| Tyrosine | ||||||||
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- Why tyrosine is good for you
- Important tyrosine facts
- Groups at risk of tyrosine deficiency
- Symptoms of tyrosine deficiency
- Tyrosine and health
- Tyrosine in foods
- Tyrosine recommended daily intake (RDI)
- Tyrosine works best with
- Overdosage, toxicity and cautions for tyrosine
Tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid which is helpful in the proper functioning of the thyroid, pituitary and adrenal glands. It also assists in reducing body fat and suppressing the appetite and ensuring healthy production of skin and hair pigment.
Tyrosine is also used for stress reduction and may be beneficial in narcolepsy, fatigue, anxiety, depression, allergies, headaches as well as drug withdrawal.
- Tyrosine is abundant in insulin as well as the enzyme papain
- Tyrosine is the precursor amino acid for the thyroid gland hormone thyroxin
- Tyrosine is a precursor of the neurotransmitters epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine - all extremely important in the brain, as they transmit normal nerve impulses and prevent depression
- Tyrosine is involved in the metabolism of the amino acid phenylalanine
Groups at risk of tyrosine deficiency
Deficiency is rare, but can occur in the following individuals:
- People on low protein diets - people who are not eating enough protein foods may not get enough tyrosine in their diet
- Vegans and vegetarians - people who are on a strict vegetarian diet may suffer from a tyrosine deficiency if their diet is deficient in protein
People in these groups at risk of tyrosine deficiency should talk to a medical professional about tyrosine supplementation.
Symptoms of tyrosine deficiency
General deficiency symptoms are:
- low blood pressure
- low body temperature (including cold hands and feet)
- restless leg syndrome
A major deficiency in tyrosine may may result in hypothyroidism - an enlargement of the thyroid gland (goiter), severe growth failure, and retardation of central nervous system development.
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- Stress relief - in a study using soldiers, tyrosine proved effective in alleviating stress and keeping the soldiers more alert
Talk to a medical professional about tyrosine supplements BEFORE taking them
| FOOD | AMOUNT | Tyrosine (mg) |
|---|---|---|
Gruyere cheese |
100g | 1776 |
Romano cheese |
100g | 1776 |
Swiss cheese |
100g | 1693 |
Tuna, canned in oil |
1 can (171g) | 1681 |
Snapper, cooked |
1 fillet (170g) | 1510 |
Soybeans, dry roasted |
100g | 1497 |
Chicken breast meat, roasted |
1 cup (140g) | 1466 |
Edam cheese |
100g | 1457 |
Halibut, cooked |
1/2 fillet (159g) | 1433 |
Mozzarella, part skim |
100g | 1403 |
Mackerel, cooked |
1/2 fillet (154g) | 1352 |
Goats cheese, hard |
100g | 1191 |
Turkey breast meat, roasted |
100g | 1188 |
Lean veal leg, cooked |
100g | 1170 |
Lean round beef, cooked |
100g | 1151 |
Lean shoulder lamb, cooked |
100g | 1148 |
Goose meat, cooked |
100g | 1103 |
Lean pork loin chops, cooked |
100g | 1085 |
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Tyrosine recommended daily intake (RDI)
| RDA | No information available |
|---|---|
| TOLERABLE UPPER LIMIT | 400-6000mg |
| TOXIC LEVELS | No information available |
Overdosage, toxicity and cautions for tyrosine
There have been no confirmed toxic levels, but the following cautions should be noted.
CAUTIONS
The following groups of people should NOT take tyrosine supplementation and should aim to limit their intake of food sources high in tyrosine:
- people taking MAO inhibitors,
- people who have high blood pressure
- people who have skin cancer (melanoma)
- people who have glioblastoma
references
- Banderet LE, Lieberman HR. Treatment with tyrosine, a neurotransmitter precursor, reduces environmental stress in humans. Brain Res Bull. 1989 Apr;22(4):759-62
- Osiecki H, Meeke F, Smith J, The Encyclopaedia of Clinical Nutrition - Volume 1: The Nervous System, BioConceps Publishing QLD 2004
- Owasoyo JO, Neri DF, Lamberth JG. Tyrosine and its potential use as a countermeasure to performance decrement in military sustained operations. Aviat Space Environ Med. 1992 May;63(5):364-9
- Salter CA. Dietary tyrosine as an aid to stress resistance among troops. Mil Med. 1989 Mar;154(3):144-6
