L-tyrosine, depression and smoking.

So, I was sitting on the porch, thinking about the pharmacological effects of nicotine and the such, and a random musing brought me to think about L-tyrosine, the precourser to Dopamine.
I know that a lot of people (now me included) self medicate with cigarettes for depression, and it seems to work. I was thinking the dopamine released when smoking could attribute to this.
I also take L-tyrosine on and off during my really bad days and strangely enough, I don't crave a smoke for about 12 hours after I take L-tyrosine.
My question is, would L-tyrosine be a good supplement for one that is deciding to quit smoking to help take "the edge" off cravings, or am I barking up the wrong tree?
[ 15 December 2002: Message edited by: Fetish Jester ]

I've been wondering this myself funnily enough. In particular I have wondered whether it could help someone stop smoking pot. Amongst other things, pot increases dopamine levels apparently. I wonder whether l-tyrosine, l-phenylalanine and also Zyban could be helpful in ceasing heavy pot use?
Nicotine increases both dopamine and noradrenaline levels. Noradrenaline (along with serotonin) has always been thought of as playing a bigger role in mood than dopamine. So perhaps noradrenaline is more significant in this case too???
This study is kind of interesting: Bromocriptine is associated with decreased smoking rates and so is this page:
Smoking, it's physiological effects, and nicotine withdrawal
I say give it a go, and if it doesn't work, then Zyban may be helpful (due to it's anti-depressant effects).

Babydoc: Right now, I think I'm going to keep on smoking, just because it really is making a huge difference to my quality of life, whereas tyrosine just prevents me from slipping further. Until they develop a drug for depression that I'm comfortable taking, I'll stick to the lesser of two evils (IMO)
Something Vaile* told me a few weeks ago really piqued my interest in the use of amino acids and supplements as a proper treatment. Apparently he told his friend who is a therapist about the vitamin/amino acid cocktail I concoct for pre and post loading on MDMA. The therapist in turn used this cocktail on a patient of her who was experiencing high anxiety and MDMA dependance. Apparently there was a marked difference in the patients state of mind with the supplements.
What does this have to do with the topic? Well, I was wondering if there is some studies on the use of amino acid/precourser supplements for the treatment of various conditions.
To me it seems like common sense, but then again, drug companies can't actually OWN amino acids, thus they can't make a profit.

Fetish Jester,
Have you tried Sam-e (S-adenosylmethionine) for your depression?
It's rather expensive, but highly effective in lifting mood. I've seen some people turn themselves around just with Sam-e and 5-HTP. Make sure you take enough (600mg/day) to begin with, then taper the dose over a few weeks.
Damn sight healthier than smoking!
Good luck!

sneak2: I've found that lack of serotonin is not my problem, as I (usually) have elevated levels anyway.
Sam-E I think is minimal in ablilty to work due to it not being able to pass through the blood brain barrier. I do take 5-HTP when I have the physical hallmarks of depression, though. And, I think that the chemical controlling of serotonin levels via MAOI's and SSRI's to be more "unhealthy" than smoking.
As I said before, I know its bad, but to me it's the lesser of two evils.

OT: Several people I know who've tried SAM-e have discontinued use due to no benefit or negative side effects... but I've never tried it myself. There are several threads in this forum on SAM-e.
BigTrancer

I'm not sure how effective l-tyrosine would be (I feel a pharmaceutical like bromocriptine would be better), but I can make a suggestion for targeting the noradrenaline system.
REBOXETINE is a selective noradrenaline reputake inhibitor (so you could consider if the Prozac of noradrenaline), and it is useful for depression, and more recently, anxiety and ADD. I have taken reboxetine before but as I don't smoke I don't know how it would affect nicotine cravings -- but I feel there is a good chance that it might.
Reboxetine is an amazing medication that has very few side effects compared to traditional antidepressants. I am not sure if it is available in Australia (it isn't yet FDA approved in the US), but it is available at various online pharmacies.
Anyways, just something to consider...

While I hadn’t really considered this in the context of something to help give up smoking, has anyone heard much about Selegiline? or (l-deprenyl), N-propargyl levo methamphetamine
I've been looking at this molecule for the past few months, and it seems amazing it hasn’t been talked about more?
Youthfulness, neuroprotection, increased learning ability, improved sexual function and longevity. All this claimed from this simple amphetamine derivative.
Selegiline, first synthesised in 1962 is traditionally prescribed to Parkinson’s sufferers in the later stages of the disease, as it helps the no-longer as effective L-dopa work more efficiently. It appears to do this by preventing deamination of dopamine through being a non reversible MAO-B inhibitor, and by limiting transportation possibly due increases in levels of phenethylamine. While Selegiline is a catecholamine activity enhancer, it does not displace them from stores, and so is not thought to lead to dependence.
Also stated is that Selegiline acts as a 5-HT terminal neuroprotective when taken with large doses of MDMA, probably due to MAO-BI actions. I don't recommend taking it with MDMA without more being researched on this, but Selegiline does seem like an interesting one to watch.
Ref: Structure and Activity of Selegiline, it's Functional Groups, and Cingeners, by Dylan Oliver, Biioorganic Chemistry, NS330, May 3, 2002
(This paper also reports work done by Knoll in which he claims a direct correlation in rats between a higher sex drive, increased learning ability and increased life expectancy; all which were increased by Selegiline.)

www.selegiline.com has some good info
BT

In Australia Selegiline is only available by prescription. It is not otherwise restricted, so unless your doctor is not convinced of its safety etc, it should not be a problem to obtain.
Selegiline costs about $65/month in Australia, and is not on the PBL as far as I'm aware.

Reboxetine has recently been approved and is now available as an anti-depressant in Australia. The trade name is Edronax.

seems good sense to me. Dopamine is enhanced by smoking.

It worked for me!
Whether placebo or what ever, I had no absolutely need to smoke all of a sudden, I would/could've enjoyed one but didn't really need or want one, so I stopped smoking from the day I started taking L-tyrosine 1000mg(1 daily).
I stopped cigi's from June till now & stopped smoking pot at the same time & have only just returned to pot as of early Nov,but not nicotine
I stopped use of L-tyrosine in early October.
IMHO, if your half serious about quiting smoking either, then L-tyrosine definetly won't be a waste of money...

Oh & I only used L-tyrosine for the purpose of quiting nicotine,pot & alcohol. I'd read alot of it's help in balancing out your general dopamine system comunications,etc before use.
For all the above it worked for me at least...

Fetish Jester: found this on my travels -Use of Neurotransmitter Precursors for Treatment of Depression from the Alternative Medicine Review.

Thanks for that Babydoc!
And what I thought was correct: There really haven't been enough tests on the use of amino acids in a theraputic/medical context.
And interesting thing to note in that article is that 5-htp appeared to be almost as effective as tricyclic antidepressants when taken in dosages of up to 2g a day.

^^^
Yup, and in doses of 3+ g a day 5-htp can help obessive compulsive disorder and other anxiety disorders too.

fairnymph, 3 grams a day seems like an awful lot. Not saying it is necessarily dangerous, but that's a fair bit above the recommended daily dosage isn't it?

phase_dancer: remember that any "recommended daily dosage" for 5HTP has been suggested by manufacturers, and not as a result of multiple rigourous studies. I imagine manufacturers err on the side of caution. And, that the reason there are few rigourous studies is because 5HTP can't be patented and used to reap billions of dollars by pharmaceutical companies (who do the bulk of this type of research)...So, no absolute range of safety has been established for 5HTP (or most other herbal/amino acid treatments).
[ 24 December 2002: Message edited by: babydoc_vic ]