L-Tyrosine
low Efficacy
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The Big Picture
L-tyrosine is a well tolerated supplement which shows some benefits in chronic stimulant use studies. Some people with ADHD report varying efficacy from negligible to life changing.
In Depth
L-tyrosine is a precursor to L-dopa, which is subsequently turned into dopamine. When your body is under stress, sleep-deprived, working on a difficult task, or even just taking ADHD medication, dopamine is depleted faster than it can be replenished. In these cases, L-tyrosine acts as a buffer, keeping dopamine levels optimal. The significant variation in reported efficacy likely stems from how ADHD works fundamentally; because the different mechanisms of ADHD are not well-understood, L-tyrosine may be very effective for some mechanisms but ineffective for others.
The Science
Evidence on L-tyrosine's interaction with amphetamine and other stimulants is limited to rat studies but is nevertheless still useful to understand.
