Stacking L-Tyrosine with 5-HTP for Mood Enhancement

Taking L-Tyrosine and 5-HTP together is a popular mood enhancing stack for individuals looking for a natural way to enhance the mood and better handle stress.

While both of these compounds are naturally synthesized by the human body, deficiencies in either can lead to emotional imbalances both moderate and severe.

By taking a Tyrosine supplement with 5-HTP, mood balance may be restored, along with a host of other powerful cognitive benefits such as increased concentration, memory, and stress management.

As with many natural remedies, combining complementary supplements can sometimes amplify the effects that either compound might have on its own.

This article will discuss how both compounds function in the body, the different effects of L-Tyrosine and 5-HTP, and why these supplements are sometimes combined. We’ll also look into safety issues of the pairing, and the best way to maximize user results.

Tyrosine

Amino Acid

Motivation

Mental Focus

Mood

How It Works:

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

Dosage:

Between 500 - 2000 mg per day

Safety:

Rated Likely Safe

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How L-Tyrosine Boosts Mood

Tyrosine is an amino acid that is used in the brain to facilitate good communication across cell membranes.

It does this throughout the body, but especially in the cerebral cortex, where cells are comprised of as much as 10 percent L-Tyrosine.

This enhanced communication improves the efficiency of mental processing and indirectly contributes to the mood. It does this by making stress triggers easier to manage and respond to.

Next L-Tyrosine is involved in regulating the levels of the catecholamines in the body. Catecholamines are monoamine compounds that act as hormones and neurotransmitters in the body. The three major catecholamines are Dopamine, Epinephrine (Adrenaline), and Norepinephrine (Norardenaline).

This trio is well known as the brain’s primary mechanism for dealing with stressful conditions. The hormones ramp up metabolism in the brain, making it easier to concentrate on tasks, external stimuli, and thoughts.

There are some concerns with L-Tyrosine that it is not able to easily cross the blood brain barrier which makes it an inefficient way to stimulate Dopamine. However, research shows that this is only the case when Tyrosine is consumed with a meal and it has to compete with many other amino acids in the blood to cross this barrier.

When used as a dietary supplement and taken on an empty stomach, absorption and penetration of the blood-brain barrier are improved.

Using 5-HTP for Relaxation

The use of 5-HTP is appearing more and more in popular culture. This supplement has gained popularity as both a hangover cure and as a weapon against withdrawal symptoms from illicit party drugs like MDMA. But nootropic users have been taking 5-HTP for mood enhancement for much longer then its popular new uses.

Tryptophan is an amino acid found in many high protein foods. Tryptophan from the diet is broken down in the body into 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). The 5-HTP travels through the bloodstream, crosses the blood-brain barrier, and is used to make Serotonin in the brain.

Serotonin, the neurotransmitter which crates feeling of contentedness, calm, and gentle euphoria, cannot be supplemented directly, as it cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. But using 5-HTP supplements is thought to create a natural lift in Serotonin levels. Adding L-Tyrosine with 5-HTP supplementation is thought to help to balance levels of all of the main neurochemicals relating to positive mood.

5-HTP

Serotonergic Supplement

Mood

Sleep

Weight Loss

How It Works:

• Increases Serotonin levels in the brain
• Enhances mood and alleviates stress
• Improves sleep and regulates appetite

Dosage:

Between 50 - 250 mg per day

Safety:

Generally Well Tolerated

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Does Taking L-Tyrosine with 5-HTP Boost Benefits?

Taking L-Tyrosine with 5-HTP seems to create a synergistic effect which boosts the natural efficacy of each individual supplement. When L-Tyrosine is paired with 5-HTP (or possibly even its precursor Tryptophan), it is believed that mood lifting effects may be magnified as both Dopamine and Serotonin levels will be increased.

Users of this pairing report overall improvement to mental focus, ability to manage stress, and ability to concentrate. Many users with social anxiety say they take this supplement combination because they feel the increase in mental energy and personal confidence makes it easy to interact with other people or to speak in front of large groups.

Clinical research studies have shown that 5-HTP supplementation may improve symptoms of depression. One study found that 5-HTP has similar effects as fluoxetine (Prozac) in reducing symptoms of depression. Other studies showed similar results when 5-HTP was compared to fluvoxamine (Luvox) and imipramine (Tofranil).

In research L-Tyrosine has been seen to improve cognitive performance and memory under stressful conditions. One study found that cold-induced reductions in cognitive performance were mitigated in patients given L-Tyrosine before a cold-stress test, compared to placebo patients. Another study found similar results when testing memory in cold-stress tested patients; working memory was seen to be improved in Tyrosine patients compared to placebo patients.

Based on the effects seen separately from both L-Tyrosine and 5-HTP, it is hypothesized that combining these two supplements may help people to both enhance their mood and better handle stressful situations.

Many people will use the combination of L-Tyrosine with 5-HTP for depression, as a natural alternative to prescription medication. The pairing is believed to be gentler than prescription drugs like Prozac or Lexapro, and recent studies indicate it may even be more effective, although more research is still needed.

The Natural Medicines database has rated 5-HTP as Possibly Effective for improving symptoms of depression. The database has rated L-Tyrosine as Possibly Effective for improving cognitive performance and memory under stressful conditions, and for increasing alertness following sleep deprivation.

Both 5-HTP and L-Tyrosine are available as dietary supplements only, and the FDA has not approved either compound as a drug to prevent or treat any condition.

Is Supplementing L-Tyrosine with 5-HTP Safe?

Overall, there are very few downsides to pairing L-Tyrosine with 5-HTP. Both natural supplements are well-tolerated by most people. Side effects tend to be minimal with moderate doses, and are typically only seen with high dosages.

5-HTP has been rated as Possibly Safe when taken orally and appropriately by adults. The main side effects of 5-HTP are gastrointestinal, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. L-Tyrosine has also been rated as Possibly Safe when used orally in medicinal amounts, short-term. The main side effects include nausea, headache, fatigue, and heartburn.

Any supplement which boosts Dopamine and Norepinephrine can generate the risk of side effects related to high metabolism. These include rapid heart rate, poor digestion, and migraine headaches. If anything, the addition of 5-HTP’s Serotonin-boosting effects is thought to mitigate and soothe these over-energetic reactions.

Similarly to 5-HTP and L-Tyrosine, many people have also had success combining L-Tyrosine with the glutamic acid L-Theanine. L-Theanine is another natural dietary supplement which is used to boost both Serotonin and GABA levels. Like Serotonin, GABA is inhibitory neurotransmitter associated with mood regulation.

L-Theanine can be used interchangeably with 5-HTP, and is in fact more frequently used in nootropic stack products like Alpha Brain due to its tolerability and efficacy.

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