N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine
More often than not, supplement companies look to offer new and more “exciting” forms of ingredients to help differentiate them from the competition. In the past, this was most commonly seen with seemingly endless forms of creatine; however, it has extended far beyond that single ingredient and cropped up in the newer form of l-tyrosine, n-acetyl l-tyrosine.
As with just about every form of creatine released after creatine monohydrate, newer does not mean better. While n-acetyl l-tyrosine does in fact provide some benefits, it unfortunately can only increase l-tyrosine levels by 20%[1] making it a far weaker and inferior option than the traditional form.
What it does
Increased l-tyrosine levels have been shown to increase mood, cognition, and subjective well being[2], enhance memory[3], and help quicken response/reflex times[4].
How it works
L-Tyrosine provides its beneficial actions due to catecholamine synthesis, in that it helps the body make additional adrenaline and dopamine. Another proposed mechanism of l-tyrosine is its ability to prolong the beneficial effects of catecholamine’s such as noradrenaline, allowing the body to work better under stress.
Dosing
Due to current evidence showing that n-acetyl l-tyrosine can only maximally raise l-tyrosine levels by 20%, it is not suggested to use this form but instead stick with the traditional l-tyrosine. Should you still wish to use this form, doses of 500-1000mg per serving are suggested, with maximum dosing of 2,000mg per day.