Tyrosine supplement health benefit and use for depression and mental alertness, reduce side effects by using a lower dosage

Tyrosine is not an essential amino acid since tyrosine can be made from the amino acid phenylalanine. Tyrosine can be converted into dopamine and norepinephrine. Supplementation with both tyrosine and phenylalanine leads to alertness and arousal.
   Phenylalanine and tyrosine are sometimes prescribed as antidepressants, usually in combination with other nutrients and herbs that have mood elevating properties. Some doctors also recommend these amino acids for appetite control. Phenylalanine may trigger the release of an appetite-suppressing hormone in the gut called cholecystokinin. Most individuals who take either of these amino acids notice improved alertness, arousal, and mood, and slight loss in appetite. I have a few patients who occasionally take a small amount of these nutrients, such as 50 to 250 mg, in the morning as a substitute for caffeine. For more tyrosine information.

buy Tyrosine 500 mg per pill
Supplement Facts
L Tyrosine - 500 mg each pill

If you plan to take tyrosine, limit your dose initially to a third or half a capsule until you find out how tyrosine reacts in your system.
Click here to buy L tyrosine, N Acetyl Tyrosine, Mind Power Rx brain enhancer, Passion Rx sexual enhancer,Eyesight Rx for better vision

Tyrosine supplements and cold tolerance
Perhaps tyrosine raises body temperature, or just the fact that it converts to certain catecholamines, may make  it more useful to those who live in cold climates.

Dietary tyrosine benefits cognitive and psychomotor performance during body cooling.
Physiol Behav. 2007 Feb 28;90(2-3):301-7.  O'Brien C, Mahoney C, Tharion WJ, Sils IV, Castellani JW. Thermal and Mountain Medicine Division, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA 01760, USA.
Supplemental tyrosine is effective at limiting cold-induced decreases in working memory, presumably by augmenting brain catecholamine levels, since tyrosine is a precursor for catecholamine synthesis. The effectiveness of tyrosine for preventing cold-induced decreases in physical performance has not been examined. This study evaluated the effect of tyrosine supplementation on cognitive, psychomotor, and physical performance following a cold water immersion protocol that lowered body core temperature. Fifteen subjects completed a control trial (CON) in warm (35 degrees C) water and two cold water trials, each spaced a week apart. Subjects ingested an energy bar during each trial; on one cold trial ( tyrosine ) the bar contained tyrosine (300 mg/kg body weight), and on the other cold trial ( placebo ) and on CON the bar contained no tyrosine...  These data support previous findings that dietary tyrosine supplementation is effective for mitigating cold-induced cognitive performance such as working memory, even with reduced core temperature, and extends those findings to include the psychomotor task of marksmanship.

Tyrosine hydroxylase for depression
A novel therapeutic approach to depression via supplement with tyrosine hydroxylase.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2006 Dec 8;351(1):140-5. Institute of Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Tyrosine hydroxylase is the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of catecholamine neurotransmitters, dopamine, noradrenaline, and adrenaline, in the neurons. The regulated activity of Tyrosine hydroxylase is thought to play a critical role in modulating the functional activity of catecholaminergic neuronal systems in the brain. It is well known that the catecholaminergic neuronal systems are associated with depression. Here we showed that Tyrosine hydroxylase, delivered by protein transduction domain, passed through the blood-brain barrier and entered the neurons. Systemic Tyrosine hydroxylase treatment improved the behavioral despair in the forced swim test and the tail suspension test, the two models widely used to screen the potential anti-depressant efficacy. The results indicated a novel and potential therapeutic use of Tyrosine hydroxylase in the depression disorder.

Use with 5-HTP
I have recently purchased 5-HTP and tyrosine products and my question is if I can take them both during the same day, I've read that L-Tyrosine is recommended to be taken in the morning in an empty stomach and 5-HTP in the evening also in an empty stomach, I have problems with the second as I usually eat before going to sleep, is it ok if I take 5-HTP in the evening in an empty stomach and then let's say after 2 hours have a meal?
    5HTP can be taken in the evening before a meal at least a half hour before food to allow it to be absorbed.

Tyrosine pill safety and use emails
Q. I continue to learn from Mind Boosters book. It is the one source that I continually return to when exploring nutritional approaches to improve mind and memory. My question concerns Tyrosine. I have recently begun taking Acetyl L-Tyrosine, one 300 mg. tablet in the morning. It seems to increase energy, and even give a little boost in the area of verbal fluency (an area that I am very interested in improving). I seem to "feel like talking" more than I normally would, and the words seem to come a little more easily. However...I'm having a lot of trouble sleeping, even with this small (I think) dosage, I seem to have a "wired" feeling. I would hate to give up the benefits of tyrosine.
   A. 300 mg of acetyl-tyrosine is actually, in my opinion, a high dose. Acetyl-tyrosine is probably much more actice that tyrosine by itself. The alertness it produces does cause insomnia. A lower dosage may reduce the side effects.

Q. Can tyrosine increase blood pressure?
   A. Yes, tyrosine should be used in only very low dosages by those with hypertension.

Q. I have read alot on the site about the cautions of 5-HTP and would like to ask about whether there are
any risks of using L-Tyrosine in the long-term. For me, this supplement really helps with my mood but I
would like to know whether the amino acid is safe for daily consumption at a high dose(12 grams). I do not
experiences any side-effects from this amino acid and have not read any reports of toxicty ever occuring
from its use.
   A. Twelve grams of tyrosine is a very high dose. Side effects could include irritability, anxiety,  heart irregularities and perhaps  over the long run could have a pro oxidant effect on certain brain cells, but this is just my hypothesis. Tyrosine seems to be more effective in those whose depression is due to low dopamine levels. It's probably best to not use one particular nutrient to treat depression for prolonged periods but to alternate different ones such as St-Johns-Wort, SAMe, 5-HTP, etc.

Q. I searched all over Pubmed. Is there any data concerning tyrosine and increasing T4 thyroid hormone.
   A. We can't find any human research regarding the use of a tyrosine supplement leading to higher thyroid hormone levels.

I began a supplement program for anxiety and depression. This program includes L-Tyrosine and other supplements. A couple of days later I added a GABA supplement. The next morning, approximately 90 minutes after
taking the GABA supplement my feet, arms, hands and ears began burning, turned red and swelled slightly. I returned to normal within about an hour. I stopped the GABA supplement but continued with the L-tyrosine and the other supplements. Again this morning I experienced the same reaction. Could I be allergic to L-tyrosine?
    Tyrosine has side effects that are not related to allergy. An allergy usually develops as a rash or itching. One simple but not fully scientific way to tell is to take a small portion of a capsule. If it is an allergy, the reactions will recur, if the symptoms do not recur, that means it is most likely a dose dependent side effect of tyrosine.

Q. Does tyrosine enhance energy ?
   A. We don't find tyrosine to be a good energy enhancer since it tends to cause anxiety and rapid heart beat.

Q. There are obviously some benefits associated with L-Tyrosine supplementation, but while researching this supplement, I noticed that it tends to be present in many breast enhancement supplements for women. I don't see how L-Tyrosine could enhance breast tissue development, but being a man, I dont want to mess around with anything that could potentially result in me developing breast tissue ( gynecomastia ). So my question is, is there a risk for a man to get gynecomastia from supplementing L-Tyrosine?
   A. L Tyrosine has cardiac risks of heart palpitations or cardiac rhythm disturbances, but we are not aware of any issues with breast enhancement.

Q. I have a question about tyrosine. I read that if you take supplemental tyrosine, you should make sure that it also contains Phenylalanine or take supplemental Phenylalanine. It also said that Phenylalanine must be present with Tyrosine in order to produce Tyrosine in the body. Do you agree? Or is it okay to just take tyrosine alone?
   A. Tyrosine and phenylalanine do not need to be taken together, however some people may like the combination together and for others each separately works better. There are no hard and fast rules.

Q. When ever I sit down to rest, one or the other lower leg, starts to twitch every 45 seconds or so. My Doctor without doing any testing said I have restless leg syndrome and Rx Requip to supposedly replace the dopamine levels that he believes I am deficient in. The Requip usually, but not always, stops the twitching within an hours or so and then I can sleep. My question; have there been any studies to show that taking tyrosine boosts your bodies ability to produce dopamine, thereby eliminating the deficiency and potentially the twitch?
   A. We have not seen such studies. The use of tyrosine is likely to increase alertness and interfere with proper sleep.

I found a site which sells a supplement for sunless tanning. The prescription is L-Tyrosine, (2000 mg per daily dose). Do you think this is a very bad use for L-Tyrosine?
    We have not seen any research regarding the use of tyrosine supplements for sunless tanning. High doses of tyrosine can be dangerous.

I would like to know if ok to take L-tyrosine and the medication Levothrine.
    Low amounts may be fine, but high doses of each could cause side effects including irritability, insomnia, and rapid heart beat.

I am 81 years old , diabetic on insulin injections] and am on various medication including beta blockers [I had a heart bypass in 1993] I have been on thyroxin for five years and this seemed to cure the problem I was having of ears which were not functioining correctly. I could hear but music was terribly distorted and painful to listen to. my doctors says my thyroid levels are ok but the problem has emerged agaiin .My son in law has recommended that I use sea kelp tyrosine taurine. Do you think this would be safe?
    We are not in a position to determine whether a person can take supplements safely since that involves a complete review of the medical history and physical exam along with review of lab studies. As a general rule, especially in older individuals with various medical problems, anytime a supplement is used it should be tried in low dosages to see if there are any adverse effects.

Additional Home - Tribulus Terrestris Extract for more information natural  and pills