SupplementsAmino AcidsTyrosine
Tyrosine
L-tyrosine
The raw material for dopamine and adrenaline, and it seems to help most when your brain is running on empty.
- Builds up
- Doesn't build
- In your body
- 2-hour peak
- Per 1 capsule
- 500 mg
- 30-day supply
- $5.55One capsule a day, plus packing and delivery
What is tyrosine?
L-tyrosine is an amino acid your body can make from another one, phenylalanine. You also get it from protein foods.
It's the starting point for dopamine and norepinephrine, the brain messengers behind drive, attention and how you handle pressure. Your thyroid uses it too, joining it with iodine to make thyroid hormones.
Ours comes in 500 mg capsules, and it's one of the five ingredients in our Focus pack.
What it does
- Brain messengersA raw material for dopamine and norepinephrine.
- FocusSupports mental performance during short, demanding periods.
- Thyroid hormonesA building block your thyroid uses to make its hormones.
- ProteinOne of the building blocks of the proteins your body makes.
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
What people take it for
Early daysFocus under pressureStudies found sharper thinking in demanding moments, like switching quickly between tasks.
Early daysHarsh conditionsIn a study of people in cold, thin air, it eased symptoms and mood slumps for those hit hardest.
MixedPhysical performanceIt's sold for workouts, but reviews see little benefit here. The case for the brain is better.
How long it takes
It's something studies gave once, right before a demanding task. There's no slow build, and little research on taking it for long stretches.
- 90 minutesWhen studies test thinking, as levels begin to peak
- 2 hoursThe highest level in your blood
- Later that dayLevels drift back, more slowly at larger amounts
How long it stays in your body
At the amounts studied, it's highest in your blood about 2 hours after you swallow it. There's no clean half-life figure, and levels last longer at larger amounts.
What's in a capsule
One capsule holds 500 mg. Focus studies gave a single amount of 2 g, or 100 to 150 mg per kilogram of body weight, about 7 to 10 g for a 70 kg person. All of that is much more than a capsule.
A top-up, not a turbo
Tyrosine doesn't seem to make a rested, relaxed brain any sharper. The idea is more like a reserve tank. When stress or heavy mental work draws your dopamine and norepinephrine down, having more of the raw material helps you keep up. That's why it shows up in military research on coping with cold and thin air.
Reviews reach the same conclusion: it seems to help when these messengers are running low for a short time, and only if your brain's chemistry is otherwise working normally. It doesn't look promising for depression: in one trial, people did no better on it than on a dummy pill.
More isn't always better, either. When older adults were given larger amounts, their blood levels ran higher than in younger people and their working memory actually got a bit worse. That's a real surprise for something many people think of as harmless.
What it interacts with
- Thyroid medicines (levothyroxine, liothyronine)Tyrosine is a building block for thyroid hormone and may shift your levels. Ask first.
- MAO inhibitorsUsed for depression or Parkinson's. Don't combine them, or use them within 2 weeks, without asking your doctor.
- Levodopa (for Parkinson's)Amino acids like tyrosine compete with levodopa to reach your brain, so talk to your neurologist first.
- Thyroid testsSince it may shift thyroid hormones, mention it to whoever reads your results.
Goes well with
Side effects
- It seems well tolerated. In a depression trial, tyrosine caused no notable side effects compared with a dummy pill.
- Rarely, allergic reactions such as hives or swelling. Stop and get help if you have trouble breathing.
Check first if
- Thyroid conditions, especially an overactive thyroid or Graves' disease: it may change your thyroid hormone levels, so talk to your doctor first.
- Liver problems: your liver processes tyrosine, so levels may run higher.
- Tyrosinemia, a rare inherited condition: your body can't break it down, so avoid it.
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding: effects on pregnancy aren't known, and it passes into breast milk. Check with your doctor.
The blood tests that go with it
- TSHYour main thyroid test, since tyrosine feeds thyroid hormones.
- Free T4The main thyroid hormone, built from tyrosine and iodine.
- Free T3The active thyroid hormone, also built from tyrosine.
- ALTA check on your liver, which processes tyrosine.
- Morning cortisolYour main stress hormone, useful for seeing how you handle pressure.
- Urine iodineYour thyroid joins iodine to tyrosine to make its hormones, so this is the other half of the recipe.
Supplementation
Find Tyrosine in a ready-made protocol.
Start from one of these, or add it to your own. Everything comes in one pouch each morning.
Mind & balance
For your focused hours.
30-day pack · 5 a morning · 150 pills
$70.35 / month
Choose this packYour own
Build your own pouch.
Know what you want to take? Pick each ingredient, and we time it through your day.
Build your own
- cGMP-certifiedFacilities
- FDA-registeredFacilities
- Accredited labsIndependent testing
- Non-GMOIngredient options
- OrganicIngredient options
- VeganFormula options
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Want it more precise? Get the app.
A page can only tell you about Tyrosine. The app tells you about you: whether it fits, when to take it, and whether it's working.
- Checked against your blood work and everything you already take
- On your daily timeline, around your sleep, training and meals
- Followed over time, so you can see what moved
TyrosineOPEN 09:00Tyrosine against your blood work, your sleep and what you already take.
AIYour TSH was last checked 11 months ago. Worth a new test before you add tyrosine to your busy weeks?
ASK ABOUT TYROSINEFind the goal that's yours.
Your record, your routine and LifeFrom AI, pointed at the outcome that matters to you.
Questions
What is L-tyrosine good for?
Mostly staying sharp in short, stressful or mentally demanding moments. It looks less useful for exercise or mood.
How long does L-tyrosine take to work?
Blood levels peak at about 2 hours. Studies usually test thinking about 90 minutes after a single amount.
What are the side effects of L-tyrosine?
It seems well tolerated, and side effects weren't notable in studies. Allergic reactions are rare but possible.
Does L-tyrosine increase dopamine?
It's the raw material for dopamine, and studies suggest it can raise levels in your brain. It seems to matter most when supplies are running low.
Who should not take L-tyrosine?
Talk to a doctor first if you have a thyroid or liver condition, or take thyroid medicine, MAO inhibitors or levodopa. Avoid it with tyrosinemia. And check first if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.
Can I take L-tyrosine every day?
Most studies gave it once before a demanding task, so daily use hasn't been studied much. If you take it regularly and have thyroid concerns, get tested.
Does L-tyrosine help with depression?
It doesn't look like it. In a 4-week trial, people did no better on it than on a dummy pill. If your mood is low, talk to your doctor.
Does tyrosine affect the thyroid?
It's a building block for thyroid hormones and may shift your levels, so it's worth a test if you have a thyroid condition or take medicine for one.
Is it safe for older adults?
Larger amounts lowered working memory a little in one study of people aged 60 to 75, and their blood levels ran higher than in younger people.
Sources
- Jongkees BJ et al. Effect of tyrosine supplementation on clinical and healthy populations under stress or cognitive demands: a review. J Psychiatr Res, 2015.
- Attipoe S et al. Tyrosine for mitigating stress and enhancing performance in healthy adult humans. Mil Med, 2015.
- Banderet LE, Lieberman HR. Treatment with tyrosine, a neurotransmitter precursor, reduces environmental stress in humans. Brain Res Bull, 1989.
- Steenbergen L et al. Tyrosine promotes cognitive flexibility. Neuropsychologia, 2015.
- van de Rest O et al. Dose-dependent effects of oral tyrosine administration on plasma tyrosine levels and cognition in aging. Nutrients, 2017.
- Gelenberg AJ et al. Tyrosine for depression: a double-blind trial. J Affect Disord, 1990.
- Citterio CE et al. The role of thyroglobulin in thyroid hormonogenesis. Nat Rev Endocrinol, 2019.
- Nutt JG et al. Influence of fluctuations of plasma large neutral amino acids with normal diets on the clinical response to levodopa. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 1989.
- MedlinePlus Genetics. Tyrosinemia.
Written by LifeFrom from these sources, and not yet reviewed by a clinician. Talk to your doctor before starting a supplement.
