Characteristics and Benefits of N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine

N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine (NALT) is an nootropic compound derived from the amino acid L-tyrosine and developed for the purpose of combating acute stress and improving overall cognition. NALT exhibits benefits similar to other popular nootropic compounds due to its ability to act as a precursor for crucial neurotransmitters, such as dopamine. Dopamine is linked to various aspects of cognition such as mood and memory, as well as physical aspects like coordination and motor control.

NALT is unique as it exists as an acetylated version of L-tyrosine, meaning that there is an acetyl group attached to the original structure of L-tyrosine. This is important to note considering that the acetylated compound has improved solubility in water, thus making it more functional. Additionally, the addition of an acetyl group allows the compound to be rapidly absorbed and far more bioavailable, indicating that the effects of NALT may be more potent than those of L-tyrosine. Animal-based evidence has confirmed that NALT is often experienced differently than L-tyrosine resulting in a much lower necessary dosage. Despite the differences in solubility and bioavailability, NALT and tyrosine tend to elicit many of the same benefits,

Tyrosine has shown potential in combating sleep disorders. Following 24 hours of performance testing, the experimental group of animals were administered a 150 mg/kg dose of tyrosine after 6 hours of work. After the administration of tyrosine, researchers noticed that within the experimental group there was a significant improvement in the subjects’ performance despite sleep deprivation. Furthermore, the animals that received the single dose of tyrosine were able to sleep an average of 3 hours longer than the control group following the 24 hours of work. Varying dosages of the compound were examined and resulted in similar effects on performance and quality of sleep (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7794222/).

As it was previously mentioned, both NALT and tyrosine are considered precursors for the essential catecholamines, dopamine and norepinephrine, both of which are quickly depleted in cases of acute stress. Initial studies regarding the effectiveness of L-tyrosine against stress were conducted on rats. The rats were subjected to extreme cold in order to simulate environmental stress. The exposure-induced stress led to a dramatic decrease in their memory due to the depletion of both dopamine and norepinephrine. Results of the study reported that the memory of the test subjects were quickly restored following administration of tyrosine. Additionally, tyrosine was found to overall improve working memory and environmental adaptation.

Effects of L-tyrosine on Acute Stress

Traditional treatments and medications for stress are quite effective, however, they tend to elicit side effects that are not commonly observed when using alternative methods. In support of the claims that tyrosine is beneficial for stress, researchers Lieberman et. Al examined the efficacy of using L-tyrosine against instances of acute stress. The most notable study the research team cited began by inducing acute stress onto rats through a 60 minute-long tailshock. The animals were given 15 minutes to recover and then placed in an open-field apparatus while their spontaneous behavior was observed. Following this test the animals were euthanized and the brains of the rats were removed and examined.

Researchers found that this level of acute stress reduced spontaneous behavior and locomotor activity in the control group by 80%. The control group was compared to the experimental group of rats that received a diet high in tyrosine. Results found that while there was no significant difference in spontaneous behavior, the tyrosine-rich diet protected the rats from behavioral inhibition, most likely due to the increase in catecholamines.

A similar study was conducted where the rats underwent tailshock stress and then were immediately given an intraperitoneal injection of a 200 mg/kg dose of L-tyrosine or a placebo. The results of the study showed that in the animals given a placebo experienced a 30-40% decrease in norepinephrine throughout the brain. However, in the rats injected with L-tyrosine the depletion of norepinephrine was avoided and the turnover rate of the catecholamine was increased.

Additional studies subjected the rats to extreme cold and examined changes in the subjects’ mobility. Overall results found that mobility and activity levels drastically decreased in placebo-treated animals during this kind of acute stress. On the other hand, the subjects treated with L-tyrosine were able to maintain normal performance levels despite the stressor (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209061/).

The nootropics sold by Umbrella Labs are sold for laboratory research only. The description above is not medical advice and is for informative purposes only.