Your body uses the amino acid L-tyrosine to produce several important brain chemicals that can influence mood including dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. It is highly unlikely that you would develop a deficiency of this nutrient that would require you to resort to supplementation. The use of tyrosine supplements has been suggested for a variety of purposes including stress reduction, enhancing athletic performance and improving energy and mental alertness after periods of inadequate sleep. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center reports studies looking at these effects have either produced mixed results or found no benefit at all. Some dosage guidelines have been suggested. If interested in using tyrosine for any reason, you should consult with your doctor, who can offer guidance on a proper dosage and other aspects of safe usage.
Dosage Guidelines
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, many health care professionals recommend taking 500 to 1,000 mg of tyrosine three times a day. The UPMC notes studies using tyrosine have used anywhere from 7 g to 30 g daily. As you can see, the dosages used for therapeutic effect can vary greatly. This underscores the importance of consulting with your physician to determine the maximum safe and effective dosage for your individual circumstance. For example, if you have liver or kidney disease, your maximum dosage might differ from someone with normally functioning liver and kidneys.
Tips
Divide your daily tyrosine dosage by three and take 30 minutes before meals. The UMMC reports combining tyrosine with vitamins B9 and B6 and copper will maximize the conversion of tyrosine into the aforementioned brain chemicals.
Side Effects
Potential side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and nervousness when taken in high doses. The UPMC reports however, that this supplement appears to be safe when used properly.
Other Considerations for Use
If you suffer from migraine headaches, using tyrosine supplements could trigger an episode. Your body uses tyrosine to create thyroid hormone; if you suffer from hyperthyroidism, a condition in which your body makes too much thyroid hormone, or hypothyroidism, where levels are too low, and you take synthetic thyroid hormone, using tyrosine could increase thyroid hormone levels too much. Using this supplement along with MAO-inhibitors for depression could cause potentially deadly spikes in blood pressure.
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