First off, what are nootropics? Nootropics are supplements, medications, or anything that might increase cognitive function and abilities. For more information on nootropics as a general topic, click here to read our article on nootropics. Please note this article will contain affiliate links that will take you to Amazon.ca if you are interested in purchasing some.
L-Phenylalanine, also referred to as PEA, phenethylamine, HCL, or beta phenylethylamine is a natural monoamine alkaloid and a trace amine… Not to be confused with the anti-cancer composited of phenylalanine, L-Phenylalanine mustard (L-PAM). Don’t take that one as a nootropic, please.
“What do proteins do? Everything.”
– Will Hunter, 2015 (shout out to my patho prof)
Being a monoamine and trace amine is just fancy talk for it helps make up the thingies that tell your brain what to do. Amino acids are of course the building blocks of protein, which do everything in the body. In this case, the proteins that it makes up are Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid which is mostly found in diets consisting of meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products.
Phenylalanine derivatives include many trace amines and catecholamines, thus purportedly increasing the body’s natural production of catecholamines by way of dopamine.
Phenylalanine -> L-Tyrosine -> – L-DOPA -> dopamine -> norepinephrine and epinephrine
Phenylalanine plays an important role in the development of neurotransmitters that help with mood stabilization. It also acts on the central nervous system as a stimulant, similar to amphetamines such as those prescribed for ADHD.
Is D-phenylalanine the same as L-phenylalanine?
No. If you are in the market of nootropics under the express consent of your medical doctor, purchasing L-Phenylalanine is the most effective, bioavailable nootropic of the phenylalanine’s.
But What Does it Do For Me?
Catecholamines: L-Phenylalanine helps to restore sleep-deprivation and stress-related depletion of catecholamines, increasing cognitive abilities.
Neurotransmitters: Phenylalanine as a trace amino is an important precursor to the above-mentioned catecholamines: dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. Having these neurotransmitters available helps with your thought organization, concentration, and your overall ability to remain productive.
In conjunction with medications for clinically diagnosed and treated ADHD: Use of phenylalanine supplements can increase dopamine levels in the brain, which can be synergistic when used with medications such as Ritalin and Adderall as they work by boosting the extracellular levels of dopamine.
How to Dose, Use, or Increase Your L-Phenylalanine Levels
The recommended dose for over the counter L-Phenylalanine is 500 mg per dose, up to three times per day. That means a maximum dose of 1,500 mg per day. If you are not comfortable taking supplements or your doctor is not keen on the idea of using L-Phenylalanine, you could always start at the most basic building block of health — your diet!
Increasing your intake of eggs, meat, avocadoes, bananas, fish, and dairy can help increase your dietary intake of this important amino acid building block.
