A little update on amino acids for DA and addiction and a poll on how you use them

[Alchemica]

I've never been one to get benefit from L-tyrosine, phenylalanine even L-dopa.

Here's an interesting article:

Effects of l-Tyrosine on working memory and inhibitory control are determined by DRD2 genotypes: A randomized controlled trial.

 

l-Tyrosine (TYR), the precursor of dopamine (DA), has been shown to enhance facets of cognitive control in situations with high cognitive demands. However some previous outcomes were mixed: some studies reported significant improvements, while other did not. Given that TYR increases DA level in the brain, we investigated, in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled design, whether the C957T genotypes of a functional synonymous polymorphism in the human dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene (rs6277) contribute to individual differences in the reactivity to TYR administration and whether this factor predicts the magnitude of TYR-induced performance differences on inhibiting behavioral responses in a stop-signal task and working memory (WM) updating in a N-back task. Our findings show that T/T homozygotes (i.e., individuals potentially associated with lower striatal DA level) showed larger beneficial effects of TYR supplementation than C/C homozygotes (i.e., individuals potentially associated with higher striatal DA level), suggesting that genetically determined differences in DA function may explain inter-individual differences in response to TYR supplementation. These findings reinforce the idea that genetic predisposition modulates the effect of TYR in its role as cognitive enhancer.

 

What I'd like to hear is how beneficial people find amino acids

 

KB220Z (L-tyrosine, D-Phenyalanine, L-phenylalanine, L-Tryptophan) in combination with chromium salts and Rhodiola rosea has been successfully used in addiction, with genetics playing a role in its effectiveness [search Pubmed for 'Reward Deficiency Syndrome' or see here]

 

Likewise, D-phenylalanine and N-acetylcysteine has been hypothesised in addiction

 

 

Edited July 14, 2016 by Alchemica

[stonewolf]

I use tyrosine and find it helps quite a lot when I'm feeling low.

 

5htp on the other hand messes me up. I've never felt such despair and and crushing emptiness as I did after a week of 5htp.  I'm fairly certain my brain does very well at producing serotonin and excess is very bad for me.

 

Dopaminergic substances however are great for me and really help mood and anxiety more than gabaergics do.

 

I find the one size fits all view of anxiety depression frustrating as doctors automatically reach for the SSRI button the second they hear anxiety and don't want to hear my horriblely negative experiences with them and other serotonergic substances.

[ThunderIdeal]

^

 

I never noticed negative effects from tryptophan but then I never noticed much.  Might have reduced mdx downers partially.

 

Tyrosine can make increase my motivation/cognition although I dont need it unless my motivation/cognition is ruined in the aftermath of taking stronger substances to astronomically boost my (you guessed it) motivation/cognition (and mood).  I dont much like the weeklong crashes though, they lay waste to the hard earned benefits of healthy living.  Mainly I forego all of the above but im fond of gobbling nootropics which sometimes includes NAC 

 

Edited July 14, 2016 by ThunderIdeal

[Alchemica]

Thanks for the replies. I did get OK results combining SSRIs with low doses of tryptophan at one stage. Trying 5-HTP with SSRIs was a recipe for getting violently ill but some recent studies have looked at it as an augmentation strategy with controlled release 5-HTP. I think Torsten might have been suggesting MAOIs with tryptophan worked well for him but don't quote me on that.

I agree that dopaminergics are highly underrated for depression, anxiety and anhedonic conditions. I didn't mind bupropion and found supratherapeutic sibutramine quite nice [reduces the reuptake of norepinephrine (by 73%), serotonin (by 54%), and dopamine (by 16%) at therapeutic doses ] and would love to try some decent triple reuptake inhibitors. I really would like to see things like amphetamines [even lisdexamphetamine] combined with antipsychotics for schizophrenia as a routine strategy for controlling positive, negative and cognitive symptoms, initial research is promising.

Great to see people are getting good results with tyrosine!

Be interesting how people that respond well to tyrosine go with L-dopa/carbidopa etc.

[ThunderIdeal]

I gobble small amounts of l dopa sometimes but ive got no idea how far the dose can be upped before some unknown bad thing happens.  I like the idea, but then, fucking dopamine, the root of all things good and ungood

[MrDuke]

I found L-Tryptophan or 5-HTP helped keep my anxiety under control and mood's manageable and consitent and improved my motivation.Although I was using them during a period of long term heavy cannabis use and it seemed to keep things balanced, I also found that the morning was the optimal time to take them,If i did take either of them in the evening sleep was impossible.Also a few times I felt like i was "cooking out" I think less is more with both substances.*Note I took one or the other at different periods not combined the cooking out only occured from the 5-HTP.