N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine (NALT) Benefits, Side Effects & Dosage

N-acetyl-L-tyrosine (NALT) supposedly has better absorption and stronger nootropic effects than L-tyrosine. However, science tells a different story and points to some major drawbacks. Read on to find out if NALT is a better option and how to use it properly.

What is N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine?

A Form of L-Tyrosine

L-tyrosine is an amino acid your body uses to make proteins, neurotransmitters, and other vital compounds. Your body can make it from another amino acid, phenylalanine. You can also get it from good protein sources such as cheese, meat, eggs, and beans [1, 2, 3].

N-acetyl-L-tyrosine (NALT or NAT) is a derivative of L-tyrosine promoted for its supposedly higher absorption and efficacy. People use it as a supplement to boost their physical and mental performance. Still, science supports only a fraction of these claims and anecdotal benefits.

Snapshot

Proponents

Boosts cognition and alertness under stress
May improve mood
May increase thyroid hormones
May speed up metabolism

Skeptics

Only partly metabolized into L-tyrosine
May cause headaches and fatigue
May worsen cognition in the elderly
Interacts with L-DOPA and thyroid medications
Not well studied in humans

N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine Benefits

The potential health benefits discussed below refer to L-tyrosine if not stated otherwise. Although NALT is a source of L-tyrosine, it may not have the same health effects.

How It Works

A portion of ingested NALT turns into L-tyrosine, an amino acid with promising nootropic and stimulant effects. L-tyrosine increases neurotransmitters known as catecholamines: dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine [4].

They play central roles in your mental health, cognition, behavior, and stress response. The body needs a steady supply of tyrosine to maintain their production and keep physical and cognitive performance at peak levels [5, 6].

Possibly Effective:

Cognition, Memory & Wakefulness

In multiple clinical trials, L-tyrosine was able to boost cognition, alertness, and memory in stressful and demanding situations [7, 8].

It seems to have a nootropic effect in extreme conditions that deplete catecholamines and expose the body to additional stress. These include sleep deprivation, multitasking, military training, and cold weather [9, 10, 11].

Users attribute the same benefits to N-acetyl-L-tyrosine, but studies haven’t confirmed this yet.