Recommended Dosage for Tyrosine (Amino Acid)
For adults, the recommended dosage of tyrosine is 10 drops up to 3 times per day, taken sublingually 30 minutes before or after meals. 1
Age-Specific Dosing Recommendations
Adults and Adolescents (12+ years):
- Standard dosage: 10 drops up to 3 times daily 1
- For stress-related cognitive enhancement: 100 mg/kg body weight as a single dose 2
Children:
- Under 12 years: Physician consultation required before use 1
- Infants and children with specific medical conditions:
Clinical Context and Considerations
Parenteral Nutrition Requirements
For patients requiring parenteral nutrition, tyrosine requirements have been established through rigorous research:
- Neonates: 74 mg/kg/day based on indicator amino acid oxidation method 3
- Preterm infants: Minimum of 18 mg/kg/day to avoid deficiency 3
- Term infants: 94 mg/kg/day is advisable 3
Special Populations
Patients with Tyrosinemia Type I:
For patients with tyrosinemia type I receiving NTBC treatment, tyrosine intake must be carefully restricted:
- Target plasma tyrosine concentration: 200-600 μmol/L 3
- Typical range: 95-275 mg/day of tyrosine for infants 3
- Requires specialized medical foods devoid of phenylalanine and tyrosine 3
Safety Considerations
The no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of L-tyrosine in research studies was:
- 600 mg/kg/day for males
- 200 mg/kg/day for females 4
Higher doses have been associated with:
- Liver effects (increased weight and hypertrophy of hepatocytes)
- Kidney changes (increased hyaline droplets, urinary protein)
- Blood chemistry alterations (increased triglycerides, cholesterol) 4
Timing and Administration
- For optimal cognitive benefits, take tyrosine 30-60 minutes before anticipated stress or cognitive demand 2, 5
- Sublingual administration should occur 30 minutes before or after meals 1
- For sustained elevation of serum levels, a single dose of 150 mg/kg body mass appears as effective as divided doses 6
Potential Benefits
Tyrosine supplementation may provide benefits in specific situations:
- Improved cognitive performance under stress conditions 2, 5
- Reduced systolic blood pressure in some studies 5
- Increased plasma tyrosine concentration in maternal PKU pregnancies 7
However, not all studies show benefits, particularly for physical performance in heat stress conditions 6.