Posted by dj on October 14, 1999, at 20:35:17
In reply to Re: What about tyrosine?, posted by dj on October 14, 1999, at 17:59:54
If you take one amino acid on an empty stomach, it may build up to high levels in the blood and brain, causing useful effects. A number of individual amino acids are available in health-food stores. They are not cheap, and I do not recommend taking them unless you can verify that they produce beneficial changes. Here are the ones I have experience with:
L-tryptophan is the metabolic precursor of serotonin, one of the neurotransmitters used by the brain to carry information from one part of the nervous system to another. Serotonin has general sedative effects. In theory, raising the level of L-tryptophan in the brain will cause increased production of serotonin and natural sedation. For that reason this amino acid has become popular as a natural aid to sleep.
I do not recommend using any sleeping aids, natural or not, on a regular basis. A few year sago, doctors linked L-tryptophan to a rare disease, eosinophilic myalgia syndrome, that is very painful and can be fatal. It is likely that the problem was a contaminant in one brand of L-tryptophan from a Japanese company that changed its manufacturing process. Nonetheless, the Food and Drug Administration will not allow the amino acid back on the market. If you have any old bottles of L-tryptophan on hand, throw them out.
By the way, the "L" in L-tryptophan designates the form of the molecule. Amino acids are asymmetrical and so can exist in right-handed and left-handed forms that are mirror images of each other. Chemists call them "D" and "L." The body uses only L-forms to build its proteins.
Phenylalanine, the precursor of norepinephrine and dopamine, both excitatory neurotransmitters, has an opposite effect from tryptophan. L-phenylalanine can be helpful to some people who suffer from depression. D-phenylalanine works differently. It may prevent breakdown of the brain's natural narcotics and so may help some people with chronic pain. People with high blood pressure should be cautious about taking the L-form of this amino acid; it may aggravate that condition. DL-phenylalanine, also known as DLPA, is a mixture of the two forms. It is less likely to raise blood pressure and may be useful as an adjunctive treatment for depression. It is the product I usually recommend. You will find all three forms in most health-food stores.
If you do not have high blood pressure and want to experiment with phenylalanine for relief of depression or for increased energy, try taking 1,000-1,500 milligrams of DLPA on an empty stomach first thing in the morning, again with 100 milligrams of vitamin B-6, 500 milligrams of vitamin C, and a piece of fruit or glass of fruit juice. See if you notice a change in arousal, energy level, or mood.
If you do have high blood pressure, start with 100 milligrams of DLPA and raise the dose gradually over a few weeks as you monitor blood pressure.
L-tyrosine is also a precursor of norepinephrine and dopamine, even closer to them than phenylalanine is. If you do not get results with DLPA, try L-tyrosine in the same way. Be equally cautious about this substance if you have high blood pressure.
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