratory exposure differs from sustained real-world alcohol-use treatment.

Secondary relationship analyses require confirmation and do not establish clinical efficacy.

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