comfort eating

[NEW] D-Phenylalanine (DPA) powder for boosting endorphins: improve mood, reduce comfort eating and ease pain

May 30, 2025 By Trudy Scott 30 Comments

D-Phenylalanine (DPA) is an amino acid that destroys the enzyme that breaks down endorphins. Endorphins are feel-good chemicals that you experience with an endorphin rush when you go for a run or when someone gives you a big hug, when you show kindness to someone or someone does something nice for you. Taking the amino acid DPA, as a supplement helps to boost your endorphins in order to improve mood, reduce pain and cravings or comfort-eating.

I’ve recommended the Lidtke Endorphigen product (500mg DPA) to my clients and community for many years, and wrote about it in my book and on various blog posts. Because product formulations have shifted and capsules changed, I’ve revised my recommendations over the years. I’ve suggested swallowing a capsule, then suggested chewing the capsule (when the company used gelatin capsules and clients saw quicker results than swallowing the capsule) and then suggested opening the capsule and tipping the contents on to the tongue (when the company switched to vegan capsules).

I then also started recommending Doctor’s Best D-Phenylalanine 500mg as another option and because many in the community didn’t like the taste and texture of the Lidtke product (more on that below). This product has now been discontinued.

The purpose of this blog post is to announce a new product: D-Phenylalanine (DPA) powder and share my current recommendations on the use of DPA for endorphin support. And some examples and feedback (from clients and my personal experiences too) in case you’re new to this amino acid and low endorphins.

Lidtke Endorphigen with 500mg D-phenylalanine (capsules)

Here is the new label for the Lidtke Endorphigen with 500mg D-phenylalanine. As you can see it also contains vitamin B2 and vitamin B6. The latest version now contains arrowroot flour as a filler.

This product has been a firm favorite of mine for many years and the formulation has shifted over the years.

Last year I did a taste difference blog on Lidtke Endorphigen and Doctor’s Best D-phenylalanine – Lidtke Endorphigen vs Doctor’s Best D-phenylalanine: the taste difference and endorphin boosting benefits for mood and cravings

Many of my clients (and myself included) describe the opened DPA (from capsules) as a dark-chocolate bitter like taste that is not unpleasant. However, about half my clients don’t particularly like the taste of DPA and one woman in my community, Ali, was ready to give up on the Lidtke Endorphigen product because of the taste. I suspect it was the B vitamins that she didn’t like.

Oh goodness. If I open the Endorphigen on my tongue, it’s just awful. I might be able to get 1/4 of it but that’s it. And the taste stays there for at least an hour. No sense of chocolate in there for me. Isn’t that interesting that you and others like the taste. I consider myself pretty open to whatever needs to be done but wow, this is almost no way.

I reached out to Lidtke sharing the taste issue and the above blog post, and asked if they would be willing to offer a DPA only product and suggested a powder.

Lidtke appreciated the fact that I shared your taste issues and feedback, and my request for a powder-only product of d-phenyalanine/DPA has come to fruition.

Doctor’s Best D-phenylalanine has been discontinued, so this is great news taste-wise and for a number of other reasons (listed below)!

The brand new Lidtke D-Phenylalanine (DPA) powder

Here is the label for the brand new Lidtke D-Phenylalanine (DPA) powder. As you can see it’s only DPA – no added B vitamins or fillers.

Here are the advantages of DPA in powder form:

A capsule opened on to the tongue offers mood and pain benefits so why not simply use the powder instead
Fewer capsules to swallow
Fewer digestive issues the cellulose of vegan capsules are not tolerated (I’m hearing more and more feedback about this)
Convenient for kids and older adults who may have problems swallowing capsules
A pleasant dark-chocolate like taste with none of bitterness of B vitamins
Hopefully, more affordable than the capsules

My personal experience with DPA

Personally I have used DPA over the years with much success. It’s my go-to amino acid for all kinds of pain – a sprained ankle, a pulled back muscle, a tension headache (and even a headache caused by chocolate) and belly pain during an IBS flare.

I’ve also used it for endorphin support when I have not been able to exercise due to an injury. I immediately notice a subtle mood boost and a reduction in comfort-eating and carb-cravings.

I have the new Endorphigen 500mg DPA product (i.e. the capsules) and it’s helping in the same way as the previous version.

I have yet to try the new DPA (d-phenylalanine) powder myself but will report back as soon as I have had a chance to do so – on the taste, the texture and the effectiveness.

Other DPA feedback from the community

I suspect many folks who already like the Lidtke 500mg Endorphigen and find opening the capsules to be more effective, are going to like the new powder:

“I love using the DPA! I use the Lidke brand. Very helpful in improving mood and anxiety. Open on my tongue. I like the taste!” ~ Lynn
“It’s interesting to read your recommendation to open the capsule … I had just started doing that! (Already using powdered forms of other aminos) Anyone looking thru my trash might wonder what I’m up to. This method really works for me.” ~ Joan

Here are a few blog posts illustrating the use of DPA in multiple sclerosis, weepiness, physical pain, emotional pain and resilience, cravings/emotional eating and even helping to wean off prescription pain medication:

Multiple sclerosis: low endorphin research and the amino acid DPA (d-phenylalanine) for pain, depression, comfort and trauma support “The endogenous opioid system is …well known to play a role in the development of chronic pain and negative affect [i.e. depression], both of which are common comorbidities in MS.”
DPA for weepiness, pain and comfort and reward eating
The individual amino acids glutamine, GABA, tryptophan (or 5-HTP), DPA and tyrosine are powerful for eliminating sugar cravings, often within 5 minutes
When using the amino acid DPA (d-phenylalanine) I have more resilience and more buffer in the caregiving work I do, and just the oops’s of life As I mentioned above, using DPA over these holidays also gave me more resilience and the endorphin boost I needed help with the emotional pain of losing my mom.
Wean off prescription pain medication, improve sleep and reduce emotional eating with DPA (an endorphin-boosting amino acid)

Be sure to use the search feature on the blog to find additional applications of DPA.

Additional resources when you are new to using DPA, tryptophan, GABA, and other amino acids as supplements

As always, I use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low endorphins or low serotonin or low GABA or other neurotransmitter imbalances may be an issue.

If you suspect low levels of any of the neurotransmitters and do not yet have my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings, I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and using amino acids on your own so you are knowledgeable. And be sure to share it with the practitioner/health team you or your loved one is working with.

There is an entire chapter on the amino acids and they are discussed throughout the book in the sections on gut health, gluten, blood sugar control (this is covered in an entire chapter too), sugar cravings, anxiety and mood issues.

The book doesn’t include product names (per the publisher’s request) so this blog, The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements, lists the amino acids that I use with my individual clients and those in my group programs.

If, after reading this blog and my book, you don’t feel comfortable figuring things out on your own (i.e. doing the symptoms questionnaire and respective amino acids trials), a good place to get help is the GABA QuickStart Program (if you have low GABA symptoms). This is a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support.

If you are a practitioner, join us in The Balancing Neurotransmitters: the Fundamentals program. This is also a paid online/virtual program with an opportunity to interact with me and other practitioners who are also using the amino acids.

Wrapping up and your feedback

My current recommendations for endorphin support are as follows:

Lidtke Endorphigen with 500mg D-phenylalanine – capsules swallowed
Lidtke Endorphigen with 500mg D-phenylalanine – capsules opened on to the tongue and held in the mouth 1-2 minutes
Lidtke D-phenylalanine powder – on to the tongue and held in the mouth 1-2 minutes (assuming it works as well as Endorphigen)

Now I’d love to hear from you – how has DPA helped your mood, cravings and pain?

Have you used Lidtke Endorpigen 500mg or Doctor’s Best D-Phenylalanine in the past – capsules swallowed or opened on the tongue? Have you had any issues with the taste or texture?

Are you interested in trying the new Lidtke D-Phenylalanine powder?

If you’re a practitioner do you use DPA with your clients/patients?

Feel free to share and ask your questions below.

I had chemotherapy and have not been able to get off sugar since. How long will it take 5-HTP or tryptophan to stop the cravings?

July 26, 2024 By Trudy Scott 4 Comments

Lauren shared her struggle with sugar cravings that started after chemotherapy, asking her question on a recent tryptophan/DPA cravings blog post:

If I try the tryptophan or the 5-HTP and one or the other works, how long will I need to take them for the sugar cravings to stop?

Back in 2021 I had been off sugar for 2 years and it was easy to get off by slowing eliminating sugar. The last elimination was from my coffee and then it was easy to stay away from sugar.

I had chemotherapy for 6 months in 2022. I have not been able to get off sugar since then. After chemo ended, I had the cravings and don’t know how to end the cravings.

Any advice from you would be appreciated.

The good news is that if you have cravings that are caused by low serotonin and you find your ideal dose of tryptophan or 5-HTP, you will notice reduced sugar cravings immediately and they will be further reduced with consistent use, typically a few times a day.

The key is to figure out if your cravings are caused by low serotonin and then it’s a matter of doing a trial of either tryptophan or 5-HTP (if you get results and other low serotonin symptoms improve it’s a clue you’re on track). And then you need to figure out the ideal dose for your unique needs. I share more about all this below and additional information about other types of cravings caused by neurotransmitter imbalances (and the respective amino acids that help).

Since her cravings struggles started after chemotherapy I also discuss possible impacts on neurotransmitters and also candida (sugar cravings are very common with the candida). Read on for my response to the above question from Lauren.

Sugar cravings caused by low serotonin: tryptophan or 5-HTP may offer immediate results

As I mentioned above you will notice reduced sugar cravings immediately with either tryptophan or 5-HTP if your cravings are caused by low serotonin. A big clue with low serotonin-type sugar or carb cravings is that they are more intense in the late afternoon and evening.

A good place to start (as always) is with the symptoms questionnaire. If there are other low serotonin symptoms such as feeling more anxious, worried, fearful with a low mood and irritability etc, that further confirms it’s worth doing a trial.

Some folks do better with one than the other but I have clients start with tryptophan and then switch to 5-HTP if their results are not as expected. In both instances we open the capsule or use powders or a chewable to get instant feedback on the benefits. So in that first session Lauren should be able to say “wow my cravings have reduced from 10/10 to 5/10” within 5-10 minutes. She may also report she feels more optimistic and less worried.

It is possible that her cravings are not caused by low serotonin or that they are a combination of a number of factors.

Sugar cravings caused by other neurotransmitter imbalances, and other amino acids to the rescue

We also look at sugar cravings caused by low GABA (stress eating because of physical tension), low endorphins (comfort eating or emotional eating), low dopamine (eating for an energy boost or improved focus) and low blood sugar (eating due to crankiness and irritability).

Lauren would know if any of the above may be factors based on her scores on the symptoms questionnaire i.e. scores for cravings and other symptoms. This offers further clarification:

If you eat sugar or carbs to feel happy (and especially from late afternoon into the evening) then your sugar cravings are likely due to low serotonin, and tryptophan (or 5-HTP) stops the cravings and boosts mood and reduces anxiety
If you stress-eat your sugar cravings are likely due to low GABA, and GABA will stop the stress-eating and calm you down
If you are a comfort-eater then it’s likely due to low endorphins and DPA will stop that feeling of “I deserve-it” kind of reward-eating or comfort-eating and also give you a hug-like mood boost
If you eat sugar for an energy boost or to give your focus then it’s likely due to low catecholamines and tyrosine will stop those cravings and give you a mood and energy boost, and help with mental clarity
If you have to eat sugar when you haven’t eaten in awhile it’s likely low blood sugar and glutamine on the tongue stops the sugar desire almost immediately and also helps with the low blood sugar symptoms of shakiness and irritability

As you can see there is an amino acid for each of these imbalances and it’s a matter of doing a similar trial for each one. With the correct dose, Lauren can expect quick results too, provided she finds the ideal dose for her needs.

This is the blog post Lauren posted her question on: Tryptophan and DPA (d-phenylalanine) for cravings and sleep issues (and a concern about 5-HTP and nightmares).

It’s one of many posts on the site about amino acids and sugar cravings so I encourage you to use the search feature of the blog.

Chemotherapy: impacts on serotonin and dopamine

Because chemotherapy has an impact on serotonin and dopamine, this may be where Lauren needs to start when considering which amino acids to trial. Here is some additional information on “chemobrain” or chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment:

… a medical complication of cancer treatment that is characterized by a general decline in cognition affecting visual and verbal memory, attention, complex problem solving skills, and motor function. It is estimated that one-third of patients who undergo chemotherapy treatment will experience cognitive impairment.

Alterations in the release and uptake of dopamine and serotonin, central nervous system neurotransmitters that play important roles in cognition, could potentially contribute to impaired intellectual performance in those impacted by chemobrain.

And this may offer an explanation as to why she hasn’t been able to quit sugar since chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy, candida albicans and sugar cravings

If none of the above approaches reduce her cravings or if they do help to some extent but are not quite enough, we have to keep looking for root causes.

A big clue is that Lauren had been able to quit sugar using willpower in the past but has struggled since chemotherapy. It’s important to consider the role this may be playing. In cancer patients who have gone through chemotherapy there is increased susceptibility to Candida albicans, “a fungal commensal and a major colonizer of the human skin, as well as of the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts.” This is reported to be caused primarily by “chemotherapy-induced depression of innate immune cells and weakened epithelial barriers, which are the body’s first-line defenses against fungal infections.”

Sugar cravings are very common with candida and in some cases can be so severe that no amino acids will work until the candida is addressed. Interestingly, in one candida study, short exposure to serotonin resulted in antifungal activity so it’s possible that tryptophan or 5-HTP helps.

I don’t have my candida symptoms questionnaire on the blog but you can find a mini version on page 93 of my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution and additional information and my dietary/nutrient protocol in chapter 5 of my book.

The full candida questionnaire can be found in William G. Crook’s excellent book, The Yeast Connection and Women’s Health (my Amazon link).

Additional resources when you are new to using amino acids as supplements

As always, I use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low low serotonin or other neurotransmitter imbalances may be an issue.

If, after reading this blog and my book, you don’t feel comfortable figuring things out on your own (i.e. doing the symptoms questionnaire and respective amino acids trials), a good place to get help is the GABA QuickStart Program (if you have low GABA symptoms too). This is a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support.

Wrapping up and your feedback

I appreciate Lauren for posting her question on the blog so I can share and we all can learn.

Now I’d love to hear from you – does any of this resonate with you? If yes, what approach helped reduce your sugar cravings after chemotherapy?

If you’re a practitioner have you seen these approaches work well with your clients/patients?

Feel free to share and ask your questions below.

Tryptophan and DPA (d-phenylalanine) for cravings and sleep issues (and a concern about 5-HTP and nightmares)

June 21, 2024 By Trudy Scott 19 Comments

Thank you for all your work! I saw your talk in the Super Trauma conference and immediately went and read your book. I suspect I am low in all 3 neurotransmitters, and have noticed the biggest difference in supplementing with DPA (d-phenylalanine). I started taking all 3 supplements by swallowing and switched to taking them sublingually after I got used to the idea.

My question is about tryptophan in particular. I struggle with nightmares already so I am a bit wary of trying 5-HTP. I tried taking mid afternoon and before bed but it made me way too tired in the afternoon. Is it okay to just double the dose right before bed? How safe are these amino acids in higher doses? I was also wanting to add an evening dose of DPA to help with cravings. Thanks again!

I get many questions like this on the blog about using either 5-HTP with DPA or tryptophan with DPA together, for helping to improve sleep and ease sugar cravings. So today I’m sharing one of these questions and my insights in case you have a similar question. This will also give you the opportunity to ask questions you may have related to using these amino acids together and gain an understanding on how to tweak the amino acids for optimal results.

Read on for my response to the above question from Amanda. I also share more about 5-HTP and nightmares (and why she may also decide to use this amino acid too), vitamin B6 and nightmares, pyroluria, and how to figure out if your cravings are due to low endorphins or low serotonin (or a combination).

Should she add an evening dose of DPA?

It’s wonderful to hear that DPA is helping with Amanda’s comfort cravings/emotional eating and other low endorphin symptoms. As a reminder these include:

Heightened sensitivity to emotional pain
Heightened sensitivity to physical pain
Crying or tearing up easily
Eating to soothe your mood, or comfort eating
Really, really loving certain foods, behaviors, drugs, or alcohol
Craving a reward or numbing treat
PMS (premenstrual syndrome) or PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) *

(bookmark this symptoms questionnaire because it’s updated as new research is published and has more symptoms listed that what is included in my book)

And in case you’re new to DPA (d-phenylalanine), it is an amino acid that prevents the breakdowns of endorphins so we have more of these feel-good neurotransmitters.

I’m really glad she figured out it’s more effective when opened and used on the tongue rather than swallowing it. I share more about this here – How best to use the amino acid DPA for easing heart-ache, weepiness, comfort eating and a compulsive desire for food. It really can mean the difference between no results and great results.

Amanda asks about adding an evening dose of DPA to help with endorphin-related cravings too and also using tryptophan only at night. Keep in mind that afternoon and evening cravings are typically related to low serotonin and it’s best to trial one amino acid at a time so you know which is working for which symptom. If we were working together, I’d recommend figuring out her serotonin support first and then layering in an extra DPA (or possibly two) at night if it’s still needed.

In case you’re curious, I discussed low serotonin, low endorphins and low GABA in my interview at the Trauma Super Conference so she is also using GABA. Using this one sublingually is key and it helps with easing physical tension and stress eating.

What could her serotonin support look like?

Since tryptophan used mid afternoon and before bed made her way too tired in the afternoon she could consider a lower dose of tryptophan (midafternoon and evening) or could just trial one tryptophan after dinner to help with sleep and reduce after dinner cravings.

For some folks this is enough. If not, after a few days of tracking symptoms, she could increase to one tryptophan after dinner and another at bedtime or two tryptophan at bedtime if her symptoms are not down 2/10 or 3/10.

Her concern about 5-HTP and nightmares

Some folks do better on 5-HTP and some on tryptophan and she is getting results with tryptophan so doesn’t really have to worry about 5-HTP at this stage. However, I do want to address Amanda’s concern about 5-HTP and nightmares, because in the future she may want to consider 5-HTP.

She may find she does in fact need some serotonin support earlier in the day and 5-HTP in the afternoon may be the answer for her i.e. 5-HTP midafternoon and tryptophan in the early evening and/or at bedtime. It’s not unusual that we mix and match these two amino acids.

I’ve not had any clients report nightmares with 5-HTP, so I was surprised to hear this feedback on a Facebook thread, where a number of folks stopped using it for this reason. However, most folks on the same Facebook thread shared that 5-HTP works very well for them and does not cause nightmares. There is also research that supports the use of 5-HTP for night terrors. I suspect it may have to do with low vitamin B6 which we know contributes to poor dream recall and/or nightmares.

I share more about 5-HTP and nightmares here. And vitamin B6 and dream recall here.

I posed this question in the 5-HTP/nightmares blog: “Could it be that folks who get nightmares with 5-HTP, happen to also have pyroluria? Or perhaps they simply have low vitamin B6?” I have all my anxious clients supplement with vitamin B6 and/or P5P and this may be why nightmares with 5-HTP was news to me.

Vitamin B6 for neurotransmitter production and pyroluria

Since she does already struggle with nightmares, I’m not surprised she is concerned. However nightmares are a clue that someone may have low vitamin B6. This is typically picked up when I have clients do the pyroluria questionnaire on the intake form. Addressing low vitamin B6 is also important because it’s a cofactor for making the neurotransmitters and helps with hormone balancing.

I reminded her to read the pyroluria chapter in my book too. It includes the above questionnaire and detailed information on vitamin B6, zinc and evening primrose oil (all needed to address this condition that leads to feelings of being socially anxious).

How safe are these amino acids in higher amounts?

I share the top of the range for dosing all the amino acids in my book. This is typically 1500 mg tryptophan twice a day, 150 mg 5-HTP twice a day and 1500 mg DPA three times a day. Occasionally I have had clients need higher doses. The clue is symptom relief. We start low, monitor symptoms and adjust up as needed, and then down if no additional benefits are observed.

Using extra DPA at night for cravings?

As I mentioned above, I’d recommend figuring out serotonin support first (tryptophan only or a combination of 5-HTP and tryptophan) and then layering in an extra DPA (or possibly two) in the evening if it’s still needed for comfort cravings.

For some folks it’s very easy to identify comfort cravings (low endorphins) from worry/low mood cravings (low serotonin):

If you eat sugar or carbs to feel happy (and especially from late afternoon into the evening) then your sugar cravings are likely due to low serotonin, and tryptophan (or 5-HTP) stops the cravings and boosts mood and reduces anxious feelings
If you are a comfort-eater then it’s likely due to low endorphins and DPA will stop that feeling of “I deserve-it” kind of reward-eating or comfort-eating and also give you a hug-like mood boost

If it’s not easy to figure out the only way to know for sure is to do a trial of tryptophan and then do a trial of DPA and observe before and after feelings and the need to self-medicate with whatever the sugary treat is. Amanda may need one or the other at various times and she may even need both at certain times.

DPA and tryptophan product options

I recommend Lidtke EndorphiGen (which is DPA) and Lidtke Tryptophan 500mg. You can purchase these from my online store (Fullscript – only available to US customers – use this link to set up an account).

If you’re not in the US, these products are available via iherb: Doctor’s Best D-Phenylalanine (or DPA) and Life Extension Tryptophan 500mg (use this link to save 5%).

Additional resources when you are new to using amino acids as supplements

As always, I use the symptoms questionnaire to figure out if low endorphins or low serotonin or other neurotransmitter imbalances may be an issue.

If, after reading this blog and my book, you don’t feel comfortable figuring things out on your own (i.e. doing the symptoms questionnaire and respective amino acids trials), if you need serotonin support, the Serotonin QuickStart Program is a good place to start. This is a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance on using tryptophan and 5-HTP safely, and community support during 5 LIVE Q&A calls. You can sign up to be notified when the next live launch of this program is happening. We take a deep dive into product options including Lidtke products and others if you’re not able to access Lidtke.

Low GABA can also affect sleep and cause stress eating. If you also have low GABA symptoms, the next step to get help is the GABA QuickStart Program. This is also a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support. Another option is the budget-friendly GABA QuickStart Homestudy program.

Wrapping up and your feedback

I’m thrilled Amanda is seeing these benefits with DPA, tryptophan and GABA and is fine-tuning her results even further. I appreciate her asking her questions on the blog so I can share and we all can learn.

Now I’d love to hear from you – does any of this resonate with you? If yes, which combination has worked best for you for emotional eating and sleep issues?

Is 5-HTP or tryptophan better for you and is vitamin B6 part of your supplement list.

If you’re a practitioner have you seen this combination work well with clients/patients?

Feel free to share and ask your questions below.

What is the difference between DPA and DLPA (amino acids) and which one do I use for weepiness, heart-ache, pain and energy?

March 11, 2022 By Trudy Scott 75 Comments

Today we address a very common question I get: “What is the difference between DPA and DLPA?” The follow-up question is this: “And what symptoms do they help with?” These are both amino acids that help to boost certain feel-good neurotransmitters. DPA (d-phenylalanine) supports endorphins, whereas DLPA (dl-phenylalanine) supports both endorphins (to a lesser extent than DPA) and catecholamines (to a lesser extent than tyrosine).

Depending on your imbalances and symptoms, they could help with weepiness, heart-ache, comfort eating, emotional support, pain relief, better focus and energy, and even improved motivation.

I mostly recommend DPA (which I call a-hug-in-a-bottle) and share the reasons why below, but some people do really well with DLPA. It’s a matter of figuring out the best one and dose for your unique needs.

DPA for low endorphin symptoms

DPA (d-phenylalanine) is an amino acid that destroys the enzyme that breaks down endorphins. Endorphins are feel-good chemicals that you experience with an endorphin rush when you go for a run or when someone gives you a big hug, when you show kindness to someone or an individual does something nice for you.

This amino acid is a favorite with so many of my clients and community because it makes them feel so lovely … a warm and fuzzy feeling. I often call it a-hug-in-a-bottle!

Here are the low endorphin symptoms I have my clients rate if they are considering a trial of DPA:

Heightened sensitivity to emotional pain
Heightened sensitivity to physical pain
Crying or tearing up easily
Eating to soothe your mood, or comfort eating
Really, really loving certain foods, behaviors, drugs, or alcohol
Craving a reward or numbing treat

Tyrosine for low catecholamine symptoms

Tyrosine is the amino acid that boosts catecholamines and helps with focus, motivation, energy (especially when you crave carbs for energy) and the blah kind of depression. It’s wonderful for helping you easily quit coffee/caffeine (when you are using it to “self-medicate” due to low catecholamines). It also provides support for the thyroid.

Here are the low catecholamine symptoms I have my clients rate if they are considering a trial of the amino acid tyrosine:

Depression and apathy
Easily bored
Lack of energy
Lack of focus
Lack of drive and low motivation
Attention deficit disorder
Procrastination and indecisiveness
Craving carbs, alcohol, caffeine, or drugs for energy

DLPA for both low endorphin and low catecholamine symptoms

If someone has both low endorphin and low catecholamine symptoms, a trial of DLPA could be considered. DLPA supports both endorphins (to a lesser extent than DPA alone) and also catecholamines (to a lesser extent than tyrosine used alone). You could think of it as doing half and half of each.

Low endorphin symptoms:

Heightened sensitivity to emotional pain
Heightened sensitivity to physical pain
Crying or tearing up easily
Eating to soothe your mood, or comfort eating
Really, really loving certain foods, behaviors, drugs, or alcohol
Craving a reward or numbing treat

And low catecholamine symptoms:

Depression and apathy
Easily bored
Lack of energy
Lack of focus
Lack of drive and low motivation
Attention deficit disorder
Procrastination and indecisiveness
Craving carbs, alcohol, caffeine, or drugs for energy

Why I prefer my clients use DPA and tyrosine, rather than DLPA

Many people do well with DLPA (you can read one example below) but over the years I have streamlined my amino acid recommendations and seldom suggest DLPA. Here are the reasons why I prefer DPA:

DPA is not stimulating and doesn’t affect sleep. However, DLPA can be stimulating for anxious folks (and the majority of my clients have anxiety). For this reason, DLPA can not be used later than 3pm as it can affect sleep and for some folks with really bad sleep issues it can’t be tolerated later than mid-morning (in a similar way to tyrosine).
I like to have clients use DPA alone so we can clearly identify the benefits they are experiencing for their low endorphin symptoms and then use tyrosine alone so we can clearly identify their low catecholamine benefits.
There are no precautions or contraindications with DPA. However, DLPA has the same precautions as tyrosine. This limits using it for endorphin support. These are the precautions:
- Overactive thyroid/Grave’s disease: tyrosine, DLPA (avoid)
- Phenylketonuria (PKU): tyrosine, DLPA (avoid)
- Melanoma: tyrosine, DLPA (avoid)
- High Blood pressure: tyrosine, DLPA (watch)
- Migraine headaches: tyrosine, DLPA (watch)
- Bipolar disorder: tyrosine, DLPA, glutamine (watch)
The women I work with who do have low endorphin symptoms have reported superior benefits from DPA compared to DLPA, especially for emotional pain and emotional eating.
Some folks can’t tolerate tyrosine and these same folks have a hard time with DLPA.

The one disadvantage with DPA is that it’s not as widely and readily available as DLPA. It often needs to be purchased online (I list some brands below).

Here is some feedback from folks to give you an idea how these amino acids have helped them.

As you’ll see, there are some individuals who do well with DLPA so it’s really a matter of looking at the symptoms and doing a trial.

DPA helps Missy with weepiness and a deep heart-ache (and tastes like dark chocolate)

Missy shares how DPA helped her deep heart-ache sort of feeling:

I have found I was using this product incorrectly. If you are feeling fine, you do not feel much of anything from it. But today I was weepy and felt that deep, heart-ache sort of feeling. I chewed 1000 mgs (2 capsules) and it DID help lift that awful feeling within 15 minutes.

Notice that she said if you’re feeling fine you don’t feel much at all. This is true of all the amino acids – they only make a difference when you need them.

Missy said that she chewed the capsule, however around 2019, the gelatin capsule was replaced with a cellulose capsule. It’s much more palatable when it’s opened up into the mouth. I blog more about opening the capsule here.

She also reported what about half my clients say:

Tastes like slightly bitter dark chocolate 🙂

The remainder of my clients don’t like the taste at all, although many say the taste grows on them. I’ve always been in the dark chocolate camp and find it quite pleasant tasting.

DLPA helps Toby with energy and pain relief (he has CFS and fibromyalgia)

Toby has a diagnosis of CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) and fibromyalgia and shared how DLPA helps him:

I’ve played around with (I think) all variations of these aminos and have found unequivocally (in the sense of definite and fast observable changes as opposed to none) that DLPA is the one that works for me. I have wondered what that means. I am male, 45, diagnosed with CFS and fibromyalgia and have speculated that in lay terms the DLPA gives me a bit of energy and pain relief (endorphins). Is that a logical conclusion?

He posted an image of the DLPA product he used and said this:

After putting it on my tongue, very quickly I get an agreeable boost in energy and pain relief. I have not experienced this with DPA or tyrosine.

Based on what I’ve covered above with the symptoms you can see that Toby has made a very logical conclusion. He is getting both endorphin support (the pain relief) and catecholamine support (the energy).

Resources if you are new to using DPA or DLPA as supplements

If you are new to using the amino acids DPA or DLPA as supplements, here is the Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution (you can see the low endorphin and low catecholamine symptoms.)

If you suspect low levels of endorphins and/or low levels of catecholamine and do not yet have my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings, I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and using amino acids on your own so you are knowledgeable. And be sure to share it with the team you or your loved one is working with. Blog posts like this are intended to add value to the chapter on amino acids, which contains detailed information on doses and time of the day for dosing.

The book doesn’t include product names (per the publisher’s request) so this blog, The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements, lists the DPA and DLPA products that I use with my individual clients and those in my group programs.

For DPA I have used the Lidtke Endorphigen product for years and it’s a firm favorite with my clients (and I’ve used it myself).

I recently purchased a bottle of Doctor’s Best D-Phenylalanine to test and it works just as well as the Lidtke product.

If you are a practitioner, join us in The Balancing Neurotransmitters: the Fundamentals program. It’s an opportunity to interact with me and other practitioners who are also using the amino acids.

Do you have any of the low endorphin and/or low catecholamine symptoms and have you seen benefit with DPA, DLPA and/or tyrosine? If yes, please share what benefits.

Has this blog provided clarification on DPA vs DLPA, and will you be changing how you use these amino acids going forward?

If you’re a practitioner please share what you use with clients/patients.

Feel free to ask your questions here too.

Wean off prescription pain medication, improve sleep and reduce emotional eating with DPA (an endorphin-boosting amino acid)

September 3, 2021 By Trudy Scott 19 Comments

A question about using the amino acid DPA (d-phenylalanine) to help wean off prescription pain medication was posted on the blog. She was also hoping it would help ease her pain while she was weaning and improve her poor sleep too. I share my feedback on DPA for weaning, timing of vitamin C, additional information for sleep support and using DPA for emotional eating too. Concerns about oxalates and pain are mentioned and the importance of a comprehensive approach.

Here is the question that was posted:

Hi Trudy, I am trying to get off prescription pain medication and have read that DPA really helps – do you have any knowledge and/or experience with this?

There is a very popular opiate withdrawal support website that recommends DPA 500mg 3x/daily. Since amino acids need to be taken away from food and other amino acids, I feel like it could be very easy to make the DPA go to waste if not taken at exactly the right time every day.

The insomnia is the worst part of opiate withdrawal for me – days can go by with only 20-45 minutes of sleep. I have a little one to care for and the stress of no sleep just makes me want to give up.

No sleep worsens my physical pain as I toss and turn for hours on end. It isn’t a surprise that then causes terrible emotional distress.

One more question…since Vitamin C does help withdrawal does it affect/break down DPA? I take a liposomal version multiple times a day.

Here is my response: Yes, DPA (d-phenylalanine) does help with withdrawal from prescription pain medication and I’ve used it for this purpose with great success with many clients. It does need to be used away from protein and the dosing can vary for each person.

A starting dose of DPA is 500mg and it can be used 3- 4 x day to start, and we increase from there based on the unique need of each person. We typically adjust the DPA up as the prescription medication is tapered very slowly, and under the guidance of the prescribing physician.

I share more about her vitamin C and insomnia questions below.

If you are new to DPA and endorphin support

DPA/d-phenylalanine is an amino acid used as a supplement.

DPA destroys the enzyme that breaks down/inhibits endorphins and in essence raises endorphin levels. Endorphins are feel-good chemicals that you experience with an endorphin rush when you go for a run or when someone gives you a big hug, when you show kindness to someone or an individual does something nice for you.

Taking the amino acid, DPA, as a supplement helps to raise your endorphins and helps when you feel weepy and overly emotional and reduces the need to self-medicate with treats as a reward or for comfort (more on that below). This amino acid is a favorite with so many of my clients and community because it makes them feel so lovely.

In addition to helping with emotional pain, DPA also helps with easing physical pain. And for this reason it can be used to help get off prescription pain medications.

In summary, these are the signs of low endorphins:

Heightened sensitivity to emotional pain
Heightened sensitivity to physical pain
Crying or tearing up easily
Eating to soothe your mood, or comfort eating
Really, really loving certain foods, behaviors, drugs, or alcohol
Craving a reward or numbing treat

DPA and endorphin support for pain: the research

Here is one paper, which discusses how DPA inhibits or breaks down enkephalins (endorphins are closely related compounds) and as a result helps with depression and pain, and acts as an anti-inflammatory: “proven to be beneficial in many human patients with chronic, intractable pain.” The authors also state that a compound such as DPA “may alleviate other conditions associated with decreased endorphin levels such as opiate withdrawal symptoms.”

This paper discusses beta-endorphins and the reward mechanism and how they can induce euphoria, reduce pain and ease addictions and distress: “Long known for its analgesic effect, the opioid beta-endorphin is now shown to induce euphoria, and to have rewarding and reinforcing properties.”

I would love to see DPA used instead of pain meds when possible or used in conjunction with prescription pain medications when they are needed.

I am also very curious to know which opiate withdrawal support website is recommending DPA. I’m so pleased to hear this because it helps so much – for physical pain relief and for weaning off pain medications.

Is DPA the same as DLPA?

DLPA (dl-phenylalanine), although similar sounding, is not the same as DPA and only offers about half as much endorphin support. It also provides dopamine/catecholamine support (i.e. focus, motivation, mood, energy) and this aspect means DLPA has the same precautions as tyrosine. It also means DLPA can affect sleep if used from midafternoon onwards.

I seldom have clients use DLPA and prefer DPA for endorphin support and tyrosine for dopamine/catecholamine support if needed.

Keep in mind, the amino acid DPA, is not the same as the omega-3 fatty acid called docosapentaenoic acid and also abbreviated as DPA.

The brand of DPA that I recommend for my clients

The brand I recommend for my clients is Lidtke Endorphigen. You can read about it and the other supplements I recommend on the supplements blog here.

My recommendation has always been to chew the DPA capsule for the best effects and to get results quickly (in 2-5 minutes). Instead of chewing the whole capsule I now recommend opening the capsule into your mouth. You can read more about using DPA and some client feedback here.

I’ve used Endorphigen personally too and it’s always with me as part of my travel first-aid kit. I write about using DPA, GABA and acupuncture for pain relief after my back injury and I had DPA, GABA and arnica on hand when I sprained my ankle while hiking in Red Rocks.

Benefits include reduction of emotional/comfort eating too

As I mentioned above, with DPA there is the bonus benefit of endorphin support to help end emotional/comfort eating where you are seeking treats as a reward i.e it helps with physical pain and emotional pain.

You may relate to this if you are someone who would say or think “I just LOVE chocolate-chip cookies!” or “PLEEEEASE don’t make me give up my treats, it’s all I have left after I gave up my coffee and wine! I deserve something nice!”

This emotional attachment to sweet treats and reward-eating is very common with low endorphins.

Using vitamin C with the amino acids and watching for oxalate pain adverse effects

She is correct, vitamin C is best used away from the amino acids so as not to reduce the beneficial effects.

I do caution clients to find the right amount of vitamin C as too much can increase pain in individuals with dietary oxalate issues. I write about oxalate crystal disease here and vitamin C and oxalates here. Both can aggravate insomnia too and increase anxiety.

Address low serotonin, low GABA and/or high cortisol for sleep too

With sleep issues we may also look into supporting low serotonin with tryptophan or 5-HTP, and/or low GABA levels with GABA and/or theanine. These amino acids can also help with reducing pain in some instances.

Opioids have an endocrine effect via impacts on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, affecting sex hormones levels and cortisol levels. Endocrine dysfunction can adversely impact sleep and make anxiety worse, and needs to be addressed. GABA and serotonin support can help with some of the sex hormone imbalances and Seriphos helps when cortisol is too high.

A comprehensive approach is key

Of course, a comprehensive approach is key, so it’s important to remove inflammatory foods (gluten, maybe all grains, sugar, caffeine, unhealthy fats etc), add fish oil if omega-3s are low and include anti-inflammatory nutrients such as turmeric.

And we always want to figure out the root cause of the pain and address it. Also, ruling out if dietary oxalates (and vitamin C) are an issue is important and often overlooked.

I’m a big fan of working with a physical therapist and acupuncturist too.

Resources if you are new to using the amino acids as supplements

If you are new to using the amino acids, DPA, tryptophan or GABA, as supplements and want to know more, here is the Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution and a brief overview here, Anxiety and targeted individual amino acid supplements: a summary.

If you suspect low endorphins, low serotonin or low GABA levels and do not yet have my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings, I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and using amino acids so you are knowledgeable.

Can you relate to any of this? Has DPA helped your pain and/or helped you withdraw from prescription pain meds? And did you even know this was an option?

Did it also help you sleep and make you less anxious/worried because of the reduction in pain?

What about less emotional eating when using DPA/Endorphigen?

Feel free to post your questions too.

Tryptophan calms comfort eating, eases self-doubt, reduces uncontrollable late night snacking and results in a lot more peace around food.

March 26, 2021 By Trudy Scott 26 Comments

Zoe shares her life long story about comfort eating, her insecurities and self-doubt in her teens, the comfort-foods that allowed her to “escape” and how addressing low serotonin at 41 years of age led to her feeling a lot more peace around food. The effects of one chewable tryptophan were instant! Here is her story in her own words, some insights from me and possible next steps for Zoe to consider.

Historically I had comfort eaten and felt insecure and had lots of self-doubt. This led to trying alcohol and cocaine in my early 20s, plus I’m a vegetarian so I think I blew through all my natural serotonin by the time I tried tryptophan at 41!

I think [low] serotonin was huge for me and tryptophan helped calm my comfort eating.

My comfort eating started at secondary school, around 14, an escape from my feelings when I got home from school. I would eat mashed potatoes with loads of butter or a Sara Lee Chocolate gateau.

Thinking about it now, I realize I was craving carbohydrates and I would eat till I felt sick. I craved feeling really full and sadly was bulimic for a few years there as a teenager. I think my feelings of not feeling good enough/unloved drove me to comfort eating and not feeling understood. I would eat, be sick then do an exercise video before my parents even got home! It may also have been hormonal as I get PMS. I also have PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome).

Good news is I tried tryptophan last summer and the effects were instant.

I hadn’t read the instructions properly so ate a Lidtke chewable tryptophan tablet with my meal and instantly felt the effect. I stopped eating and feeling hungry instantly. I took the chewables for a couple of months then went onto Lidtke 500mg for another few months.

I do still have a tendency to snack late at night but it’s gone from totally uncontrollable 8 or 9 out of 10 to a 3 or 4 out of 10. I don’t crave food anywhere near as much as I used to and I have a lot more peace around food now.

Thank you for being the one to introduce me to them, you are a super star.

A few thoughts from me

This is a wonderful outcome and I’m thrilled for her transformation! I also appreciate Zoe giving me permission to share here so you can be inspired and have hope!

A few thoughts from me:

PMS/dysphoria is common with low serotonin levels and research shows that tryptophan can help ease symptoms in a few cycles
Low levels of serotonin and endorphins can lead to alcohol consumption and experimenting with drugs as a means of self-medication. This can often be replaced with sugar addiction and cravings which are also a way to self-medicate.
Low serotonin is a factor with bulimia, although it’s typically an under-recognized factor when it comes to eating disorders.

I share where I’d start if we were working together and possible next steps below.

How did she use tryptophan and which products did she use?

Zoe initially used the Lidtke chewable (each one is 100mg) for a few months: ”I used the Lidtke chewable as I don’t need much to feel the effects of aminos!”

Then she switched to the Lidtke 500mg: “I was taking 500mg mixed with banana on an empty stomach every day for about 6 months.”

This amount of tryptophan would be considered low for most folks. 500mg is a typical starting dose often used 1-2 mid-afternoon and 1-2 in the evening.

You may see all her low serotonin symptoms and think she has a lot going on and will likely need large doses of tryptophan for serotonin support. But you never know how much tryptophan will work until you do a trial.

Low endorphins and DPA for eliminating comfort eating

Zoe actually posted much of the above in response to a question I posted on Facebook about eliminating comfort eating and the amino acid called DPA (d-phenylalanine). DPA typically helps the kind of eating where you feel “I deserve this or this is my reward or this is my treat.” Until you address low endorphins with DPA, you may also feel eating these foods are numbing – as in numbing or blocking emotional pain.

She shared “Yes I’ve tried DPLA and it had a very nice effect.” But as you’ve read above, low serotonin was a bigger issue for Zoe and it was the tryptophan that really helped calm her comfort eating.

DLPA or DPA?

I reminded her that DPLA (dl-phenylalanine) is quite different from DPA (d-phenylalanine). DLPA works on boosting low catecholamines (improving low motivation, poor focus and fatigue and stay-in-bed kind of depression) and to a small extent also low endorphins. DPA works purely on boosting low endorphins.

But Zoe did see benefits from DLPA:

DPLA made me feel very content with my life. I felt very happy where I was all of a sudden, instead of feeling the need to chase something better all the time. I’ve never had just straight DPA, I’ve found it hard to find.

It’s not uncommon to see low serotonin and low endorphins in situations like this.

Tryptophan is no longer helping: my feedback and other ideas

Zoe did also share this about the 500mg tryptophan no longer helping like it used to:

The tryptophan doesn’t seem to have the same effect on me anymore sadly but that maybe because I’m ‘topped up’ but I did wonder if I had ruined the quality of my tryptophan by storing it on top of my microwave (so they were heating up).

I’ll try the [Lidtke] Tryptophan Complete this time and hope they work as I do still get a bit of PMS which seemed to go away for a while.

I did hear about mixing it with inositol being a possible solution too?

Here is my feedback on some of this, where I’d start if we were working together and possible next steps:

My favorite DPA product is also made by Lidtke and it’s called Endorphigen. It may help with the last remaining snacking
However, timing wise late-night snacks for carbs tends to be low serotonin. I would try again with Lidtke 500mg (the microwave heat may have been an issue), considering a trial of 1000mg, trialing the Lidtke Tryptophan Complete (as she may be missing the cofactors to make serotonin) and even consider going back to the chewable Lidtke tryptophan which worked so well initially.
I would also look at other factors that may be lowering serotonin levels: has gluten snuck back in or is there any accidental exposure? Has she started consuming collagen and/or gelatin which can lower serotonin in susceptible folks?
I would consider trialing inositol if there is an obsessive tendency to the snacking. It does help with PCOS too.
She had said “I thought GABA would be amazing for me but it wasn’t.” Since GABA helps with PCOS and PMS, I would revisit GABA trials using different forms, higher doses and making sure trials are sublingual. Progesterone or herbs that support progesterone is another option.
I agree with Zoe’s comments about being a vegetarian. Low levels of neurotransmitters are common and we cover the benefits of grass-fed red meat for women in my interview with Dr. Felice Jacka on the first Anxiety Summit. I’d encourage adding some quality animal protein if she’s open to it.
For vegetarians, we often also add a free form amino acid blend with tryptophan, especially if adding animal protein is a no-no.
I would also consider pyroluria (the social anxiety condition) too as PMS is common, pyrolurics are often vegetarians, and the pyroluria protocol provides necessary cofactors for making serotonin. Zinc is often low in vegetarians too.
I would also assess for low iron and low B12 (also often low in vegetarians) and needed for serotonin production; and look into the BCP (birth control pill) or other meds that may be lowering serotonin.
I would have her doctor check thyroid health as low thyroid can reduce the effectiveness of the amino acids

As with everyone, a full functional workup looking at diet, nutritional deficiencies, digestion, all hormones, toxins and infections (and so on) is key to address all possible root causes.

Have you found that tryptophan calmed your comfort eating, reduced your self-doubt and late night carb snacking and led to feelings of peace around food? Did it also reduce PMS and other low serotonin symptoms?

If you’re a practitioner working with women who comfort-eat and have typical low serotonin symptoms, have you found tryptophan to help?

Feel free to post your questions and feedback in the comments below.