Source: Examine.com — Tyrosine — 500–2,000 mg (or ~100–150 mg/kg) before acute stress to protect cognition.
Acute stress/cognition studies use far more (≈100–150 mg/kg); 1 g is a practical everyday target (500 mg is on the light side).
An amino acid that's the raw material for dopamine and adrenaline.
Replenishes catecholamine neurotransmitters that get depleted during stress.
Tyrosine prevented cognitive decline under stress, cold, or sleep deprivation — but did little in rested, unstressed conditions.
Systematic review of RCTs · n=15 studies · ~100–150 mg/kg — Jongkees et al., 2015 — J Psychiatr Res (review)
After overnight sleep deprivation, tyrosine restored alertness and working memory versus placebo for several hours.
Double-blind crossover RCT · n=20 · 150 mg/kg — Neri et al., 1995 — Aviat Space Environ Med
Bottom line: Works specifically as a 'stress buffer' — it helps thinking under sleep deprivation, cold, or heavy multitasking, but does little when you're rested and calm. It's not a daily focus pill.
Safe for most. Avoid with thyroid medication or MAOI antidepressants. Works best acutely before a stressor, not as a daily mood-lifter.
Anecdotes, not evidence, and not medical advice. Frequency labels are our read of forum sentiment, not a formal survey. Individual responses vary widely.
| Per serving | |
|---|---|
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| Bulk powder at the clinical dose (500g, $24.97) | $0.05 |
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Bulk price: $24.97/500g → Alt source: $9.99/250gEducational only — not medical advice. Grades and clinical doses are computed from public labels against sourced research (citations on the main site); prices last verified 2026-07-21. Expensive Powder has no sponsors; bulk links may earn an affiliate commission, which never affects a grade. Talk to a clinician before starting any supplement.