Are you crashing at 3pm every day? Or is your mind racing at night when you should be sleeping? Or do you sometimes feel like everyday life is wrapped up in a fog? Amino acid therapy might be able to help.
It’s true, the way you live and eat have a huge impact on how you feel – your energy, your mood, and your sleep. But amino acids can help you bridge the gap between knowing what you should do… and actually doing it.
We chug energy drinks in the morning and throw back a few sleeping pills at night – if we’re lucky we’ll get a few things done and log a few hours of sleep every day.
But if you’re trapped in this cycle (and I’ve been there), you’re stuck propping one bad habit up with another had habit. It’s a vicious circle that can feel impossible to break (again, I’ve totally been there).
Amino acid supplements can help.
Julia Ross talks extensively about amino acid therapy in her books The Diet Cure and The Mood Cure.
Amino acid therapy works because your body uses amino acids to build brain chemicals – important neurotransmitters like dopamine – that can help you feel more energized, focused, cheerful, or relaxed (depending on which amino acids are used).
Ideally, you’ll use amino acids for a few weeks or months to help you end that cycle of bad habits. Once you find yourself sleeping better and focusing more, it gets easier to make other healthy habits that contribute to your overall energy, mood, and wellbeing.
From there, it’s like a happy snowball effect – each small change leads to another.
Usually at this point, you’ll no longer need the amino acids, because you’ve built a healthier lifestyle that naturally keeps those feel-good brain chemicals at the right levels. Honestly, you’ll probably just forget to take them and realize you don’t need them anymore (if you’re anything like me).
How I’ve Used Amino Acid Therapy Over the Years
I personally have used amino acid therapy on and off for the last 7-8 years. Once I found which amino acids were most effective for me and got the dosage right, I discovered that changes were immediately noticeable.
I can go months without needing any amino acid supplements, but if I start noticing my sleep habits are getting worse, or I’m fighting to get out of bed and get going every day, I know what to do.
Usually, there’s an underlying cause like too much stress or an emotional event – or maybe my eating habits haven’t been supporting my health or I’ve gotten out of the practice of meditating.
So even though the root cause needs to be addressed – if you’re stuck in that exhausted or anxious or unmotivated state… it can be really tough to make the right choices!
Below are a few of the amino acid supplements that have made a difference for me:
(All the dosages below are based on Julia’s recommendations in her books, which I highly suggest reading before embarking on an amino acid therapy program. Remember it is always best to start with a small dose and increase as needed.)
NOTE:
If you feel that every day is a struggle, if you feel manic or depressed, or if you’re having suicidal thoughts or are self-harming, please seek help. Therapy can be life-saving, and there is nothing wrong with using medication if you need it. The right therapist or doctor can work alongside you to help you feel your best. And *hugs* to you. You deserve to feel better.
A Guide for Which Amino Acids Help with Energy, Mood, Sleep & More
Amino Acids for Energy and Focus
Phenylalanine:
This is an essential amino acid which cannot be manufactured by the body. Phenylalanine is used to produce tyrosine (see below), and is one of the best amino acids for energy and better moods. Phenylalanine supplements are used to treat fatigue, low moods, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), food cravings and overeating, and even chronic pain.
In supplemental form, you can use D-phenylalanine, L-phenylalanine, or DL-phenylalanine (DLPA). The first is especially useful in relieving pain, the second is also effective but slightly more stimulating, and the third is a combination of the first two forms. Start with 500 mg, one to three times daily, and gradually increase up to 1,000 mg three times daily as needed. Do not exceed 5,000 mg daily.
DLPA has been very helpful to me in the past. I’ve used it to help end coffee cravings. It’s also helped me recover from periods of deep emotional stress and strain (when getting out of bed in the morning starts to feel too difficult). In my experience, DLPA has been surprisingly effective. When I take DLPA, even when I don’t “feel” it – I notice things start to get done again. Deadlines are met and the laundry is folded and I have the energy to do my makeup, etc. I’ve only had to use it for short periods and the benefits seem to be long-lasting.
Tyrosine:
This amino acid is a precursor of adrenaline, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which are important for maintaining a sense of well-being and energy, and also promote a healthy metabolism and nervous system.
Tyrosine also works with iodine to promote thyroid health. Supplemental L-tyrosine is excellent for treating fatigue, low moods, depression, low sex drive, and anxiety. Tyrosine and phenylalanine can be used in conjunction.
Some people benefit more from one or the other; it’s important to work with both of them to find the right balance for your individual needs (I personally do much better on DLPA than tyrosine, though it took some experimenting to figure that out!). Dosage begins at 500 mg, one to three times daily. Increase dosage as needed, up to 2,000 mg three times daily.
The Best Amino Acid Supplement for Gut Health and Sugar Cravings
Glutamine:
L-glutamine supplements are among the most popular amino acid supplements for many reasons. They are useful for treating fatigue and depression. Glutamic acid, which is derived from glutamine, is essential for ideal brain function.
During times of stress, your body uses up mass amounts of glutamine that can easily be replaced with a supplement of L-glutamine to keep you functioning at your best. Glutamine is awesome iin a few different ways:
- It’s highly effective at fighting sugar and starch cravings.
- Glutamine is used to aid muscle recovery when taken before or after exercise.
- It’s also said to support digestive health and helps your gut system function optimally.
Suggested dosage is between 500-1,500 mg up to three times daily before meals.
Amino Acids for Relaxation and Sleep Support
GABA
GABA is actually an amino acid and a neurotransmitter. It works incredibly well at relaxing the nervous system even in small doses. GABA works very quickly and is often best taken as a sublingual or chewable tablet. Take 100mg of GABA 2-3 times daily when you’re feeling “wired” or stressed. GABA works very well for emotional tension or nervous stress.
Many GABA supplements use higher doses, but more is not better in the case of GABA. You’ll probably do well on 100-250mg per dose. If not, a small percentage of people need 500-750mg per dose, but that is the maximum recommended by amino acid expert Julia Ross. For me, higher doses in the evening give me crazy dreams that disrupt my sleep. If GABA doesn’t seem to be working for you, instead of raising your dose, you can try theanine instead (see below).
Theanine
Theanine is the amino acid that made green tea famous. It’s calming and relaxing, similar to GABA. I personally have enjoyed taking theanine as a GABA alternative. It gives me that calm, grounded feeling. I also like taking 100mg with my coffee in the mornings, because theanine and caffeine make an excellent combination for jitter-free focus.
Theanine works well in small doses. Try 100-200mg 2-3 times daily when you’re feeling stressed or need to wind down before bed. I haven’t noticed any negative effect on my dreams from Theanine, which is another reason I like using it at night.
Amino Acids for Well-Being and Mood Support
Tryptophan:
This essential amino acid is a precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is important for providing a feeling of calm and well-being. A deficiency of serotonin can result in depression, anxiety, insomnia, excessive anger and mood swings. You might also find yourself craving sweets and carbs in the afternoons and evenings if you’re low on this important neurotransmitter.
Tryptophan supplements are quite effective and act quickly to help produce optimal levels of serotonin. Take 500-1,000 mg up to three times per day. This is one of the best amino acids for sleep, so a dose about 30-60 minutes before bed can really make a difference.
5-HTP
Tryptophan turns into 5-HTP in your body before it turns into serotonin. In that sense, it has the same benefits you’d expect from tryptophan. Some people find 5-HTP is more effective than tryptophan, others find it too strong and easily overdosed (that’s me – I have to be extremely careful dosing 5-HTP and most of the time I just avoid it).
Typical 5-HTP dosage is 50-200mg once in the mid-afternoon and once in the evenings. If you have serious cravings or mood dips around lunchtime, you can add a third dose twenty minutes before lunch. Again, start slow and work up until you find the right dosage. For some, 50mg once in the evenings is enough.
Occasionally, 5-HTP has a more energizing effect than tryptophan. If you think 5-HTP if interfering with your sleep, switch to tryptophan and see if it helps. If not, try switching to GABA or theanine (see above) in the evenings.
Tips For Taking These Amino Acid Supplements
- Look for free-form amino acids in capsule or powder form to enhance absorption. Tablets are inferior because additives and binders make them more difficult to break down and utilize. Powder form is the most easily absorbed and will often have no additives at all.
- Take all amino acids between meals (at least twenty minutes before you eat or ninety minutes after you eat). This prevents these therapeutic amino acids from competing for absorption with amino acids from the protein you eat.
- Stimulating amino acids like tyrosine and phenylalanine compete with relaxing amino acids like tryptophan. Use stimulating amino acids in the morning and/or early afternoon to help boost your energy and focus levels. Use relaxing amino acids in the late afternoon and evenings when you need to wind down.
Remember: Amino acid therapy should be used to help you create better habits that will naturally support your energy, moods, and sleep.
Once you start feeling better (usually within 1-2 weeks you’ll notice a difference), add some healthy habits to your daily routine – like meditation, eating balanced meals, sleeping more, journaling, connecting with friends and family, going for a walk, etc.
(Getting plenty of protein is also an important part of stabilizing your energy and moods. Learn more about getting enough protein here.)
Have you tried any of these amino acid supplements? Tell me your thoughts in the comments below!
More Emotional Health Articles:
- How to Reduce Stress Hormones
- 5 Deep Breathing Benefits
- Want to Stop Anxiety? You Need to Do This First
I’m *so thrilled* that you and Ann Marie have been talking about this 🙂 It nudged me to look into them for my family; I’m on GABA which has seemed to totally get rid of my ADD/anxiety symptoms, and my ASD daughter is on L-Carnosine which I believe helps heal the gut (she’s also on GAPS), and my husband has been working overtime to advance in his career and is thriving on DLPA! I’m so NOT a supplement person, but these amino acids really do feel like they’re correcting deficiencies so I’m okay with them 🙂
I feel the same way, Cara. I think it’s a good idea to be careful with supplements, but as you said, sometimes it’s needed when correcting a deficiency. Then typically the supplement is only temporary as well, which makes it somewhat less of a concern. And as with any supplement/medication you have to look at the benefits and risks involved. To me, the benefit of being able to get off coffee and junk food (and feeling and sleeping better, too!) is often worth using a simple amino acid supplement for a few months.
Hey! I have a little dilemma. I am currently taking pharmagaba which is gaba in its natural form. It is said that pharmagaba has an easier time crossing the blood-brain-barrier. The problem is that I need to keep taking this like… forever. There is no stopping because I really need it. Without it I go through withdrawals no different from benzos. I take it in small doses though. Around 100-150 mg totally divided in three or two seperate doses throughout the day. That dosage is pretty small compared to a real one. The problem is that Inknow that taking a single amino acid will result in a deficiency of other amino acids im the long run. My question is which other amino acids do I need to take/eat to counteract this deficiency? Is it glutamate? Please help..
I’d do some more research, because this may not be a problem, especially if you eat a variety of protein. That’s a fairly low dose.
Thanks for your post on amino acids. I am learning more and more about them as the weeks go by. I have been reading Julia Ross’s book–it’s a gold mine, and your post helped mine out some of the gems. It is amazing how they work, how the body uses them, even how the amino acids help other. The dlpa helped me get over years of caffeine dependence, and I have been trying out 3 other amino acids for other concerns.
I agre–Julia’s book has so many good bits that it’s hard to catch them all! It helps to keep it as a reference and look through it every once in a while.
I read your post with interest because I am trying to do the same thing. I first heard about the mood cure from Ann Marie. I took the 4 tests online and saw that I needed to try this. I am still trying to figure out which amino acids I need and how much. My cravings aren’t so bad anymore since I began eating traditional food, but I don’t sleep well and there are other issues I am hoping to deal with. The book also recommends several vitamins to take. I don’t take any and I’m wondering if I need to.
I started with 5HTP but it did nothing for me. Now I am trying tryptophan and DLPA. Still not sure if I have the right ones or if I’m taking enough of them. So I’mstill trying to figure this out. Thanks for posting about this.
I feel safer with tryptophan than 5-htp personally. 5-htp is stronger than tryptophan (it is one step closer to serotonin), and for me I noticed it was easy to overdo it and get too much serotonin! It doesn’t seem possible, but having too much serotonin is just as bad as having too little. Plus, Dr. Schwarzbein said not to use 5-htp indefinitely, that there were concerns about it if used more than temporarily.
I think it would be sensible to warn in the article for serotonin toxicity which can be caused by using SSRI-type anti-depressants and tryptophan, -5-HTP or St. John’s Worth at the same time. This is a serious condition so it can’t be emphasized enough to NOT combine SSRI’s with these compounds.
I have found the above mentioned amino acids very helpful when supporting alcoholics and amphetamine abusers (addicts) with craving control and mood stabilization
Hi, My name is Jeffrey Simpson. I am looking for a possible simplest
approach to a rather complicated problem. I had previously abused Adderall
for almost 15yrs, sometimes swallowing up to 14 tablets at a time. I
relapsed in January of 2014, because I was depressed and have no energy. I
am currently on Zoloft for depression, which I don’t believe is helping me
at all, and Serax for anxiety, which keeps the anxiety under control, but
also makes me very tired and just masks the problem. After being off
Adderall for 3-4yrs without any meds I was depressed, had severe anxiety,
a “wired and tired” feeling all the time if you will. I cannot find any
middle ground as the stress is so overwhelming. I understand that you may
not be a doctor, but I could really use some professional advice.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Simpson
I highly recommend reading the book The Mood Cure by Julia Ross. Amino acid therapy may be something you want to look into.
My wife and sister in law suffer from anxiety and swear by l – theonine at 200- 400 mg two – three times a day. It has a calming affect after about 30 minutes.
Jeffrey, I had the same problem about 10 years ago and I am better now. I realized that I had a thyroid problem and I was taking adderall for energy. I took a lot and embarrassed myself and looked crazy. Read Stop the thyroid madness and The mood cure. You can feel great,just figure out what you’re lacking that you are trying to compensate for by taking drugs.
Loved this article! Thanks so much for posting. I was in Whole Foods earlier telling a worker that I has been dealing with intestinal inflammation. As a result, I’ve had to go gluten free and needed B-12, Iron, Magnesium and Potassium because my energy is so low due to my new diet. She asked about my absorption and then recommended L-Glutamine with Manuka Honey to help. Researching this is how I came across this article. I’m pretty sure I’m going to try the other things you mentioned too. 🙂
Thanks Alexa! Glad you enjoyed the post. Let me know how the glutamine works for you!
I am interested to know if children can take an Amino Acid supplement as I know of a child who may benefit from this having read the post .
DL phenylalaline, 5htp, SAMe, Vit. D Vit. B23 (methycobalamine)
I find this combination works best for me. Dosages vary for me…some days I need more than others. Actually, the vit D is 8,000iu a day and B12 is 5000mg. a day
Don’t many foods contain all the amino acids? Eggs come to mind.
Yes, all protein is made of amino acids. However, in amino acid therapy, you take a specific amino acid on an empty stomach so that it doesn’t compete with other amino acids for absorption. This way you receive maximum benefits from that particular amino acid.
Thank you so much for this info – perfect timing! Just one question: can I take my before bed aminos with collagen (assuming yes as collagen is a protein – right?)? Many thanks- keep sharing!
I would take them at least 30 minutes before ingesting any other kind of protein for optimal absorption.
I’m planning to embark on Amino Therapy for three months and then take a break while on holiday for a week…would it be ok to stop the therapy for a week or would I need to taper off before my holiday?
I don’t think tapering off is necessary. Enjoy your upcoming holiday! 🙂
After reading the book, I figured I have a deficiency in every aspect.
Would you take Tryptophan together with GABA and Glutamine?
You can, and I certainly did so myself in the beginning. However, I do warn that it’s a little difficult to tell what’s working and in what dosage when you start too many things at once. I would recommend starting with one at a time, or at least take them at different time slots (perhaps on in the early evening, one in the late evening, etc.). After 1-2 weeks taking one specific amino acid, it will be easier for your to judge how it’s working for you, and then you can add another in and see if that makes a difference.
Don’t forget Carnitine and Theanine.
So true! I love Theanine before bedtime. And Carnitine is excellent before a workout.
200 mg if Theanine works well for sleep and relaxation, but it takes so long for it to wear off. I want to sleep all of the time. I need to know what is good for sleep, low energy and low mood.
If you feel like it’s making you too tired, you can either cut back on the dosage, try it earlier in the evening, or you might have to stop altogether and try something else. Make sure you’re getting at least 8 hours of sleep. You might also benefit from more energizing aminos in the morning, like tyrosine and phenylalanine.
I am currently taking Trazodone for sleep and Cymbalta for pain. Both are quite effectivfe. I have refractory depression and they may be helping that a bit so I am quite reluctant to stop using them. Is it save to take a serotonin supplement while on these meds?
I would talk about it with your care provider. Sometimes it’s not safe to combine therapies.
The most effective amino for mood is YTE (laminine/ amino22). It keeps working long term whereas those mentioned above don’t.
I haven’t had any issues with these amino acids working long term. I’ve used them on and off for years and they always help.
Hi
I have been taking many amino acids plus b vitamins for 7 months. This is for depression but I am yet to get the full benefit
Is there something I am missing
Amino acids can help you feel good enough to make other necessary lifestyle changes that help combat feelings of depression. They do need to be taken on an empty stomach. If you have persistent feelings of depression, please seek professional help.
Great article! I just stopped taking an anti-depressant and am taking L-tryptophan. It seems to be helping with my mood, but I was wondering if anyone else experiences sleepiness. I take one at night which is great and one during the day both 500mg each and during the day it makes me sleep. Is there a way to counter act this, but keep the serotonin levels up?
Sleepiness is a common side effect of any serotonin boosting supplement. I would only recommend taking toward the end of the day if it makes you sleepy, or only small amounts during the day.
Really interested in this article and reading about all of your experiences! I have autoimmune/ hypothyroid problems I’ve been trying to treat naturally that was brought about and diagnosed following a very severe head injury I suffered 2 years ago. I’ve been looking into amino acids for some support and was looking at full spectrum acid supplement powder forms the contain all 20 acids, but having read your article and feedback- am I better taking the acids separately? Mainly looking to treat low energy/ fatigue/ brain fatigue/ insomnia alongside low mood/deprssive and anxiety states. What would you recommend I do?
I’d really appreciate any feedback or advice
many thanks
Carolina
There’s two ways to think about amino acids.
1) You need enough in general, which comes from eating a balance of protein (women usually need 70+ grams per day). This is important for laying a healthy foundation.
2) You can use singular amino acids to help with specific goals (like energy, mood, relaxation, etc.). If you take the amino acids together, it won’t have the same effect.
Ultimately, you want to do both. Make sure you’re getting a balance of protein in your diet to support your overall wellness. And target specific goals with individual amino acids depending on what you need.
I have similar sounding issues, Carolina. I use collagen hydrosylate in my tea to boost my protein intake when things aren’t good. I have digestive challenges so it serves as a great source of predigested protein.
When it comes to the amino acids for the brain/body chemistry to come back into balance, I can’t express how grateful I am to have found this post. It made a huge difference, particularly as I’m on a Prednisone taper and dealing with the anxiety that comes with it.
Thank you for your words and the information!
Do you have any suggestions on where to find good quality amino acid? I live in a pretty rural area and can’t always get into the nearest city to a health food store. I’m always a bit reluctant to buy this sort of product on-line.
My best advice would be to make sure the manufacturer is GMP or NSF certified. This at least shows their facilities pass quality standards and adhere to standard safety protocols. I like NOW Foods and Nature’s Way for a lot of my supplements.