Benefits, Side Effects, Dosage & More

The body naturally produces tyrosine from another amino acid called phenylalanine.

Tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid. This means that a person’s body makes enough of it that they don’t need to get it from their diet.

According to National Library of Medicine (NLM)L-tyrosine helps the body produce certain proteins, enzymes, and muscle tissue.

It can also help the body produce the hormones dopamine and norepinephrine. These hormones can affect a person’s brain chemistry, which can improve their mood and help fight symptoms of depression.

Tyrosine can also help improve memory and increase a person’s mental alertness.

L-tyrosine is a form of tyrosine. According to the NLM, people can use L-tyrosine supplements to:

A study 2016 found that L-tyrosine may also be beneficial for the treatment of depression. However, the researchers conducted the study on animals. They also stated that the antidepressant properties of L-tyrosine require further research.

Some people believe that tyrosine is an effective treatment for ADHD.

This may be due to studies showing that tyrosine supplementation can help improve cognitive function and memory.

Despite this, there is little evidence to support L-tyrosine supplementation as an effective ADHD treatment.

In children

Some experts believed that low levels of tyrosine in the body could be linked to ADHD. This theory supported the use of L-tyrosine as a possible treatment for ADHD in children.

However, a study 2016 revealed that children with ADHD had normal levels of tyrosine and other amino acids in their blood.

The study concluded that children should not be given amino acid supplements to treat their ADHD symptoms.

Another one 2011 study showed positive results when treating children with ADHD with amino acid supplements. However, the editor and publisher of Neuropsychiatric illness and treatment withdrew the document and retracted the results.

He stated that this has concerns about the alleged “competing interests” of some of the authors and the amount of information they provided about methodology, study data, and ethical approval.

More research is needed to determine if L-tyrosine is an effective treatment for ADHD in children.

In adults

There is no evidence that L-tyrosine supplementation is an effective treatment for ADHD in adults.

More research is needed to determine if L-tyrosine is an effective treatment for adults with ADHD.

Memory

A 2015 review of 15 studies have shown that tyrosine supplementation may help improve memory. The review showed that tyrosine was beneficial for people under demanding situational conditions such as extreme weather conditions or cognitive load.

However, this study did not include participants who had been diagnosed with ADHD.

Cognitive function

A 2015 study showed that tyrosine supplementation helped improve short-term cognitive function in stressful or demanding situations. However, it should be noted that the participants in this study were not diagnosed with ADHD.

Another one 2015 study reported that tyrosine supplementation helped improve cognitive flexibility in high cognitive demand situations. But again, this study did not involve participants with an ADHD diagnosis.

More research is needed to determine the effectiveness of L-tyrosine in improving cognitive function in people with ADHD.

There are no specific studies on the effects of L-tyrosine on ADHD medications. A person should always consult their doctor before combining L-tyrosine medications with their standard ADHD medication.

L-tyrosine may interact with other medications.

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)

A person should avoid taking L-tyrosine supplements if they are taking MAOIs. People can use MAOIs to treat depression.

When tyrosine degrades, it causes the production of the amino acid tyramine. Tyramine plays a role in regulating blood pressure.

A articles from 2014 proposed that MAOIs may interact with tyramine and cause high blood pressure. However, this article was retracted in 2021 and may not be reliable.

It is not known whether L-tyrosine supplements cause tyramine buildup in the body. More research is needed to understand if L-tyrosine supplements can interact with MAOIs.

A person should always speak with a doctor before using new supplements with their existing medications.

Thyroid medications

If a person is taking thyroid medication, they may wish to avoid taking L-tyrosine.

The body uses tyrosine to make thyroid hormones. The problem is that supplementing L-tyrosine with thyroid medications could lead to too much thyroid hormone.

However, more recent research is needed to investigate this issue. Again, a person should always consult a doctor before using new supplements alongside existing medications.

There are several possible treatments for ADHD.

Behavioral therapy

Behavioral therapy can be a effective treatment for ADHD. It’s about helping a person change their behavior to help them deal with some of the symptoms of ADHD.

This may involve:

• help a person organize tasks or complete schoolwork
• help a person through emotionally difficult events
• help a person learn to monitor their own behavior

Behavioral therapy can teach people to praise or reward themselves for acting in the desired way. A person can also learn to control their anger or to think before they act.

Therapists can also help teach a child with ADHD certain social skills, such as taking turns, sharing, and asking for help.

Learn more about behavioral therapy for ADHD.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)

CBT is a type of therapy that can help someone with ADHD find new ways to behave by changing their thought patterns.

The fundamentals of CBT point out that:

1. Wrong or unnecessary ways of thinking can contribute to psychological problems.
2. Learned patterns of unhelpful behavior can make psychological problems worse.
3. By learning to cope with psychological issues, a person can relieve their symptoms.

CBT can help someone with ADHD learn to be aware of their thoughts and feelings. This can help them improve their focus and concentration.

A therapist can also help the person adjust to the life changes that come with treatment, including thinking before you act and resisting the urge to take unnecessary risks.

Medications

Medications can help children manage their ADHD symptoms. These medications can help individuals control certain behaviors that may cause difficulties with family, friends, and school.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stimulants are the most common medication for ADHD. These medications can help a person with ADHD improve their focus and concentration.

Stimulants work by increasing the amounts of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. These chemicals play a vital role in thinking and paying attention.

Stimulants are fast-acting drugs. When taking stimulants, between 70 and 80 percent of children with ADHD experience fewer ADHD symptoms, according to the CDC.

Another type of medication a person with ADHD may use are non-stimulants. These drugs do not work as quickly as stimulants, but their effect can last up to 24 hours.

These drugs can affect people differently. According to the CDC, they can cause some side effects, including:

A healthcare professional may wish to monitor how a person is responding to the medication. They can help a person manage any side effects that occur.

Learn more

Learn more about medications for ADHD.

This section answers some common questions about L-tyrosine.

Does L-tyrosine deplete dopamine?

L-tyrosine does not deplete dopamine levels in the brain. L-tyrosine actually increase dopamine levels in the brain.

Does L-tyrosine help with concentration?

Some studies show that tyrosine can effectively help improve a person’s cognitive function. If the supplement can improve cognitive function, it can help improve a person’s ability to concentrate.

However, more research is needed to determine if L-tyrosine can effectively improve a person’s ability to concentrate.

How much L-tyrosine should I take for ADHD?

No evidence supports the use of L-tyrosine to treat ADHD in adults or children. More research is needed to determine if it is an effective treatment for the disease.

L-tyrosine is a form of the amino acid tyrosine. Tyrosine may play a role in the production of proteins, enzymes and muscle tissue.

It can also help the body produce the hormones dopamine and norepinephrine. These hormones play a role in affecting a person’s brain chemistry. Some people use tyrosine supplements to treat stress, narcolepsy, chronic fatigue, and depression.

Some people suggest that tyrosine supplements can treat ADHD symptoms. However, no research supports tyrosine supplementation for reducing ADHD symptoms.

A person should consult their doctor before using L-tyrosine supplements to treat ADHD.