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.
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.
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.
Thank you for your work –
Your book is fabulous for my education.
A question if you have time –
Can I use Gaba 25mg and also take DPA ? Would either/or offset the other ?
Thank You,
Ray
Ray
Thanks for the kind words!
If someone has low GABA symptoms and GABA helps and they also have low endorphin symptoms and DPA helps then they are absolutely fine to use together and even at the same time. However, I have clients trial one at a time in order to find the ideal dose and so you know how each one is working
Please do share how GABA helps you and how you arrived at the 25mg dose which, as you know, is considered a low amount.
Hi Trudy,
I certainly found out the difference the hard way. I had used Lidtke Endorphigen for a few years and I think it helped a bit with food cravings. As I am in Australia, I depend on my sister’s visits from US for my supply. When I ran out last year, I bought DLPA by mistake. After 1 week I was unable to cope with life, totally stressed out about everything, wanting to cry or scream or run away. Zero tolerance towards anyone. After 10 days I realised my mistake and I went back to normal in 24 hrs. I believe DLPA resulted in very high dopamine as I already have a very slow COMT gene activity for breaking down dopamine. I now take Endorphigen again but not seeing much effect on sugar cravings this time.
Rhonda
Rhonda
Thanks for sharing – that is quite the reaction but glad you figured it out so quickly. And yes the high dopamine (and norepinephrine and epinephrine – so huge adrenalin rush) related to slow COMT activity could well be the cause.
When Endorphigen (or any of the amino acids) work well initially we continue with trials of higher doses to find the ideal dose. With unresolved cravings we also look at other neurotransmitter imbalances as they can all cause cravings for slightly different reasons: GABA/stress, serotonin/worry or low mood, glutamine/low blood sugar (more here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-individual-amino-acids-glutamine-gaba-tryptophan-or-5-htp-dpa-and-tyrosine-are-powerful-for-eliminating-sugar-cravings-often-within-5-minutes/
We also look into eating for blood sugar control and candida too.
All this is covered extensively in my book – “The Antianxiety Food Solution” https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/
My experience with DLPA is as part of a supplement called Curamin for pain relief from arthritis that also has curcumin and Botswellia. It works quite well in the AM but I can’t tolerate it past noon or it negatively affects my sleep. Interesting to learn it is similar to tyrosine which I have had sleep problems with in the past. Does DPA work as well for pain? Is it best to take amino acids on an empty stomach for best absorption? Does that mean an hour before a meal or two hours after of something different? Thank you for your blogs and book!
Gloria
Thanks for sharing and glad it helps. And good that you have now made the connection to poor sleep when used after noon. This is a popular product that should include this caution and the other precautions for DLPA (as listed in the blog) or best would be to replace DPLA with DPA. One other concern they don’t mention is that curcumin is high oxalate and for some this can make pain worse. Otherwise curcumin and boswellia are excellent.
DPA vs curamin? they work on very different mechanisms so it depends on each person’s needs
Yes amino acids on an empty stomach
Hello Trudy,
Thank you for all the wonderful information you share, I love receiving your emails as I always learn so much.
I am just wondering with Tyrosine for low catecholamine, where do you normally start your patients with dosage?
Laura
You’re welcome. I typically have my adult clients start with 500mg tyrosine 1-3 x day and we go up from there. For very sensitive folks we would use much less and for folks with sleep issues we stick to before noon only. And always between meals.
As I mention in the blog, timing, dosing and other nuances are explained in detail in my book – “The Antianxiety Food Solution” – so be sure to check out the amino acids chapter https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/
Are you already using tyrosine and how is it helping you? What dose is ideal for you and when do you use it?
Thank you so much Trudy .. I learnt so much from your talks and blogs .. you have been a God send and helped me and my family so much. I have been giving my husband DLPA and though he felt amazing .. we didn’t realise it affects sleep.. since reading this email, we realised he needs DPA.. no wonder he hasn’t sleep well for ages.. thank you so much .. understanding now that it was giving him too much energy at night .. wow .. it makes sense. You are truly so caring in your way you teach on this subject .. thank you, God bless you
Jutta
Good to hear he’s been feeling amazing on DLPA – has he had mood, energy and pain benefits? Glad to hear you made the sleep connection. Keep in mind, for some folks keeping DLPA to morning use only is just fine when it comes to sleep disturbance, or DLPA in the monrning and DPA later in the day for the endorphin benefits.
You are very welcome!
Hi Trudy, I have had insomnia for nearly 2.5 years since weaning off of three depression medications. I have tried everything – seven sleep medications, saw four sleep MDs, sleep restriction, gaba, 5-htp, l-trytophan plus every supplement that should help and many that aren’t so known for insomnia.
My best guess is it is caused generalized anxiety disorder. Any chance DPA could help? Any thoughts?
Gary
I always start with addressing low serotonin with tryptophan (or 5-HTP) and low GABA with GABA as this can help with insomnia and anxiety. I always want to make sure these have been used properly i.e. quality products, used sublingually, increased to find the ideal dose. We may also add melatonin – sublingual and/or time-released based on type of insomnia.
I have yet to see an application for DPA for insomnia and anxiety.
We also look at high cortisol, SIBO, parasites, blood sugar balance, gluten/sugar/caffeine consumption (and other dietary factors like histamine/glutamates/oxalates and collagen consumption etc), meds side-effects (3 prior depression medications can have residual ongoing effects), sex hormone imbalances, sleep apnea, and EMFs when someone has insomnia.
My book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” is a great place to start on the foundations. More here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/
Thanks! I bought a bottle of l-phenylalanine from NOW. I started with 500 mg in the am to see if I notice anything. I want to start slowly.
I did not do well with l-tryptophan nor 5-htp. Didn’t help with sleep or depression. I felt like both made the depression worse.
Same with GABA. I did try opening a Thorne Pharma Gaba the past couple of nights. It may have helped the first night, not at all last night. They are 100 mg.
Gary
Do keep us posted how you do. Keep in mind. L-phenylalanine supports the catecholamines in a similar way that tyrosine does.
When someone has low serotonin symptoms and tryptophan or 5-HTP don’t help with sleep or depression, and made it worse, I’d wonder if too much was used. And explore other causes of insomnia like high cortisol etc
Hello Trudy, I’ve already asked question about the DPA making me a bit sad, I’ve tried to lower the dose, but now when I even take 1/3 of 1 capsule, I feel the brain/body reacts similarly with the endorphins, but very soon I start to feel agitated and snappy/even like aggresivnes. Is there some way how to reduce the side effects and still enjoy the effect of slowing down the breaking down enzyme of endorphins?
I was thinking if it is not because of the high phenylalaline – found in one article that it can have these side effects. So maybe is there a way how to lower the phenylalaline in plasma/brain but use the slowing down the breaking enzymes? I dont know what to do…I felt really great with DPA, my life improved drastically to the better and now I cant take it :/
I’ve purchased your book but I think I need some more information how to balance the neutrotransmitters as a whole system, as probably it is not only about only endorphins or clearly I am missing something. But I don’t get it what happened, that it went from feeling great and optimistic to snappiness and short temper. I had to discontinue using it :/ Can you please help or advice what could I try?
Thank you very much
Hi Frankisek.. maybe you need tryptophan, I use 5HTP and it lifts my mood – I take one in the morning with Tyrosine and one 5HTP at night – it calms my busy mind and helps me sleep. My night routine I use GABA , 5 HTP , sleep ease, melatonin- this helps my insomnia yet my husband doesn’t take 5HTP as it makes him irritated yet for me I feel amazing on it. My husband is better on DPA and GABA and sleep ease and melatonin – he has family history of Parkinson’s so it seems like he needs the dopamine the DPA gives .. I have learnt these things from Trudy but best hear her response to your Enquiry. Kind Regards Jutta
Jutta
Thanks for sharing and good to hear what works for you and your husband. I wonder if you mean DLPA for the dopamine support (DPA only offers endorphin support)?
Thank you for the answer Jutta. I have tried it along with the 5HTP, but then I feel no effect from DPA, very strange. Kind regards, Frantisek
Trudy please do you have any ideas how to decrease the side effects of DPA please? I think some part of the DPA incease also phenylalaline? Thank you
Frantisek
Please share link to the article you referred to in your other comment
Frantisek
This is not something I’ve heard of with DPA even at high doses: “”agitated and snappy/even like aggressiveness”
Please share the link to the article and the brand of DPA being used, and dosing
I am using DPA from Doctor’s Best.
I have also EMF sensitivity :/ I guess it is all somehow connected. I feel relief and better with DPA, I tried even L-Tryptophan, Gaba, Tyrosine, DLPA…and I felt some effect almost from every amino acid, but only for a while and then it felt worse or no effect at all. But with the DPA I felt really awesome and in positive outlooking mood. So that is why I would like to find the solution for that. I recently ordered balanced amino acid complex that Julia recommends in her book, so we will see, but don’t know what else to try. I can’t find the link, it was probably on Reddit.com so it can be true, but also a misinformation…but i’ve read there that people who are snappy/aggresive should avoid phenylalaline…But the thing is I am not snappy/aggresive at all usually, I am more fighting with sad moods and DPA resolved that pretty quickly, until the point where I felt the body had too much and it made me snappy…but these side effects endure even after I took a break and try really small mini doses…
Thank you
Regards
Frantisek
also the dosing was 3x 500mg daily…morning, afternoon and evening