Tyrosine is an essential amino acid and can make dopamine and epinephrine among other neurotransmitters that can assist with happiness receptors in the brain.
N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine (NAT/NALT) and L-Tyrosine are different forms of the same compounds.
Both N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine and L-Tyrosine are nootropics with great benefits to the brain and mental cognition functions, even in times of high stress or other physical strains that might impair focus and performance.
So the real question is: what is the difference between them?
What is L-Tyrosine?
L-Tyrosine is an amino acid, which is a building block of protein. This is produced naturally in the body as well, by phenylalanine, but you can also find this in things that you eat.
Food products such as meat, fish, eggs, and oats can all provide phenylalanine.
In addition to being in the food you eat, L-Tyrosine can also be taken in supplement form and is taken to help assist in cognitive function, improvement of mental performance under stressful circ*mstances, and improved memory.
Tyrosine is known as one of the best nootropics out there. It has been known to boost motivation, and increase cognitive function.
Most high-quality nootropics contain some Tyrosine in addition to the other benefits that they offer.
Benefits of Tyrosine?
Tyrosine has a large array of benefits, making it a highly interesting nootropic option.
As a precursor to dopamine, meaning that it assists in increasing dopamine levels, Tyrosine can improve mood, motivation, and a person’s drive.
Some additional benefits of Tyrosine include cognitive performance for a wide variety of people. It can even benefit those:
- Suffering Sleep Deprivation
- Exposed to Extreme Cold
- Engaged in Multitasking
- Experiencing Mental Fatigue
- Under Intense Pressure and Stress
This supplement can benefit anyone who wants the benefits of focus during mental strain or other fatigue.
N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine Vs L-Tyrosine
N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, also known as NAT or NALT, is known for its effectiveness and its absorption.
While NAT doesn’t have any different effects than L-Tyrosine, it can be viewed as being more effective since it absorbs faster and can have an increased effect over L-Tyrosine.
It also has a greater bioavailability which is very important in supplements, vitamins, and other nutrients that you consume.
Absorption and Bioavailability
Many manufacturers make NAT over L-Tyrosine because they are more soluble and better for the consumer.
Solubility and bioavailability (the body’s ability to absorb the vitamin and nutrients) are often linked together, making NAT the preferred supplement.
Because NAT has so much more bioavailability, it can feel a lot more potent to those who use it. It also absorbs quicker meaning the effects are available faster.
Besides how quickly it is absorbed, there is not a large difference between L-Tyrosine and NAT.
N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine (NAT)
As we have already mentioned, NAT is the preferred form of tyrosine supplement due to being more effective and faster than L-Tyrosine.
There are many benefits you get from N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine. These include:
- Maintaining mental and memory performance while multitasking.
- Improved learning speeds which helps process information faster, even when stressed.
- Improving cognitive performance even in a sleep-deprived state, which has been known to create cognitive decline.
- Decrease stress, which can increase brain performance long-term.
Using this supplement can be a great daily brain booster that takes you through the whole week.
Supplements that can help mental performance and brain health:
- Super Green Review
- Mind Lab Pro review
- Alpha Brain review
Which is Better: L-Tyrosine or NAT?
Both L-Tyrosine and N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine have similar benefits but they are still slightly different.
One of the biggest differences, as mentioned before, is that NAT is more bioavailable than regular L-Tyrosine. This makes the effects stronger and applies faster.
However, this doesn’t mean that NAT is the right choice for everyone.
One of the biggest drawbacks of NAT is that it is more expensive than L-Tyrosine. It can be hard to justify the additional expense when they do the same thing.
While we have discussed the benefits of NAT, it isn’t to say that L-Tyrosine isn’t an effective supplement and can still give you all the benefits you are looking for when you take NAT.
How to take NAT?
NAT is best taken as a supplement that is available as a dietary supplement, capsule, or in pill form.
For the best results, you will want to take your Tyrosine supplement at least 30 minutes before food. You also want to split it between 3 daily doses.
Doses vary for adults, but it is recommended you start with 150 mg per kilogram of your body weight daily, again broken into 3 servings. If you are not comfortable with this, it is always advisable to speak to your doctor.
It is not suggested to give Tyrosine to children.
There are a wide variety of nootropic supplements that you can take, each with a different set of pros and cons.
For more information on your options, look here.
Possible Side-Effects
While side-effects of Tyrosine are not common, they can happen, so be careful when taking this, or any, supplement.
It is especially important if you are taking other supplements or medications to talk to your doctor before beginning Tyrosine.
Other considerations to take include:
Migraines
People with migraines should avoid taking Tyrosine. This has been known to make their headaches worse or even trigger migraines.
You also can get an upset stomach when taking Tyrosine in addition to a migraine.
Thyroid Disorder
It is also advisable for people who are hyperthyroid (overactive thyroid) or who have Graves disease to avoid Tyrosine.
This is because Tyrosine can increase your levels of thyroid hormone, causing an overactive thyroid to become even more active.
Medications
Additionally, there are certain medications that you could be taking that shouldn’t mix with Tyrosine.
These include:
- Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)
- Thyroid Hormone
- Levodopa
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors, or MAOIs, is an antidepressant group that can react negatively with Tyrosine.
This is because Tyrosine could cause a severe increase in blood pressure for those on this medication, which can lead to a hypertensive crisis that has been known to cause a heart attack or stroke.
MAOIs include:
- Marplan
- Nardil
- Parnate
- Selegiline
Thyroid hormones mixed with Tyrosine can raise hormone levels too high. Similar to those with hyperthyroidism.
Levodopa, commonly referred to as L-dopa, is a medication used to treat Parkinson’s disease. Levodopa has been known to interfere with the body’s ability to absorb Tyrosine.
For more information, click here.
Stacking Nootropics
Tyrosine, or other nootropics, while beneficial to take alone, often work better when you take more than one type: known as “stacking”.
Often, nootropics work together and complement each other, both in absorption and in effects.
NAT is great when alone, but can be even better with other supplements.
These supplements include, but are not limited to:
- L-Theanine
- B-Vitamins
- Rhodiola Rosea
L-Theanine
L-Theanine is a great natural nootropic that has been known to create a stress-free relaxed feeling and has been linked to an increase in focus.
Often termed “wakeful relaxation” this nootropic helps with stress and anxiety reduction without causing drowsiness.
L-Theanine is an amino acid that is sourced from green tea leaves.
It is credited with daytime cognitive functions, aiding in sleep, and other benefits.
Related: L-Theanine for sleep
B-Vitamins
B-Vitamins are essential for the body and being deficient can cause issues in your body, making them a great supplement to take.
B6, B9, and B12 are a great pairing for L-Tyrosine because they are known to assist with dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine which all help with mood and happiness.
Related: Multivitamins vs individual vitamins
Rhodiola Rosea
Rhodiola Rosea is a powerful adaptogenic herb that comes from a mountain root and is known to strengthen mental and physical benefits.
Some benefits of Rhodiola are:
- Fighting Mental Fatigue
- Promoting Calm Mindset
- Providing a Natural Stimulant
These are a perfect complement to L-Tyrosine as they are providing the same benefits, just in different ways.
The easiest way to take multiple nootropics safely is to look at a combined supplement that can come with all the ingredients you need in the doses you want.
Again, before mixing supplements or vitamins, you should speak with your healthcare provider.
Related: Rhodiola and Ashwagandha together
Bottom Line
The bottom line is that L-Tyrosine is an essential supplement that is vital for mental health, cognition, stress, and even behavior.
It has been shown that L-Tyrosine promotes memory, mental performance, and other benefits even while stressed, sleep-deprived, or under other conditions.
N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine is a more absorbent form of L-Tyrosine but can be more expensive. Even despite this, most people opt to take N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine instead of just L-Tyrosine.
Even though Tyrosine is plenty beneficial on its own, it is often better to stack it with other nutrients and supplements such as L-Theanine, B-Vitamins, and Rhodiola Rosea, often found in a complete supplement offering.
While there are not many reported side effects, L-Tyrosine can come with some complications when taken with certain medications, or if you have specific health problems, so be sure to consult with a doctor before beginning L-Tyrosine.
When taken properly, L-Tyrosine can be a great, and natural supplement that improves your brain function and keeps you motivated and productive all week long!
