What is Phenylalanine?
Phenylalanine is a very important Amino Acid that is a precursor to key neurotransmitters,” says Joe Cohen from Self Hacked. (1)
There are three main types of phenylalanine supplements: D, L, and DL-phenylalanine.
- L-phenylalanine is the natural version of the supplement and is found in the proteins of the body and in foods.
- D-phenylalanine is a mirror image of L-phenylalanine, but it is synthesized in the lab. D-phenylalanine has more pain-relieving and opioid-increasing effects than the L- form because it inhibits the enzyme that breaks down opioids (2).
- DL-phenylalanine is a mixture of the D- and L- kinds.
What is L-Phenylalanine
To attain a healthy balanced diet and lifestyle, because L-phenylalanine is naturally occurring in food, intake through food sources is a prefered method instead of using supplementation.
Food sources include meat, fish, milk, lamb, cheese, nuts, seeds, beans and eggs.
What are the benefits?
Promotes focus
L-Phenylalanine is transformed into L-Tyrosine in the body. Which produces norepinephrine and dopamine which boosts concentration and vitality.
Low mood
It is also taken to help with depressed mood, memory and learning. It may enhance your mood at small doses and is fast-acting.
It has also been reported to help in cases of pain and swelling in l-phenylalanine supplement reviews. It is also used for ADHD, dark liver like patches on the skin, depression, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and symptoms of alcohol withdrawal although there is little evidence to support this.
Taken an hour before meals, It may help reduce appetite and help prevent over-eating.
L-Phenylalanine synergy and works well with
- Fibre supplement / Psyllium Husks to aid in suppressing appetite
- Evening primrose oil to help with low moods and cravings due to PMS
- Black Cohosh may help with menopausal symptoms
Some things to consider
People with phenylketonuria (PKU) must not take L-Phenylalanine, because it can lead to several brain and nerve problems.
Dosage
According to WebMD “The following doses have been studied in scientific research:
Adults by mouth – For a skin condition called vitiligo: 50-100 mg/kg of L-phenylalanine once per day has been used. L-phenylalanine 50 mg/kg, three times per week for up to 3 months has also been used.
Applied to the skin – For a skin condition called vitiligo: Applying a 10% phenylalanine cream to the skin has been used.
Children by mouth – For a skin condition called vitiligo: Phenylalanine 100 mg/kg twice weekly for 3-4 months has been used”.(4)
Resources
- https://selfhacked.com/blog/phenylalanine-9-health-benefits-phenylalanine/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1978503
- https://www.livestrong.com/article/297209-l-phenylalanine-weight-loss/
- https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-653/phenylalanine
