Phenylalanine is the natural precursor to tyrosine, which is the precursor to dopamine. Phenylalanine is also involved in many other important roles in the body, such as production of important body chemicals like acetoacetyl coenzyme A.
Phenylalanine is also interesting as it is very close chemically to amphetamine. If the COO group is replaced with a CH3, then presto you have it. The procedure is simple enough providing you can get the required reagents, but there is a catch.
A common technique using DL phenylalanine would give you DL amphetamine, which means half of the product (the L half) would only be useful as a nasal decongestant, with the other half (the D ) being the active form. Separation requires High Performance Liquid Chromatography(HPLC) - equipment not likely to be found in the kitchen.
Of course, using the pure form, L- phenylalanine to make wizz this way would give you a totally L product with effectively no activity at all.
So while levels of other neurotransmitters (dopamine, epinephrine etc.) may be expected to rise slightly, preloading with phenylalanine for serotonin boosting would be pretty much a waste of time.
Your body also has ways of limiting levels of phenylalanine, unless you suffer from genetic disorders such as PKU, a deficiency resulting in an inability to hydroxylate the ring of phenylalanine to produce tyrosine.
AS FOR POST LOADING - ANYTHING THAT EVEN SLIGHTLY INCREASES LEVELS OF DOPAMINE IN VIVO SHOULD BE ABSOLUTELY AVOIDED.
As has been said before, if you want to pre/post load for MDMA, stick to 5HTP (precursor to serotonin) or L-tryptophan, the body's precursor to 5HTP.
These two are definitely your best chances of increasing your serotonin levels, although as also has been said, your body will have many ways of NOT allowing big increases in serotonin levels. Obviously drugs can and do override or turn off these mechanisms, such as MDMA affecting serotonin release (increase) while inhibiting (turning off) the enzyme that converts tryptophan to 5HTP.
It is often said that phenylalanine can mimic a mild coke buzz if enough is taken. I never fould it be effective as this, but there seemed to be some sort of effect of well being on the first few days. There are those that take it every day, anyone here?
phase_dancer
[This message has been edited by phase_dancer (edited 22 June 2001).]
