L-Tyrosine
L-Tyrosine is a direct precursor to Thyroxine, a primary thyroid hormone, as well as Adrenaline and Nor-adrenaline.
Thyroxine has been found to increase metabolic rate and control growth rate.
L-Tyrosine is a necessary amino acid in the production of neurotransmitters including epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine. L-Tyrosine also appears to have a mild stimulatory effect on the central nervous system.
Patients with a Thyroxine deficiency have symptoms including excess weight gain, cold hands and feet, and decreased basal metabolism. L-Tyrosine has been found to assist in optimising thyroid hormone levels, increased mood, concentration, and productivity.
L-Tyrosine is used to treat conditions including depression or mood disorder, poor coping ability, fatigue, low sex drive, low metabolism, and drug abuse (when combined with Tryptophan). It can also improve endurance under stress and is effective as an appetite suppressant. When taken properly, L-Tyrosine can assist a sluggish thyroid and aid the dieter in losing excess, unwanted pounds.
What does it do? L-tyrosine is a nonessential amino acid (protein building block) that the body synthesizes from phenylalanine, another amino acid. Tyrosine is important to the structure of almost all proteins in the body. It is also the precursor of several neurotransmitters, including L-dopa, dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. L-tyrosine, through its effect on neurotransmitters, may affect several health conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, depression, and other mood disorders. Studies have suggested that tyrosine may help people with depression. Preliminary findings indicate a beneficial effect of tyrosine, along with other amino acids, in people affected by dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
Due to its role as a precursor to norepinephrine and epinephrine (two of the body’s main stress-related hormones) tyrosine may also ease the adverse effects of environmental, psychosocial, and physical stress.
L-tyrosine is converted by skin cells into melanin, the dark pigment that protects against the harmful effects of ultraviolet light. Thyroid hormones, which have a role in almost every process in the body, also contain tyrosine as part of their structure.
People born with the genetic condition phenylketonuria (PKU) are unable to metabolize the amino acid phenylalanine. Mental retardation and other severe disabilities can result. While dietary phenylalanine restriction prevents these problems, it also leads to low tyrosine levels in many (but not all) people with PKU. Tyrosine supplementation may be beneficial in some people with PKU, though the evidence is conflicting.
Where is it found? Dairy products, meats, fish, wheat, oats, and most other protein-containing foods contain tyrosine
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