Phenylalanine can be used to produce the molecule dopamine. Dopamine malfunction in the brain is associated with some forms of depression ( 6 , 15 ).

What is L-phenylalanine good for?

Major dietary sources of L-phenylalanine include meat, fish, eggs, cheese, and milk. Phenylalanine is used for depression, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Parkinson's disease, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, alcohol withdrawal symptoms, and a skin disease called vitiligo.

Is phenylalanine a precursor to dopamine?

Phenylalanine and tyrosine constitute the two initial steps in the biosynthesis of dopamine, which, in its turn, is the metabolic precursor of noradrenaline and adrenaline. The extracellular phenylalanine concentration influences brain function in phenylalanine deficiency (PHD) by decreased dopamine synthesis.