Tyrosine (Plasma)

- Increased tyrosine may exacerbate migraine headaches and hyperthyroid conditions.

- Elevated tyrosine levels may occur due to supplementation (phenylalanine or tyrosine), heritable enzyme defects, or liver disease.

- High levels may indicate an inability to utilize tyrosine properly, perhaps because of low levels of enzyme co-factors such as iron, copper, iodine, B6, and vitamin C. 

- Implicated in depression, hypothyroidism, blood pressure disorders. If phenylalanine is normal or high, iron, Vitamin C, and Niacin supplementation may help to convert phenylalanine to tyrosine. 

- Low tyrosine relative to phenylalanine could also suggests that tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) might be low. 

Tyrosin is the non-essential amino acid precursor for dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. Tyrosine hydroxylase converts tyrosine into the dopamine precursor L-DOPA; BH4, Vitamin D and iron are cofactors for that enzymatic activity.