The inexpensive memory-enhancing supplement can also improve mood

Looking for an inexpensive way to boost your mood and memory?

Amino acids play a vital role in regulating the immune system, supporting digestion and facilitating muscle building.

A naturally occurring non-essential amino acid critical in the production of neurotransmitters, it may also help stabilize mood and improve cognition.

Tyrosine helps produce several important substances, including dopamine, adrenaline, thyroid hormones, and melanin. It is found naturally in dairy products, poultry, fish, beans and seeds and is available as a supplement.

Tyrosine supplements are believed to increase the neurotransmitters dopamine, adrenaline and norepinephrine, also known as brain chemicals.

These levels tend to decrease during stressful or mentally demanding situations. Basically, our bodies release these chemicals, depleting our brains. As a result, we feel exhausted and struggle to respond healthily to stress or challenges.

Studies suggest that tyrosine can refresh these neurotransmitters, thereby improving cognitive function.

A 2013 study found that women who took tyrosine during a mentally taxing task showed significant improvement in working memory compared to women who took a placebo.

Working memory is a cognitive function that allows the brain to temporarily store information and plays a critical role in concentration, instruction, and problem solving. It has been described as a “temporary sticky note in the brain” that holds new information in place so that the brain can briefly engage with it and link it to other information.

In a similar study, participants given a tyrosine supplement before taking a test that measured cognitive flexibility, such as the ability to switch between tasks or thoughts, scored higher than those given a placebo.

Further research suggested that tyrosine supplementation may improve cognition and reverse mental decline under short-term, mentally taxing and/or high stress circumstances.

However, tyrosine has not been shown to improve cognitive functioning beyond these intense circumstances. In short, it can support the brain in stressful situations, but it does not increase brain power or memory capacity.

Experts agree that more research and further trials are needed to test the long-term cognitive benefits of tirony.

Beyond a quick hit in a high-stress situation, Tyrosine supplementation has been shown to support those suffering from sleep deprivation. One dose helped sleep-deprived participants stay alert for three hours longer.

But can it help beat the blues?

It has been suggested that because depression is caused by an imbalance of neurotransmitters and tyrosine can increase the production of neurotransmitters that affect mood, the supplement may work as an antidepressant. However, research has yet to prove the efficacy of tyrosine for treating depression.

While experts suggest discussing tyrosine supplementation with your doctor, including it in your diet through nutritious food sources is a safe bet that can provide countless benefits for the brain and body.