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Tyrosine for focus, motivation, energy, a good mood and possibly even anxiety

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Today I’m reviewing tyrosine, 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 and surprising as it sounds, it may even ease some types of anxiety.

I’m also sharing some additional resources for you on tyrosine.

Tyrosine helps with energy, gives someone else migraines – look at precautions

Here is some feedback from my recent facebook post about tyrosine

  • Lorraine shared:

It really helped me have energy and endurance to be able to work out again! I went from not being able to even handle 20 minutes of weight lifting to doing regular 30 minute sessions and feeling energised and strong instead of depleted and exhausted.

  • Fay shared that it gives her a migraine. Migraines are one of contraindications with tyrosine if you are prone to them or have a history of migraines (and Fay does a history). This doesn’t mean you can’t ever benefit from tyrosine. With clients with migraine history we just start low, having them open a 500mg capsule and use just 50-100mg to start and then increase if they can.
  • Aaron Mello, Master Nutrition Therapist and founder of MoodFood Clinic, a practice that focuses on men’s mental health, loves using tyrosine with his clients and prefers it over phenylalanine because of the PKU contraindication. I agree and prefer tyrosine although I’ve only ever had one client with PKU. Aaron also mentioned that he also likes a combination product like Designs for Health DopaBoost: “I like that it has P5P and the mucuna is a natural source of L-dopa in addition to the tyrosine.” I do prefer standalone amino acids to start with (so just using tyrosine alone) but do also like the combinations in DopaBoost.

With all the amino acids, it’s important to be aware of the precautions. I mentioned PKU above. Here are other situations when tyrosine cannot be used: melanoma and Grave’s disease/overactive thyroid.

As with migraines, tyrosine does need to be watched with high blood pressure and bipolar disorder i.e. it may be tolerated and may not be tolerated. A trial will help you figure this out.

I personally can’t use either mucuna or tyrosine in large quantities but can tolerate the small amount in the Source Naturals GABA Calm product. The same tyrosine precautions do need to be considered when using GABA Calm for the low GABA type of anxiety.

Focus issues and ADHD – tyrosine or GABA?

Anxiety can often show up as focus issues or ADHD, especially in children who may not be able to articulate that they are anxious. Jenny is a mom in my facebook community and a friend of hers recommended GABA for her daughter after reading some of my posts. She shared this wonderful feedback:

My daughter hasn’t been diagnosed with ADHD but has a lot of ADHD qualities. We were having a huge amount of behavior problems as she is getting older (she’s 11). I did some research and went to the health food store and bought a bottle [of GABA Calm]. At this point I was mentally exhausted from all the fighting and drama at home and at school. I was desperate and didn’t want to put her on any hard medication.

She has had amazing behavior at school and at home since giving it to her. She’s almost like different child. GABA has truly changed our life. She’s been taking it for almost 2 months.

Anxiety and ADHD – where to start?

I recently received a great question from someone who heard my interview on the migraine summit:

I have a whole lot of overlap here. I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD with have anxiety issues. I also have a gluten sensitivity and migraines. Luckily, since I meditate daily, my migraines only occur every other month or so but usually involve weather changes.

It’s not uncommon to have overlaps and often addressing a few factors helps all issues. It sounds like she is gluten-free which is one common underlying factor in ADHD, migraines and anxiety. If someone is coming to see me for their anxiety we’ll work on that first – using GABA or tryptophan first – because tyrosine can help with ADHD but can make someone more anxious. We calm them first and then look at improving focus issues. With ADHD and anxiety, I also consider low blood sugar and making sure animal protein is being consumed at breakfast, and also check for low zinc and low iron (for starters).

GABA didn’t help her anxiety but tyrosine did

Everyone is different so using the trial method is the best way to figure out what you need. One of my past clients who had terrible anxiety, trialed both GABA and tryptophan and while she did get some benefits with both it just wasn’t enough.

She was sleeping better but still felt so stressed and anxious when preparing for an important meeting at work. The anxiety also seemed to get worse during the meeting which she was in charge of running. She did score high on the low catecholamines section on the amino acid questionnaire but were working on the anxiety before addressing poor focus and low motivation. It turned out that her anxiety escalated around her work meetings because of her lack of focus and low motivation – she was pushing herself to get through them. Once she added tyrosine her anxiety was under control. In this instance tyrosine actually helped ease the anxiety because he ADHD and motivation and drive improved!

Using tyrosine

Here is one tyrosine product I use (there are many others on the market)

Progressive Labs tyrosine 500mg: 500mg l-tyrosine.  As I mentioned this is the last amino acid I trial with my anxious clients because it can make you more anxious (although as I mentioned above, with one client, it reduced her anxiety because she was able to focus better at work).

As with all the amino acids, when using tyrosine:

  • Start low (500mg is a typical starting dose) and increase as needed.
  • Do a trial to determine if the ADHD, fatigue, depression, low motivation is due to low catecholamines. I always do this with clients before starting any amino acid. Be sure to read how to do an amino acid trial. It has the amino acid questionnaire, the precautions and information on how to use targeted individual amino acids.
  • Take between meals and away from protein for the best effects

Tyrosine should never be used after 3pm as it’s too stimulating when used after this time. For my clients with sleep issues we go slow and stop after the mid-morning dose until we determine if sleep is being affected.

This blog post is part of the series of amino acid product reviews:

The resources in this blog and my other articles are intended to be used in conjunction with my book: The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings. If you do not have my book I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and taking the amino acid supplements.

There is a complete chapter on the amino acids and one for pyroluria, plus information on real whole food, sugar and blood sugar, gluten, digestion and much more.

You can find the tyrosine product I recommend on this blog: The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements

 

For today’s tyrosine review:

  • What about your success stories with tyrosine? how has it helped you?
  • Or has it been an issue for you?
  • As I mentioned above it’s the last amino acid I used with my anxious clients because it can make you more anxious but it may just help your anxiety

If you have questions or feedback please post them below or on the supplements blog

Additional Anxiety Resources
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Good to know about Tyrosine. I tried GABA and had the adverse effect..a full blown panic attack! Can you speak to this reaction? I am too afraid to try it again. I will try Tyrosine. Thanks for doing the review on it.

    Reply

    • Lauren
      Too much of any amino acid can cause adverse effects – with too much GABA some people can feel more anxious and sometimes have a panic attack. I do a trial with all my clients and we typically start on 125mg GABA and even less if they are very sensitive (sometimes as little as a pinch). With adverse effects I’d also always consider the quality of the product, other ingredients (nutrients or fillers), and check if it was a GABA-only and not phenibut. A past history or current use of benzodiazepines can sometimes be a factor with some individuals.

      Reply

  2. Thanks for such an informative article Trudy. I have been having problems with low thyroid, brain fog, pulse 49 and low morning temperature but wanted to optimise my nutrition before thinking about taking thyroxine. I never have headaches let alone migraine so thought I would be fine taking tyrosine but I felt like I had been kicked in the back of the head by a horse! Had a lovely warm energetic feeling and parasthesia disappeared but had to stop after 4 days due to the constant headache. I eat plenty of protein and have started taking Ashwaganda now but parasthesia came back after a just two days. My insomnia has been worse since I trialled Tyrosine. Should I try a lower dose or a different product?

    Reply

  3. Hi Trudy, thanks for sharing this about L-Tyrosine. I started with 500 mg today and felt more energetic and motivated but in the afternoon I became too sleepy. Is that something common? For your information I slept 8h so that’s not the problem.

    Freddy

    Reply

  4. Hi, and thank you for your website and all this great information!! I just found you this morning, and I’m so grateful for more info. I’m trying to find the right supplements/blends/levels for me (I score fairly high in all of the categories), so all the detail you’re providing is invaluable. I think I will back up and do a trial as you suggest. Specific to this article: when I’ve tried tyrosine (both a few years ago and again recently), I seem to feel no effects whatsoever, regardless of the dose (I’ve tried 500mg and 1500mg). Is this likely because of my low thyroid function? I have been on 1 gram of Nature-throid for the past couple of years; I wasn’t yet on it the first time I tried tyrosine, so I was hoping this time would be different, but no luck. Is there an alternative? Or should I just concentrate on the other categories first?

    Reply

    • Carole
      The amino acids sometimes don’t work as we’d expect when there is low thyroid. Trialing other aminos per the questionnaire is often our clue

      Reply

  5. Hi Trudy, I noticed that some tyrosine products have a warning against using it if one has a thyroid condition. This seems to contradict your opinion in this article? I did some research and this lead to finding this article https://www.alternativementalhealth.com/the-connection-between-aspartame-artificial-sweetener-and-panic-attacks-depression-bipolar-disorder-memory-problems-and-other-mental-symptoms/ which states “The amino acid tyrosine, derived from phenylalanine, reduces the amount of tryptophan that can cross the blood-brain barrier for utilization in serotonin production.” Is this article’s information out of date? – a possibility with all the excellent progress that is being made on a daily basis in modern medical research and webpages are seldom updated.

    Reply

  6. Hi Trudy,

    I thought I read somewhere from you that arm tingling might be a side effect of one of the amino acids you recommend and if you experience to discontinue. I have re-read your book, and looked online and I can’t find it! Is this me just freaking out over nothing? It’s a pretty slight tingling sensation down my left arm (almost like just raised hairs). I never noticed it before I started taking amino acids. I started with GABA sublingual, Tryptophan (500 mg), then Tyrosine. I didn’t notice it until around the time I started the Tyrosine.

    Also, is there a listing certified nutritionists you could recommend? I was sad to see you weren’t at this time.

    If your home course on amino acids would answer the above question about side effects, I’m happy to be referred to that. I’ve been considering doing that, but felt the book was already so helpful I might not need it. I’m wondering what the benefits of the course are if you’ve read the book already.

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Hi AD
      Too much vitamin B6 can cause tingling /peripheral neuropathy (covered in the pyroluria chapter). If one of the amino acids are causing an adverse effect we stop so we can figure out which one is the issue. Removing the last one added is usually a good approach.

      I think you have it covered with the book – the home course is really for folks who need the accountability to and support while trialing the amino acids.

      I don’t have a list of nutritionists doing this work but hope to change this once I launch The Anxiety Nutrition Institute and do some training.

      Reply

  7. My daughter (mid-30s) has recently been told she has ADHD, after years of struggling with anxiety, depression, mood swings, lack of energy, lack of motivation, weight problems, etc. It sounds as if tyrosine would be good for her (though recently she has been having migraines as a result of sleep deprivation caused by working hours and chronic stress). What I have read seems to suggest that Vitamin C might interfere with this but other sources recommend high doses of Vitamin C. Am I misunderstanding what you are saying?

    Reply

    • Rosemary
      Vitamin C should not be taken at the same time as an amino acid like tyrosine. Otherwise it’s also something I recommend. Doing the questionnaire and a trial of each amino acid, watching for migraines, is the approach I’d take.

      Reply

      • Thank you for that but could you possibly explain why? I had read that Vitamin C was necessary to maximise the metabolising of tryosine?

      • Rosemary
        I recommend vitamin C with meals for this reason – just not at the same time as taking tyrosine which is taken away from protein

  9. Tyrosine for anxiety has done wonders for me! I have tried GABA and Tryptophan. The GABA seemed to take the edge off a little when panic attacks occurred but wasn’t keeping anxiety from occurring.

    I have been under tremendous pressure at work. The internal stress has been overwhelming! I haven’t been able to remember anything, even things I’ve done for years! I am in the process of learning new software at work. In the very first class my mind just went blank. The more I tried to focus the more stressed I became. All I could do was sit and stare at my screen while the rest of the class moved forward. In short order I developed a migraine and panic. The internal pressure felt as if someone was wringing out my brain like one would do to a wash rag! I had to leave the class earlier. From this point on I was struggling to even do my job as I have done the last few years. Every time I tried to think I’d immediately become overwhelmed and shut down. I felt like crying most of the time from the sheer force of the internal pressure ( this is embarrassing to admit as I’m someone with a competitive career in MMA). This stress just completely shut down my ability to learn and problem solve.

    So, I decided to start some tyrosine. I was hesitant because I have heard it can cause panic attacks and I definitely don’t need more of those! I bought some powder and took 400mg on an empty stomach about 30 minutes before BF. WOW!!! Within an hour the stress just melted away! I wasn’t stressed on my way to work either which normally I am. I was able to sit down and think thru my problems without feeling overwhelmed at all. Also, I was communicating with people much more easily. I noticed better eye-contact. I seemed less concerned of anyone’s opinions too. I take another 400mg 30 minutes before lunch. I simply cannot believe how much better I am doing! Just a few weeks prior I was telling my wife that I may need to start thinking about starting the process for disiabilty because I simplycould not function well enough to do my job.

    It’s still early in this experiment but I am hopeful for once. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING has worked so well so fast for me than tyrosine. It’s the closest thing to a miracle I’ve ever experienced. A night and day experience!

    Reply

    • I’d also add that the stress from the anxiety was so bad I felt like I had the flu for a few weeks. This also has dissipated since starting the tyrosine.

      Reply

    • MSH
      Thank you for sharing your story and results with tyrosine. I’m so pleased to hear about your “miracle” and am so glad you’re doing so much better!

      I still stand by my advice to start with GABA and tryptophan before tyrosine because tyrosine is too stimulating for many and can increase anxiety and insomnia BUT clearly GABA and tryptophan were not what you needed. This goes to biochemically individuality and how we all have our own unique needs.

      I’ve had one client with very similar results with tyrosine so I expect there may be others who could benefit too and I’d love to share your story via a blog post if I may?

      I would love to hear what your low GABA and low serotonin symptoms were before trialing GABA and tryptophan and what benefits you did see – you say “GABA seemed to take the edge off a little when panic attacks occurred but wasn’t keeping anxiety from occurring.” Anything else? And which of these symptoms the tyrosine helped?

      And what the symptoms were on the low catecholamines section before and after?

      Reply

    • I have had similar results. Have you had your thyroid function checked? I think tyrosine helps with T3. That could be why it’s working so well for you.

      Reply

  10. Hi,
    I am having good and bad experience with tyrosine at the same time. I feel it helps a lot with the apathy and low motivation; however, I noticed relevant mood swings associated to it. I become less patient a bit grumpy and maybe angry when I am on tyrosine, even my wife noticed that. When I suspend the use the grumpiness goes away but the terrible apathy comes back.
    I have never been diagnosed with bipolar disorder but struggle with pyroluria/adrenal fatigue which are controlled with zinc and B6 supplements.
    Is there any other supplements that could help with apathy without the mood swings as side effect?

    Reply

    • I take L-tyrosine daily and have never noticed what you are describing. You might want to try a smaller dose or as I mentioned previously get your thyroid function checked.

      Reply

    • DS
      When this happens to a client we adjust the tyrosine dose either up or down, and/or we support serotonin with tryptophan or 5-HTP (based on low serotonin symptoms and doing a trail) and/or we add lithium orotate to help keep the mood more even. We may even consider DPA for low endoprhins/apathy

      Reply

      • Hi Trudy,
        Thanks a lot for your response.
        I will have a chat with my therapist to see how we can adjust the supplements for better results. Good to know that lithium ororate can be helpful.

        DS

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