It is a phytoalexin found in the soybean (Glycine max).

[citation needed] More recent literature supports that glycinol has potent phytoestrogenic activity.

[1][2] The so-called osteogenesis that is causes is postulated to be a preventative factor for osteoporosis.

[citation needed] It can be synthethised chemically and possesses two chiral centers.

[3] Glycinol is the direct precursor of glyceollins through the action of a prenyltransferase.