Phenylalanine and pseudoephedrine are common ingredients in over-the-counter medicines. They are not contraindicated with one another and, in fact, often appear together in drug formulations. However, check with your doctor before taking this combination. Also ask your doctor about potential interactions and side effects before taking either substance if you have a health condition, take medicine or use supplements.
Pseudoephedrine Identification
Pseudoephedrine is a nasal decongestant. It is found in medicines used to relieve nasal congestion due to allergies and colds and to alleviate sinus congestion and pressure. While it relieves symptoms, this medicine does not address the cause of the symptoms or speed your recovery, notes PubMed Health. Pseudoephedrine works by narrowing the blood vessels in your nasal passages.
Phenylalanine Identification
Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid. Various forms of supplemental phenylalanine have theoretical -- but unproved -- benefits for chronic pain, Parkinson’s disease, the skin condition vitiligo and depression, according to University of Maryland Medical Center. This amino acid also is found in most foods that contain protein and in the artificial sweetener aspartame.
Significance
Many medications that contain pseudoephedrine also contain phenylalanine, because they are sweetened with aspartame, notes Drugs.com. If you have the rare metabolic disorder called phenylketonuria, or PKU, avoid such products. If you have PKU, you are missing an enzyme needed for your body to use phenylalanine, which results in a build-up of this amino acid in your body. If you have PKU you must avoid dietary phenylalanine and take supplements of the amino acid tyrosine to have optimum brain growth and development. Your body changes phenylalanine into tyrosine. Ingesting phenylalanine can lead to brain damage, mental retardation, seizures and other problems if you have PKU.
Considerations
Most people who don’t have PKU needn't worry about ingesting it. However, aspartame can lead to a rapid rise in your brain levels of phenylalanine, which is a concern in some cases, notes Katherine Zeratsky, registered dietician with MayoClinic.com. Consult a doctor and exercise caution before using a pseudoephedrine product sweetened with aspartame, especially if you have a mental health condition, a sleep disorder, tardive dyskinesia or take certain medicines, including those containing levodopa, monoamine oxidase inhibitors or neuroleptics. Pseudoephedrine also is contraindicated if you take a monoamine oxidase inhibitor. Check with your doctor if you take medication,s including those for high blood pressure, appetite control, asthma or any other condition. Also advise your doctor of any other supplements or health products you use.
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