Dopamine Dosage Guidelines & How to Use Safely

What is the correct dosage of Dopamine Hydrochloride? Dopamine HCL is used for blood pressure in cases of shock, traumatic injury and surgery.

Unlike the neurotransmitter dopamine, this drug is not active in the brain. The dopamine HCL administered intravenously does not cross the blood brain barrier and does not affect mood or cognitive function.

For these applications, dopamine-boosting supplements are used. These supplements contain precursors of the dopamine neurotransmitter that boost levels within the brain.

In this article, we will discuss dosages used for Dopamine Hydrochloride as well as doses used for some popular dopamine-boosting supplements.

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Dopamine Hydrochloride Dosage

Dopamine HCL (hydrochloride) comes in the form of a clear, aqueous solution. It is used intravenously after being diluted. Its scientific name is 3,4 dihydroxyphenethylamine hydrochloride.

Dopamine HCL is classified as an inotropic (modifies muscle contractility) vasopressor (constricts blood vessels) agent. It is useful for improving urine flow, blood flow to vital organs, blood pressure and overall cardiac function.

For treating nonobstructive oliguria in adults, an initial continuous IV infusion dosage of 1 to 5 mcg/kg/min is given. This dosage is then titrated until desired responses are achieved.

In life-threatening situations dopamine HCL dosage rates have exceeded 50 mcg/kg/min without causing serious adverse effects.

For treating pediatric nonobstructive oliguria, initial dopamine HCL dosages of 1 to 20 mcg/kg/min are delivered by continuous IV infusion. Titration to desired responses follows.

Similar dopamine HCL dosages are used to treat shock, heart attack, renal (kidney) failure and trauma.

Dopamine HCL should only be administered by a medical professional.

L-Tyrosine Dosage for Boosting Dopamine

L-tyrosine is a nonessential amino acid found in the diet. It is the natural chemical precursor of L-DOPA, the chemical used to synthesize dopamine.

L-tyrosine crosses the blood brain barrier and is then converted into L-DOPA via the actions of tyrosine hydroxylase. Then, L-DOPA is converted into dopamine by DOPA decarboxylase.

L-tyrosine supplementation is used for improving sociability, coping with stress, alleviating depression and boosting resistance to anxiety. It can also have broad mood enhancement effects.

Most people get enough L-tyrosine sources in the diet to avoid deficiency. However, taking a tyrosine supplement can increased brain dopamine levels, which may have benefits in certain cases.

For mood enhancement, it is commonly recommended to stack L-tyrosine supplements with 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan). 5-HTP is the natural precursor for another important brain chemical called serotonin.

Research has shown that L-tyrosine is safe in daily doses between 200 mg and 5 g. When beginning to use any supplement, it is best to start at the low end of the dosage recommendations. The goal is to find the lowest dosage level that causes desired effects for you.

Some user reviews report noticeable effects with doses between 200 mg and 500 mg taken between one and three times daily. Other people use doses between 1 and 1.5 g, but that dosage level might be too high for some individuals.

L-tyrosine can be taken with or without food. Afternoon/evening use may interfere with sleeping patterns, so many users take tyrosine only in the mornings. Adverse side effects are rare when used appropriately, but may include headache, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and insomnia.

Mucuna Pruriens Dosage

Mucuna pruriens is a natural plant that grows in West Africa. Its seeds have long been used for boosting dopamine levels.

Many people use M. pruriens to help alleviate depression and anxiousness. It is also used for reducing stress and enhancing mental focus.

Mucuna pruriens extracts contain about 5% natural L-DOPA. Unlike dopamine, L-DOPA is able to cross the Blood Brain Barrier. Once inside the brain, it is used to produce natural dopamine.

Mucuna supplements are also used for enhancing libido, increasing testosterone levels and supporting muscle mass gains. In folk medicine, this plant extract has been used as a natural therapy for Parkinson’s disease.

Taking a mucuna supplement may increase dopamine levels more than L-tyrosine by bypassing a rate-limiting factor in the production of dopamine within the brain. This could increase the risk of negative side effects; there is limited research available to rate the safety of this supplement.

The correct dose of mucuna extract to take will depend on the concentration of L-DOPA provided by the specific product you are using.

According to Ray Sahelian, MD, the recommended dose is one 200 mg capsule standardized to 15% L-DOPA, taken once or twice a day. This is an effective dosage of 30 – 60 mg of L-DOPA.

According to Dr. Sahelian, users should not take this supplement every day for long periods of time. Instead, he recommends taking a couple of days off a week to prevent changes in natural dopamine synthesis.

Daily doses in excess of 1 gram of raw mucuna extract are associated with heart palpitations, nausea, perspiration and hypertension (high blood pressure).

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