When stressed, you may turn to food for comfort, which ultimately leads to weight gain and more stress. With many people looking for relief from both, L-tyrosine has proven to be successful in relieving stress and can help control appetite. No studies have confirmed that supplementing with L-tyrosine will result in weight loss. However, dieters and some health professionals claim that supplementing L-tyrosine can lead to weight loss.
L-Tyrosine
L-tyrosine is a nonessential amino acid synthesized from phenylalanine, an essential amino acid. An essential amino acid comes from an outside source, such as protein, and is not produced by the body. Whereas a nonessential amino acid is produced by the body. L-tyrosine is a precursor to neurotransmitters such as dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine. Both L-tyrosine and phenylalanine are found in most protein sources such as dairy products, meat, fish, wheat and oats.
Stress
There is consistent scientific data showing that L-tyrosine does help reduce the effects of stress and depression. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center or UMMC, because of L-tyrosine involvement in the production of stress hormones, your body may not produce enough L-tyrosine from phenylalanine when under stress. Some studies have soon improved memory and performance during psychological stress when supplementing with L-tyrosine, the UMMC says.
Weight Loss
As a precursor to the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine, L-tyrosine has been theoretically claimed to help speed metabolism, promoting weight loss. Those who claim this link says that because stress and depression are often linked to weight gain, supplementing L-tyrosine may aid in the prevention of weight gain during stressful times. But this has not been proven, and there is no scientific evidence to back this claim.
Recommendations
L-tyrosine should be taken at least 30 minutes before meals, and should be taken with vitamins B6, B9 and copper to help the body convert L-tyrosine into brain chemicals, the UMMC says.
Side Effects
There are currently no known side effects associated with the amino acid L-tyrosine. However, any dietary supplement should be taken under the supervision of a health care provider because of unknown effects of long-term use and interactions with other medications. If you currently take MAOIs, thyroid hormones or levodopa, consult your doctor prior to using L-tyrosine due to a possible drug interaction with the amino acid, the UMMC says.
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