Does L-Tyrosine also cause augmentation

[RoDomHarr]

I have recently come off an OTC L-Dopa supplement because it was causing augmentation. I'm trying to get my dopamine levels to restore naturally and am wondering whether I should take L-Tyrosine (which is the amino acid building block for L-Dopa, found in eggs, cheese, meat, etc). I would be doing so to increase the amount of building blocks over what you would get from food.

Does this interfere with the natural process of dopamine re regulation and also cause augmentation?

Also if anyone can share how L-Dopa and Dopamine Agonists actually cause RLS augmentation, I'd love to know.

[Hidden]

L Tyrosine is possibly like many other "supplements" i.e. they help if you have a deficiency of them,

As you've probably read, it's am amino acid. Amino acides are derived from protein. There are 9 essential amino acids. These are the ones you need in a diet. All other amino acids can be derived from the 9

Tyrosine is not an essential amino acid so basically your body can make it as required from protein as long as there is enough protein, with all 9 essential amino acids in your diet.

Dopamine is in turn made from Tyrosine, again this is made in the body, in the brain. It cannot pass the blood brain barrier.

Normally, dopamine levels will not fall unless there is a shortage of tyrosine to make it from and there will normally only be a shortage of Tyrosine if there is insufficient protein in the diet.

In some disease conditions there are shortages of dopamine in particular parts of the brain. This may be a failure to make dopamine. Taking Dopamine Precursors like L Dopa may help increase dopamine levels L Tyrosine is less likely to help, so much so that it's never been used as treatment for low dopamine levels, whereas L Dopa has.

So, will L Tyrosine cause augmentation? I'd say it's unlikely.

However, will it raise Dopamine levels, probably not. Hence L Tyrosine is not used as a treatment.

Furthermore, RLS is not due to low Dopamine production. It is associated with the dysfunction or reduction of Doapmine receptor sites. When dopamine levels are lower then this combined with the receptor site problem causes RLS symptoms. Since dopamine levels are "normally" low at night, RLS occurs at night.

So dopamine levels are not lower than "normal" and might even be raised since the production of Dopamine depends on the demand for it. If cells aren't getting it, because of dysfunctional receptor sites this might cause greater production of dopamine to try to compensate. L Tyrosine might just help in this process.

Taking L Dopa or a Dopamine Agonist for RLS can either help prevent dopamine levels a getting too low at night.

However, if dopamine levels get too high, then the dopamine regulatory system causes a "downregulation" of receptor sites. This leads to even greater dysfunction of the receptor sites. The higher the level of dopamine the less effective it will be. This is one explanation of augmentation i.e. too much dopamine.

This is also why reducing a dopamine agonist or L Dopa relieves augmentation.

Since L Tyroisne is normally not really going to have much effect on dopamine levels, then it's unlikely to casue augmentation. As I say, (I have eaten hats in the past), it's unlikely to have any benefit for RLS either.

[RoDomHarr in reply to Hidden]

Brilliant, thoughtful response. Thank you.

There are other supplements, Citicoline and Uridine, which I am considering.

Would be interested to see how your analysis above fits with their role described above. Obviously, I understand you can't give medical advice. I'm just trying to get more knowledge.

Citicoline

CDP Choline, one of the major components in Citicoline, encourages dopamine release and improves overall dopamine levels by acting as a dopamine agonist and inhibiting dopamine reuptake.

Because Citicoline is water soluble, the body readily absorbs it into the bloodstream, giving it a 90% bioavailability rate and increasing its effectiveness. But this is just one of many reasons Citicoline is one of the best overall nootropics for dopamine.

Research along with preliminary evience in clinical trials on its effectiveness at reducing cravings in cocaine users suggests that Citicoline's effect on the dopamine-reward system can help reduce food and drug cravings and control appetite.<11> And Uridine, the other major component in Citicoline, may help when combined with CDP choline.

Uridine, along with CDP Choline, promotes the growth of new dopamine receptors in the brain by activating D1 and D2 receptor signaling, helping to prevent dopamine receptor burn out, especially in brains with fewer dopamine receptors.

This mechanism helps optimize mental function and improve both mood and cognition.

[Alex2308]

I tried different doses of L-Thyrosine. Didn't help at all. What works for me is compensating for iron, magnesium and potassium deficiencies. So I try to eat a lot of meat (for iron), tomato paste and some other potassium rich food. Magnesium citrate 400 mg a day + B6. Also I don't use regular salt, only the one with 1/3 of potassium and magnesium instead of sodium.