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Phenylalanine is a naturally occurring essential amino acid. It's found in many foodssuch as meat, eggs, dairy, cocoa, chocolate, and wheat. The body converts phenylalanine into l-tyrosine, another amino acid, which is the precursor to brain chemicals include dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. These three are big mood regulators, and many antidepressant drugs target them and other neurotransmitters to alleviate depression.

Some people turn to phenylalanine supplements to regulate moods. Like other amino acids, because phenylalanine is broken down into components used to create brain chemicals, the hope is that by taking supplements one can improve mood. It's often taken by people dealing with depression and anxiety disorders to boost the amount of dopamanine, epinephrine and norepinephrine in the body. There's limited scientific research proving phenylalanine supplements work to boost mood, but many in the holistic or supplement industry believe they do and recommend them for this purpose.

Phenylalanine is of course dangerous to people with the inherited genetic condition called PKU, but it's also dangerous for people who have unrecognized mood disorders masquerading as depression. Bipolar disease, for example, cycles between depression and euphoria, with some patients experiencing one end of the spectrum for many months or even years. Without proper diagnosis, such patients may try to self medicate using herbs or supplements such as phenylalanine. The danger is that self medication prevents accurate diagnosis and may further unsettle brain chemistry, causing worsening of the manic symptoms or just general mood swings.

Phenylketonuria is a genetically inherited disease in which people cannot process the amino acid phenylalanine. The amino acid is either incompletely metabolized or improperly metabolized, with the resulting buildup of phenylalanine causing brain damage, mental retardation, or both. You can't "catch" PKU and it doesn't develop over time; all newborn babies in the United States are tested immediately to see if they have this disorder. Treatment consists of avoiding phenylalanine supplements, diet products containing aspartame (which also contain phenylalanine), and phenylalanine-rich foods such as cocoa powder, gelatin, and many meat, dairy and higher protein foods.

The dangers of phenylalanine supplements include potential drug interactions. There are numerous medications that react with this dietary supplement. If you are taking any of the following medicines, do not take phenylalanine supplements:

• Antipsychotic Medications and MAOI - Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI's) are antidepressant medications that when taken with phenylalanine may cause a sharp and sudden rise in blood pressure, leading to death.
• Drugs for Parkinson's Disease – any medications for Parkinsons disease react poorly to phenylalanine and prevent the drug from working.

The body naturally receives an appropriate amount of phenylalanine through a varied diet. Eating a variety of foods provides this and many other of the essential amino acids in ways the body has developed over centuries to use. If taking high dose supplements, you may accidentally upset the body's chemical balance. The RDA of phenylalanine is 14 mg for adults. In studies using phenylalanine supplements to treat vitiligo, a condition causing uneven skin pigmentation, doses as high as 750-3000 mg for adults. Take the dose recommended on the label, since supplements are made in various strengths and never exceed the recommended amount.