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What is L-Tyrosine and where do we get it from?

Hi, this is Martin from clearyourmind.org, and in this post, I thought I'd talk about how great tyrosine is. Tyrosine is an essential amino acid that has many important functions in the body, especially for our cognitive ability, our memory, and our stress management. But what exactly is tyrosine and why is it so good? Let's take a closer look at it.


What is tyrosine and where do we get it from?

Tyrosine is one of the nine essential amino acids, meaning we cannot produce it ourselves in our bodies but need to obtain it from our diet. Amino acids are the building blocks for proteins, which in turn are important for many processes in the body, such as muscle building, immune defense, and hormone production.


Tyrosine is found in many different foods, such as meat, fish, eggs, cheese, nuts, seeds, soy, and bananas. It is also available as a dietary supplement in the form of L-tyrosine, which is the free form of the amino acid that the body can use directly. If you want to buy L-tyrosine, you can find it in most health food stores or online.


What does tyrosine do in the body?

Tyrosine plays several important roles in the body. Still, the most well-known is that it is a precursor to several neurotransmitters, that is, signaling substances that transfer information between nerve cells in the brain and body. Some of the neurotransmitters that tyrosine is involved in are:


Dopamine:

Dopamine is one of the most central neurotransmitters for our motivation, reward, learning, and joy. Dopamine is also important for our motor skills, our attention, and our creativity.


Norepinephrine:

Norepinephrine is a stress-related neurotransmitter that increases our alertness, our concentration, our responsiveness, and our energy. Norepinephrine is also involved in our sense of well-being, our appetite, and our sleep.


Adrenaline:

Adrenaline is another stress-related neurotransmitter that activates our sympathetic nervous system, that is, the system that gets us ready to flee or fight in dangerous situations. Adrenaline increases our heart rate, our blood pressure, our breathing, and our blood sugar level. Adrenaline is also linked to our sense of fear, excitement, and anxiety.


Thyroxine:

Thyroxine is a thyroid hormone that regulates our metabolism, that is, how quickly we burn calories and energy. Thyroxine also affects our body temperature, our growth, our development, and our fertility.


As you can see, tyrosine is involved in many important processes in the body, and therefore it is important that we get enough of it. But how much tyrosine do we really need and what happens if we get too little or too much?


How much tyrosine do we need and what happens if we get too little or too much?

There is no established recommended daily dose of tyrosine, but according to some studies, the optimal intake is between 500 and 2000 mg per day, depending on one's individual needs and factors such as age, gender, weight, activity level, and stress level.


However, it is difficult to get too much tyrosine from food, as the body has a system that regulates how much tyrosine is converted to neurotransmitters. If there is an excess of tyrosine, it is broken down into other substances that are excreted through the urine.

It is, however, possible to get too little tyrosine, especially if one eats a very protein-poor diet, if one has impaired digestion, or if one has a genetic disorder that prevents the body from using tyrosine efficiently.

A low intake of tyrosine can lead to a deficiency of the neurotransmitters that tyrosine is a precursor to, which in turn can cause various symptoms such as:


  • Low mood, depression, apathy, and lack of motivation

  • Poor memory, concentration difficulties, confusion, and haziness

  • Fatigue, sleepiness, sleep problems, and low energy

  • Muscle ache, muscle weakness, stiffness, and tremors

  • Weight gain, low metabolism, coldness, and dry skin

  • Infertility, menstrual problems, decreased libido, and impotence


If you suspect that you have a tyrosine deficiency, you should contact your doctor for a proper investigation and treatment. It may also be a good idea to eat more tyrosine-rich foods or take an L-tyrosine supplement, but only after you have consulted with your doctor.


What are the benefits of taking tyrosine as a dietary supplement?

If you do not have a tyrosine deficiency, you do not necessarily need to take tyrosine as a dietary supplement, but it can still have certain benefits for your health and performance, especially if you are exposed to a lot of stress, lack of sleep, multitasking, or other challenges that demand a lot from your brain.


That was all for today. If you find this interesting and would like to know more, reach out to Martin@clearyourmind.org to get a consultation.


Enjoy your day!

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