Compound or practice · Supplement
Sarcosine
An NMDA co-agonist amino acid with real add-on evidence in schizophrenia — a niche, mechanism-driven mood/cognition agent.
- Overall grade
- Grade C
- Last revised
- 2
- graded outcomes
- 0
- references listed
A structured monograph in Prometheus's bundled library. Its grades are the monograph's own reading of the evidence, not a peer-reviewed review.
1 at grade B · 1 at grade C — 2 graded rows
What is known
Each outcome with its grade (how strong the evidence is, A to D), the size of the effect where the entry records one, and how often studies agree.
- Schizophrenia (adjunct)Evidence grade B
Add-on
Smallmixed
- OCD / depressionEvidence grade C
Preliminary
Smalllow
What is uncertain
Read off the same rows as above. Nothing here is added that the entry does not itself record.
- Thin evidence: OCD / depression (grade C).
- Studies disagree: Schizophrenia (adjunct) (mixed agreement).
The evidence in words
What it is
Sarcosine (N-methylglycine) is a glycine derivative that enhances NMDA-receptor signaling, studied mainly as a psychiatric adjunct.
How it works
It inhibits the glycine transporter (GlyT1), raising synaptic glycine and boosting NMDA-receptor function — the opposite of ketamine's NMDA blockade.
What the evidence shows
As an add-on to antipsychotics, sarcosine improved negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia in several small trials; there's preliminary OCD and depression signal. Evidence is niche and best framed as adjunctive, under psychiatric care.
Safety & interactions
Generally well tolerated; should not replace prescribed treatment, and NMDA modulation warrants clinical oversight in psychiatric illness.
Bottom line
A mechanistically interesting NMDA-enhancing amino acid with real (if small) adjunct evidence in schizophrenia — a clinical adjunct, not a casual nootropic.
Related reading
Entries that share this one's tags or conditions.
- Sarcosine for OCD / depressionEvidence grade C — PreliminaryEvidence grade C
- Sarcosine for Schizophrenia (adjunct)Evidence grade B — Add-onEvidence grade B
- Sarcosine: side effects, safety & interactionsGenerally well tolerated; should not replace prescribed treatment, and NMDA modulation warrants clinical oversight in psEvidence grade C
- Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR)The brain-penetrant carnitine — real evidence for diabetic neuropathy, softer signals for mood and aging cognition.Evidence grade B
Sources
This entry lists no references of its own.
Last revised . A grade is this entry's reading of the evidence, not medical advice.