Tyrosine

Tyrosine is a nonessential amino acid the body makes from another amino acid called phenylalanine. It is an essential component for the production of several important brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, including epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Neurotransmitters help nerve cells communicate and influence mood. Tyrosine also helps produce melanin, the pigment responsible for hair and skin color. It helps in the function of organs responsible for making and regulating hormones, including the adrenal, thyroid, and pituitary glands. It is involved in the structure of almost every protein in the body.

It's rare to be deficient in tyrosine. Low levels have been associated with low blood pressure, low body temperature, and an underactive thyroid. This does not mean, however, that taking tyrosine supplements will help any of these conditions.

Tyrosine is a type of amino acid, which are the building blocks of protein. The body makes tyrosine from another amino acid called phenylalanine.

In the diet, tyrosine can be eaten in dairy products, meats, fish, eggs, nuts, beans, oats, and wheat. The body uses tyrosine to make chemical messengers that are involved in conditions affecting the brain, such as mental alertness.

People most commonly use tyrosine in protein supplements for an inherited disorder called phenylketonuria (PKU). It is also used for alcohol use disorder, cocaine dependence, and memory and thinking skills, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.

Tyrosine acid is a regulatory amino acid, being constituent of the thyroid hormones. Thyroxin and triiodothyronine are iodated tyrosine derivatives.. Blood iodine is captured by thyroid tissue by means of the active concentration mechanism. In the thyroidal tissue, iodine is peroxidase oxidized to form monoiodtyrosine. As a result of tyrosine iodination in fifth residue, diiodtyrosyne is formed. Monoiodtyrosine conmination results in triiodothyronine (T3). Complexation of two diiodtyrosyne molecules leads to the thyroxin formation (T4). Thyroid hormones are of significant importance for the processes of growth, development and pubescence. They raise energy consumption in tissues, protein synthesis and glycometabolism, and affect lipid metabolism.