After experimenting with numerous pre-workouts, some ingredients become familiar, and tyrosine is among the most prevalent after caffeine. In fact, it’s uncommon to come across a pre-workout without it.
When perusing marketing materials or conducting a cursory Google search, the rationale behind consuming tyrosine is typically summed up in one term: focus. The question is, what exactly is tyrosine, what is a recommended dosage, and what evidence exists to support its efficacy?
What is L-Tyrosine?
L-tyrosine is a popular ingredient in pre-workout supplements because of its potential to improve cognitive function, enhance mood, and increase focus during exercise. It works by increasing the production of important neurotransmitters like dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine, which are all involved in regulating mood and motivation.
When taken as a part of a pre-workout supplement, L-tyrosine may help you feel more alert and energized, allowing you to push harder during your workouts. It may also help to reduce fatigue and improve recovery time, making it easier to hit the gym day after day.
Overall, L-tyrosine is a safe and effective ingredient in pre-workout supplements for most people. However, as with any supplement, it’s important to talk to your doctor before adding it to your routine, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or are taking other medications.
Related: See The Top Pre-Workouts With Nothing Artificial
Research on L-Tyrosine
When it comes to stress, most of the research focuses on the really intense stuff – the kind that soldiers might face in high-pressure situations. As researcher Trexler puts it, we’re talking about the stress of dropping something heavy on your foot or getting super amped up mentally, not just the stress of financial problems or looming bills.
One big stressor that’s been studied is staying awake for 24 hours straight. In a famous 1995 study, participants stayed up all night doing performance tasks and mood scales for thirteen hours straight. Six hours in, half of them took tyrosine and showed significant improvement in vigilance and psychomotor tasks compared to the usual decline seen in those tasks.(1)
But it’s not just lack of sleep that can be stressful. Cold temperatures can also have an impact on performance, as shown in a study where participants taking tyrosine performed better on a memory-based computer task at 4 degrees Celsius. Another study found that tyrosine helped stabilize mood and maintain performance in cold, low-oxygen environments.(2)(3)
On the flip side, heat can also be a major stressor, especially during intense workouts. In a 2011 study, athletes cycled for an hour in 30 degrees Celsius and 60% humidity, and those who took tyrosine showed increased endurance capacity. While this study was small, it does suggest that tyrosine could help slow the depletion of important hormones during high-intensity exercise.(4)
Proper Dosage for L-Tyrosine
The studies discussed above-administered doses of tyrosine ranging from 100 to 150 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, which equates to approximately 10 grams for a 200-pound athlete. However, most pre-workouts on the market contain 300 to 600 milligrams of tyrosine per serving. The reason for this is that studies need to use robust doses to ensure efficacy, according to Trexler, who suggests that 10 to 15 grams of tyrosine may be excessive for exercise applications.
Unfortunately, a minimum effective dose of tyrosine has not yet been established. Examine.com, an independent research organization, notes that anecdotally, taking 500 to 2000 milligrams of tyrosine before exercise may be beneficial, a recommendation that Trexler agrees with.
Trexler, who has a Ph.D. in sports nutrition, personally takes tyrosine with caffeine because of their synergistic effects. He suggests that pairing caffeine with tyrosine, as most pre-workouts do, may boost cognitive performance and catecholamine production. He notes that caffeine consumption can lead to habituation and diminished effects over time, making tyrosine a potentially valuable addition to a daily caffeine routine.
Conclusion
Although tyrosine is a widely used supplement, there is limited information available about its appropriate dosage. However, there is strong evidence indicating that tyrosine can prevent the depletion of adrenaline and dopamine, which are crucial for maintaining focus during challenging workouts.
While its effects on exercise are not yet fully understood, the cognitive benefits of tyrosine may enhance exercise performance and make it more tolerable. Trexler believes that tyrosine when combined with caffeine could be a compelling option due to their synergistic effects.
References
1. Neri DF, et al. The effects of tyrosine on cognitive performance during extended wakefulness. Aviat Space Environ Med. 1995 Apr;66(4):313-9.
2. Shurtleff D, et al. Tyrosine reverses a cold-induced working memory deficit in humans. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1994 Apr;47(4):935-41.
3. Banderet LE, et al. Treatment with tyrosine, a neurotransmitter precursor, reduces environmental stress in humans. Brain Res Bull. 1989 Apr;22(4):759-62.
4. Tumilty L, et al. Oral tyrosine supplementation improves exercise capacity in the heat. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2011 Dec;111(12):2941-50.
Ryan is a former college wrestler and fitness fanatic who specializes in supplements for building muscle. He has written for online publications like TheAthleticBuild.com and FitnessTopFives. He is also an expert lawn mower and has been known to slay apple pie with little regard for his own safety. Hit him up on Linkedin below so he feels the love.