Ingredients
/
4-Hydroxyphenylalanine

L-Tyrosine

L-Tyrosine is an amino acid that supports focus, resilience, and cognitive performance under stress, making it useful in demanding sports.
Overview
Benefits
Uses
Precautions
Side Effects
Dosing
Forms
Sources

Overview of

L-Tyrosine

L-Tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid that serves as a precursor to key neurotransmitters, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. These neurotransmitters regulate alertness, focus, and the body’s stress response, making tyrosine an important nutrient for mental performance under challenging conditions. Unlike stimulants, tyrosine works by supporting neurotransmitter availability rather than directly stimulating the nervous system.

In athletics, L-tyrosine is most valued for its ability to preserve mental clarity, focus, and decision-making under stress. Research shows it can help maintain cognitive function during fatigue, heat exposure, or sleep deprivation. For sports that require quick reactions, multitasking, or composure under pressure, tyrosine provides an advantage in maintaining consistent performance.

Though it does not directly enhance strength or endurance, L-tyrosine plays a supportive role by improving mental resilience and reducing stress-related performance drops. When combined with other supplements such as caffeine, it can provide balanced cognitive support while athletes face both physical and psychological demands.

Benefits of

L-Tyrosine

L-Tyrosine helps athletes maintain focus and cognitive performance in stressful or fatiguing environments, indirectly supporting training and competition outcomes.

  • Supports stress resilience under intense conditions
  • Enhances mental focus during training and games
  • Improves cognitive performance when fatigued
  • Assists reaction speed under pressure
  • Complements caffeine use for sharper alertness

Uses for

L-Tyrosine

Used in nootropic blends, pre-workouts, and cognitive support supplements to aid focus, stress tolerance, and decision-making during competition or training.

Precautions of

L-Tyrosine

  • Generally safe but should not be used by individuals with thyroid conditions unless advised by a healthcare provider
  • Very high doses may cause nausea or gastrointestinal discomfort

    • Side Effects of

    L-Tyrosine

  • Headache or stomach upset at high intakes
  • Possible interactions with thyroid medications
  • Rare cases of restlessness in sensitive users

    • Dosing for

    L-Tyrosine

  • 500–2,000 mg daily for cognitive benefits
  • 30–60 minutes before activity for focus and resilience
  • Military and stress studies often use 100 mg per kg body weight

    • Forms of

    L-Tyrosine

  • Capsules
  • Tablets
  • Powders (standalone or in pre-workout blends)

    • Sources for

    L-Tyrosine

    1. Jongkees, B. J., et al. “Effect of Tyrosine Supplementation on Clinical and Healthy Populations under Stress or Cognitive Demands—A Review.” Journal of Psychiatric Research, vol. 70, 2015, pp. 50–57. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2015.08.014.
    2. Deijen, J. B., et al. “Tyrosine Improves Cognitive Performance and Reduces Blood Pressure in Cadets after One Week of a Combat Training Course.” Brain Research Bulletin, vol. 48, no. 2, 1999, pp. 203–209. doi:10.1016/S0361-9230(98)00149-0.
    3. Mahoney, C. R., et al. “Tyrosine Supplementation Mitigates Working Memory Decrements during Cold Exposure.” Physiology & Behavior, vol. 92, no. 4, 2007, pp. 575–582. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2007.05.003.
    4. Tumilty, L., et al. “Oral Tyrosine Supplementation Improves Exercise Capacity in the Heat.” European Journal of Applied Physiology, vol. 112, no. 6, 2012, pp. 2281–2290. doi:10.1007/s00421-011-2207-3.
    5. Thomas, J. R., et al. “Tyrosine Improves Working Memory in a Multitasking Environment.” Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, vol. 64, no. 3, 1999, pp. 495–500. doi:10.1016/S0091-3057(99)00094-5.