Best Dopamine Pills for Mood, Motivation & Attention Span

Dopamine pills are supplements or drugs used to increase dopamine levels or activity in the brain. They are not made of dopamine itself, since this neurochemical is not effective when administered orally.

Natural dopamine is synthesized inside the brain – and it cannot cross the blood brain barrier (BBB) if taken in pill form. This means that if you were to take a pill that contained dopamine, it would not have any effects on mood, movement, cognitive function, focus and more.

However, there are other supplements and medications that work by boosting levels of dopamine in the brain or by mimicking some of its effects. By increasing the availability of certain dopamine precursors, it is possible to positively affect mood, mental drive and concentration.

What are the best dopamine-boosting pills to take, how do they work and are they safe? In this article, we will look at the effects of L-DOPA, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine and Mucuna Pruriens supplements.

Dopamine Boosters

Mood Supplements

Mood

Focus

Motivation

How It Works:

• Supports energy & motivation
• Promotes focus & mental clarity
• Improves mood & stress response

Dosage:

Varies depending on supplement

Safety:

Varies depending on supplement

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Dopamine Synthesis

The precursors of dopamine (C8H11NO2) are: L-phenylalanine (C9H11NO2), L-tyrosine (C9H11NO3) and L-DOPA (C9H11NO4).

Many of the most popular dopamine-boosting pills available contain these compounds, or derivatives/combinations of them.

The process of dopamine biosynthesis begins by taking in foods that contain the essential amino acid phenylalanine. Humans cannot synthesize phenylalanine de novo, which means that we have to eat food sources of it.

Some of the best foods for this include lean meats, eggs, green leafy vegetables, chicken and liver.

The L isomer of phenylalanine is then converted to a nonessential, DNA-encoded amino acid called L-tyrosine. This conversion occurs via the actions of an enzyme called phenylalanine hydroxylase; one of a class of aromatic amino acid hydroxylases abbreviated AAAH.

L-tyrosine is then converted to natural L-DOPA via the actions of another aromatic amino acid hydroxylase enzyme called tyrosine hydroxylase.

The L isomer of DOPA serves as a precursor for dopamine and other catecholamine neurotransmitters including norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and epinephrine (adrenaline).

L-DOPA travels across the BBB to be converted into dopamine via an aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase enzyme called dopa decarboxylase.

To recap, the dopamine biosynthesis pathway can be viewed as: L-phenylalanine get converted to L-tyrosine, which gets converted to L-DOPA, which gets converted to Dopamine

Dopamine Pill Ingredients

Even though you cannot take actual dopamine pills to raise levels of this brain chemical, you can use other natural supplements to indirectly increase the synthesis of dopamine in the brain.

L-phenylalanine and L-tyrosine supplements are two of the most commonly used options. Many people are confused about which of these works better for increasing dopamine in the brain.

Both are capable of inducing mood-enhancing effects. Both are able to stimulate/modulate control over catecholamine neurotransmitters like dopamine, but their metabolic pathways are slightly different.

In a safety comparison study, L-tyrosine seemed to offer the better option. L-tyrosine breaks down faster in the blood.

Although this means less actually makes it across the BBB into the brain, there is also less chance for overdose or adverse side effects. In daily doses raging between 500 mg and 5 g, L-tyrosine demonstrates high tolerability and very few side effects.

L-phenylalanine stays in the blood longer than L-tyrosine before breaking down. It is far more likely to reach toxic accumulations than L-tyrosine.

L-phenylalanine is associated with adverse effects including anxiety, panic attacks, sleep disruptions, heart palpitations and poor digestion. It is not recommended as a first choice dopamine-increasing pill.

Another popular option is N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine (NALT), which is a more bio-available form of L-tyrosine. However, there is conflicting research available regarding how much NALT is converted into dopamine after oral administration.

L-DOPA Pills

In medical contexts, you will commonly see medicines that contain L-DOPA used to treat dopamine deficiency, particularly when caused by Parkinson’s disease. The medication Levodopa is the most widely used.

Chemically, Levodopa is the same L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine molecule as L-DOPA. However, L-DOPA and Levodopa are not quite the same.

L-DOPA refers to the natural chemical precursor for dopamine and other monoamine/catecholamine neurotransmitters. It is manufactured in the body.

Levodopa is a synthetic version of L-DOPA, made in laboratories and used primarily as a first-choice treatment for Parkinson’s disease.

Levodopa is a dopamine pill that was introduced in the 1960s. It is absorbed into the circulatory system inside the small intestines, and then travels to the brain to produce dopamine.

Levodopa is almost always administered in combination with Carbidopa; a Levodopa enhancer that enables up to 80% lower doses of Levodopa to be used therapeutically.

L-DOPA Side Effects

Common side effects of Levodopa include nausea and vomiting. Other possible adverse effects of Levodopa include low blood pressure (hypotension), heart arrhythmias, gastrointestinal bleeding, decreased libido (sex drive) and extreme emotional states.

Other possible adverse effects include hallucinations, narcolepsy and decreased capacities for learning.

Using Levodopa chronically for Parkinson’s disease treatment can cause even more serious side effects. Some of these include freezing during movement, tardive dyskinesia (involuntary movement), inability to move with intention, resistance to other dopaminergic drugs and dopamine dysregulation syndrome.

Despite the adverse effects associated with Levodopa dopamine pills, they are still considered to be safer overall than other anti-Parkinson’s agents, like dopamine receptor agonists and anticholinergics. Levodopa drugs are prescription only.

Mucuna Pruriens for Boosting Dopamine

There are natural sources of L-DOPA that can be used as dietary supplements.

Mucuna pruriens is a plant more commonly called velvet beans. It contains roughly 5% natural L-DOPA.

Some users prefer mucuna extract as a dopamine-boosting agent because it works faster than L-Tyrosine. Whereas the conversion of tyrosine to dopamine is rate-limited in the body, the conversion of L-DOPA to dopamine happens much faster.

This means that mucuna pruriens supplements may have a more immediate effect on raising dopamine levels. This is both good and bad: in some cases, it may work better than other natural dopamine sources, but it may also have a heightened risk of side effects.

However, it is generally well tolerated when used appropriately. In one large, double blind study, human subjects were given between 15 and 30 g of M. pruriens daily for between 12 and 20 weeks. Aside from a singular case of vomiting, no adverse effects were noted.

Conclusions

Which is the best dopamine-increasing pill to use? There has been relatively little research on mucuna extract, which is why L-tyrosine and L-phenylalanine are more commonly purchased by supplement users.

L-tyrosine is rated as likely safe when used appropriately in amounts commonly found in the diet. Tyrosine is possibly safe for up to 3 months, without adverse effects, at doses as high as 150 mg daily.

Powdered formulations of Mucuna pruriens are rated as possibly safe, which used orally and appropriately. Hairs from M. pruriens bean pods are rated as possibly unsafe and may cause severe itching, inflammation and/or burning.

Neither L-tyrosine or Mucuna pruriens supplements have been studied enough to determine their safety for pregnant or nursing women. Usage in these groups is not recommended.

Before taking dopamine pills to increase levels of this neurotransmitter, it is best to seek medical advice – particularly if using these supplements for a specific medical condition.

Dopamine boosters can interact with different medicines, herbs and dietary supplements. They may also be contraindicated for use in individuals with pre-existing medical conditions.

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