L Tyrosine

Description

L Tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid but is, however, considered semi-essential by many nutritionists. L-Tyrosine is made from Phenylalanine and is a precursor of among several body proprietary substances with action in the central nervous system.

Natural Energy L Tyrosine

Properties:
The main determinant of Dopa, Noradrenaline and Adrenaline production is the amount of free L Tyrosine in the brain.
With insufficient presence of free L Tyrosine in the brain, the synthesis of Dopa, Noradrenaline and Adrenaline drops sharply, causing a host of problems and compromising our functioning. (Dopa (dopamine) can be formed from the Tyrosine. Noradrenaline and Adrenaline are both hormones).

L-Tyrosine the direct precursor

Moreover, L Tyrosine is the direct precursor of thyroid hormones by binding iodide with L Tyrosine forming tri-iodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4).
These thyroid hormones have an important regulatory effect on the entire metabolism.
Insufficient presence of free L Tyrosine in the thyroid can give rise to reduced production of thyroid hormones.

Quantity of L Tyrosine

The amount of L Tyrosine in our body depends on the one hand on the supply of L Tyrosine in the diet on the other hand on the conversion of L Tyrosine from the amino acid Phenylalanine.
Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid and thus is obtained only through diet.
An estimated 67% to 90% of dietary Phenylalanine is converted into L Tyrosine.
Thus, when there is an insufficient supply of Phenylalanine, L Tyrosine becomes essential.

Western food

Our current Western diet is very poor in both Phenylalanine and L Tyrosine so they are often insufficiently present in the body which can give rise to reduced synthesis of Dopa, Noradrenaline and Adrenaline as well as a decrease in thyroid hormone synthesis.

What foods contain a lot of Phenylalanine?

Now that we know what Phenylalanine is and why it is so important, we also want to know in what foods this amino acid is present in high amounts. Not surprisingly, Phenylalanine is primarily found in protein-rich products. These include fish, poultry, soy, nuts, low-fat milk, meat, egg and pumpkin seeds.