L-DOPA: Benefits, Side Effects, Best Time to Take It & More (2024)

L-DOPA directly converts to dopamine in the body through a process called decarboxylation.

Dopamine can then convert into adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline (norepinephrine) through the dopamine-beta-hydroxylase enzyme.

An increase in these neurotransmitters can lead to a variety of pleasant and unpleasant effects.

It can result in increased attention, motivation, andworking memory. On the other hand, too much dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline can cause mild mania, jitteriness, difficulty falling asleep, and more.

• Reduced symptoms of Parkinson’s disease – L-DOPA is one of the safest and most effective treatment options for Parkinson’s disease.
• Reduced symptoms of depression – The main reason behind this effect is an increase in dopamine levels. About 80% of those who take the supplement notice an improvement in their well-being. It is important to note that this improvement happens in the short term and likely won’t last once you stop taking the supplement.
• Reduced stress – L-DOPA is effective at reducing acute stress when taken at low doses. Higher doses may actually increase stress response because of elevated adrenaline levels.

• Improved working memory – L-DOPA has been shown to preserve working memory during acute stressors. It may also have a memory-boosting effect outside stressful situations, but only to a small extent.
• Improved well-being – This effect applies mainly to people with depression but also to non-depressed individuals experiencing mild forms of stress.
• Reduced symptoms of ADHD – People with ADHD have a general deficit in amino acid transport, absorption, or both. This often leads to significantly lower levels of tyrosine in the body. Since tyrosine is a precursor to L-DOPA, this likely means that people with ADHD will benefit more from L-DOPA supplements than those without ADHD. However, tyrosine is generally safer and should work just as well if not better in this regard.

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Heartburn
• Anxiety
• Mild forms of mania
• Jitteriness
• Dopamine dysregulation – Taking L-DOPA or other dopamine-boosting substances leads to higher dopamine spikes in your day-to-day activities. This makes you less sensitive to dopamine over time and once you stop using these substances, you will have to go through a period where excess dopamine receptors break down and you will become more sensitive to the neurotransmitter again. This period is often unpleasant.
• Allergic reactions – L-DOPA supplements can trigger allergic reactions that can cause itching, tingling in the mouth, swelling of the face or hands, and trouble breathing.
• Toxicity – While acute toxicity has never been reported, taking high amounts of L-DOPA could lead to chronic toxicity over time and cause some health problems, such as nerve damage. To prevent chronic toxicity, it is best to stay below 500 mg a day unless you have a great reason to take more.
• Contamination– Contaminated supplements are uncommon in the USA and other well-regulated countries. However, if you wish to buy products from China, India, or other countries without strict regulations, beware that the supplements may be contaminated. Either way, you need to choose the brand you order from wisely. It is highly recommended to check the certificates or read through some reviews for the specific product before you buy it. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has the power to regulate dietary supplements but can only do so after they have been on the market for a while. That’s because supplement companies are not obligated to announce to the FDA when releasing a new product on the market. The FDA has to discover the product and test it for potential impurities, which can take a lot of time. During that time, the supplement can be sold on the market even if it’s impure. Also, supplement companies can change their manufacturers without announcing it to the FDA.

• are a happy person without a need to take the supplement (in which case, excess dopamine isn’t necessary and it would lead to unpleasant bouts of dopamine withdrawal once you stop taking L-DOPA)
• are willing to take a precursor to L-DOPA instead (such as L-tyrosine or DL-phenylalanine; these are much safer because your body gets to regulate how much L-DOPA to produce)
• suffer from schizophrenia (taking the supplement can lead to a movement disorder called tardive dyskinesia in schizophrenics)
• have high blood pressure and-or take drugs for high blood pressure
• have difficulty sleeping
• eat high amounts of protein from food (most whole foods contain at least some amount of each essential amino acid, including phenylalanine and tyrosine, which are precursors to L-DOPA)
• experience a severe adverse reaction after taking the supplement
• often get anxious
• are pregnant or breastfeeding (we don’t yet know if the supplement is safe for the child)
• are on a tight supplement budget (since there are more cost-effective supplements on the market for most people)

• have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease
• suffer from depression
• are looking for a cognitive boost to increase concentration, motivation, and working memory
• have ADHD or autism

If you plan to take L-DOPA as a supplement, 50 mg 3 times a day appears to be the best daily target for most people. This amount should provide notable benefits without meaningful side effects.

Some people may benefit from doses higher than 150 mg/d. These include people with ADHD, depression, and Parkinson’s disease.

If you plan to take doses higher than 300 mg, increase the dose gradually over the course of a few weeks. Never take more than you find necessary.

The upper safety limit for this supplement is not well-established. To stay on the safe side, don’t take more than 500 mg daily unless you have a great reason to do so. Higher amounts may cause problems if you take the supplement for a prolonged period.

This chemical is mainly found in plants from the Mucuna family.

Mucuna Pruriens is the most popular exogenous source of L-DOPA that contains anywhere from 0.5% to 9% of L-DOPA by weight.

Other sources include Tamarindus indica, Sesbania bispinosa, Entada scandens, Acacia leucophloea, Bauhinia variegata, Canavalia gladiata, Vigna aconitifolia, and Prosopis Chilensis. These contain about 1-5% of L-DOPA by weight except vigna aconitifolia, which only contains about 0.2-0.6%

L-DOPA is water-soluble, so you don’t have to take it with food to absorb it well. Taking the supplement with food is better if it causes stomach upset when you take it on an empty stomach.

To maximize the benefits, take the supplement in the morning or before you work on a cognitively demanding task.

L-DOPA works much better when you take it early in the day. Taking it at night would likely cause more harm than good, mainly because of the increase in dopamine and adrenaline.

Unless it feels too impractical, spread the daily dose into 2+ smaller doses throughout the day.

• SAM-e
  At least one study shows that L-DOPA may deplete S-adenosyl Methionine (SAMe) levels in children. This likely applies to adults as well.
• Sedatives
  L-DOPA can increase the effects and side effects of sedatives.
• Amphetamines
  L-DOPA potentiates the effects of amphetamines.

Amazon is the best option for ordering L-DOPA supplements in most countries. They offer some very affordable products backed by many positive reviews. Also, you can choose from a wide range of brands without having to search through other markets on the internet.

Beware some brands display the dosage per serving instead of per pill or capsule. Therefore, you may accidentally buy something less potent than you intended. Do not fall for this marketing trick.

Share this with your friends: