Tryptophan vs Tyrosine for mood
Short answer: For mood, users rate them about the same: 79% report improvement with Tryptophan (19 reports) and 83% with Tyrosine (259 reports).
Tryptophan has 274 meta-analyses and 818 randomized trials on PubMed; Tyrosine has 2,190 and 1,766.
Based on 149 reports about Tryptophan and 1,662 about Tyrosine. Not medical advice.
| Tryptophan Supplement | Tyrosine Supplement | |
|---|---|---|
| Users say it helped | 53%helped48 reports · medium confidence | 55%helped632 reports · high confidence |
| Verdict | Mixed | Mixed |
| Research | AResearch: Strong | AResearch: Strong |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 274 / 818 | 2,190 / 1,766 |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Focus % reporting improvement | — | 85% (294) |
| Mood % reporting improvement | 79% (19) | 83% (259) |
| Energy % reporting improvement | — | 91% (238) |
| Anxiety % reporting improvement | 56% (9) | 57% (53) |
| Sleep % reporting improvement | 84% (31) | 33% (12) |
| Common side effects | vivid dreams, anxiety, prolonged effects, emotional blunting | anxiety, headache, irritability, jitteriness |
| Typical dose reported | 1000-2000 mg / bedtime | 500 mg / daily |
Trp supplementation, especially at ≥1 g can help improve sleep quality.
Nutr Rev, 2022 ↗“I personally respond to tryptophan better than 5HTP...I take 1000mg of tryptophan...3x a day before meals and it helps me immensely.”
In patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC, first and third generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors, as well as combination therapies with antiangiogenesis, were associated with increased risks of cardiovascular adverse events. Risks were significantly higher with third generation compared with first generation inhibitors.
BMJ, 2025 ↗“I stack taurine with tyrosine and creatine and that has helped my mood noticeably and also helps me feel stronger and more energetic.”
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Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate