Dopamine Supplements: Boost Your Mood (and more) Naturally (2024)

Last updated February 12, 2024.
Edited and medically reviewed by Patrick Alban, DC. Written by Deane Alban.

These dopamine supplements are the safest, most effective way to boost dopamine levels, helping problems with anxiety, depression, stress, and memory.

Supplements and drugs that increase dopamine are called dopaminergic (meaning “working on dopamine”).

There are also many drugs known as dopamine agonists that activate dopamine receptors.

These are typically used for treating dopamine-related disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and restless leg syndrome.

Amino Acid Dopamine Supplements

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins.

It is usually referred to as a non-essential amino acid, but more accurately, it is a conditional amino acid.

This means that your body can make some l-tyrosine but not always adequate amounts, especially during times of stress, exhaustion, or illness.

The top food sources of l-tyrosine are protein-rich animal products such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, and soy products.

Tyrosine supplements are available in several forms.

N-acetyl l-tyrosine (NALT) is often touted as the best form of l-tyrosine since it is highly soluble.

However, research shows that, when compared to other forms of tyrosine, NALT is the least effective form for raising blood levels of tyrosine.

For this reason, I recommend sticking with the l-tyrosine form over NALT supplements.

SAM-e

SAM-e (s-adenosyl methionine)is a naturally occurring compound found in the body.

While technically not an amino acid, it is a metabolite of the amino acid l-methionine.

SAM-e works better for depression than St. John’s wort, another popular herb for depression.

It often works as well as prescription antidepressants, and it works faster, usually bringing relief within a few days.

SAM-e is available as a supplement in the US, but in many other countries, including Russia, India, China, Italy, Germany, Vietnam, and Mexico, it’s available as a prescription medication for depression.

It’s particularly helpful for depression associated with Parkinson’s disease.

SAM-e should not be mixed with levodopa, Demerol, Ultram, or the over-the-counter cough remedy Robitussin DM.

L-Theanine

L-theanine is an amino acid found in green, black, and white teas.

It improves recall and learning and boosts mood by increasing dopamine.

" There are few substances on the planet that do as much dopamine-boosting as caffeine.

It’s one of the main reasons that green tea especially can induce a state of calm focus.

If you prefer drinking tea to taking supplements, it’s generally recommended that you drink 3 cups of green tea per day for maximum benefits.

Mucuna Pruriens

Mucuna pruriens is a tropical legume that goes by many common names, including velvet bean or cowhage.

The beans and pods contain l-dopa, a dopamine precursor.

Mucuna supplements are sold to enhance mood, memory, overall brain health, anti-aging, and libido.

Mucuna is sometimes used to treat Parkinson’s, a disease characterized by low dopamine levels.

In one study, this herbwas found to work even better than levodopa medications for Parkinson’s.

However, Parkinson’s patients are advised to not self-medicate with Mucuna pruriens since it interacts with many medications.

If you have Parkinson’s and want to give it a try, talk to your doctor first.

Ginkgo

Ginkgo bilobaisone of themost popular herbal remedies in the world.

And it can help with depression by increasing the turnover of dopamine and possibly serotonin.

Ginkgo also reduces stress and anxiety by lowering cortisol levels.

Bacopa

Bacopa monnieri is a traditional Ayurvedic herb that’s been used for thousands of years as a brain tonic to enhance memory, learning, and concentration.

Bacopa is well recognized as an adaptogen, a substance that moderates the negative effects of stress.

It works, in part, by balancing dopamine and serotonin, while reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Arctic Root

Arctic root (Rhodiola rosea) is another highly regarded adaptogen.

Like all adaptogens, it improves the ability to handle both physiological and psychological stress.

It increases levels of dopamine as well as serotonin and norepinephrine levels.

If you have brain fog, trouble concentrating, and low energy, combined with stress and anxiety, this is an excellent herb to try.

Ginger

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is renowned as one of the oldest medicinal herbs and one of the world’s most popular andversatile culinaryspices.

Ginger quells inflammation, a risk factor for numerous brain-related conditions, including depression.

Ginger increases levels of important brain chemicals, including dopamine and serotonin.

Asian Ginseng

Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) is the quintessential Chinese medical herb.

Itsbotanical name means “panacea.”

It is a mainingredient in the traditional Chinese herbal formula Kai Xin San.

This combination of herbshas been found to be just as good asProzacfor treating depression by regulating levels of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.

It protects the brain cells that create dopamine from dying in substance abusers and Parkinson’s patients.

Oregano Oil

Oregano (Origanum vulgare)is anotherculinary herb that doubles as adopamine supplement.

Its main active compound is carvacrol, which is potently antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective — all important for a healthy brain.

Carvacrol increases dopamine and serotonin levels in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus.

Oregano oil can act as an antidepressant by increasing dopamine.

It keeps dopamine recirculating and prevents its breakdown.

Oregano oil has a positive effect on brainwave patterns.

Test subjects took oregano oil for five days and then had their EEGs recorded to measure changes in brainwave patterns.

Reported kava benefits include an increase in overall well-being, cheerfulness, and sleep quality, and a reduction in stress.

It works as well as prescription anti-anxiety medications mainly by boosting levels of the relaxing brain chemical GABA.

But kava also increases dopamine; this action is believed to be responsible for the feelings of euphoria.

A single dose of kava has been shown to significantly increase brain levels of dopamine for up to 8 hours.

Don’t mix kava and levodopa if you have Parkinson’s disease.

Together, they can worsen symptoms.

Naturally-Sourced Dopamine Supplements

The ingredients in this group of supplements areextracted or synthesized from natural compounds.

Curcumin

Curcuministhe main active ingredient in the Indian spice turmeric (Curcuma longa).

Curcumin increases levels of both dopamine and serotonin, two brain chemicals linked to depression.

Studies have found it tobeas effective as Prozacfor treating major depressive disorder.

Unlike many other substances, curcumin is safe totake along withantidepressant medications.

If you decide to try a curcumin supplement, look for one that has taken steps to enhance bioavailability, typically the addition of piperine.

Piperine, a compound found in black pepper, increases curcumin absorption by an impressive 2,000%.

Note that there are pros and consto taking curcumin supplements versus consuming turmeric as a spice or as a tea.

You can learn about these in our article on curcumin supplements.

Berberine

Berberine is a compound that can be extracted from many herbs, including goldenseal, California poppy, and barberry.

Its recorded use goes back 3,000 years in Chinese medicine.

Berberine supplements have been found to increase dopamine concentrations in some areas of the brain.

When large amounts have been given to mice, their brain levels of dopamine increase by over 50%.

Resveratrol

Resveratrol is a polyphenol found in red wine that may be responsible for at least some of wine’s cognitive benefits.

It’s thought to work largely due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, but there’s some evidence that it modulates the release of dopamine as well.

Resveratrol protects the neurons that create dopamine in Parkinson’s patients.

Addictive substances of all kinds cause unnaturally high dopamine surges.

Resveratrol mitigates these swings in dopamine which may help substance abusers by reducing their desire for addictive substances.

Antioxidant Supplements

In his bookWhy Isn’t My Brain Working?, Harvard researcher Datis Kharrazian, PhD, DHSc, stresses the importance of antioxidant supplements to protect the area of the brain where dopamine is synthesized, the substantia nigra.

He’s found the number one neuroprotective antioxidant to be blueberry extract.

Others that he recommends are alpha-lipoic acid, selenium, and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) which all work by increasing levels of the master antioxidant glutathione.

While you could take a glutathione supplement directly, Idon’t recommend it.

It is of little valuesince glutathione isbroken down in the stomach before it gets absorbed.

Citicoline

Citicoline, also known as CDP choline, is a naturally occurring compound that’s commonly marketedas a nootropic to increase overall mental performance.

Itwas first developed for stroke victims and was originally available by prescription only.

It is one of the few nutritional supplements powerful enough to therapeutically treat serious neurological disorders such as age-related memory loss, dementia, brain injury, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s.

Citicoline works by increasing energy to the brain, protecting it from aging and toxins, and increasing levels of both dopamine and acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter most associated with memory and learning.

Besides raisingdopamine levels, citicoline also increases the number of dopamine receptors in the brain.

Phosphatidylserine

Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a naturally occurring fat found in high concentrations in the brain.

It’s also a highly regarded brain supplement.

Phosphatidylserine increases dopamine levels to help with memory, concentration, learning, and the symptoms of ADHD.

It shows promise as an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Phosphatidylserine acts as thebrain’s “gatekeeper” by regulating nutrients coming into and waste goingout of thebrain.

It also normalizes levels of cortisol to reduce the wear and tear of stress.

You can get phosphatidylserine from food, but it occurs mainly in foods few people care to eat, such as cow brains and chicken hearts.

Essential Core NutrientsThat Support Dopamine

Everyone is looking forthe “magic bullet,” the one pill that will make them feel better fast.

But no supplement formulated to increase dopamine can take the place of missing essential nutrients.

You will give any dopamine-boosting supplement you take a better chance to work by simultaneously addressing these basic nutritional needs.

Vitamins D and B6, Magnesium, and Omega-3 Fats

Deficiencies ofvitamin D, magnesium, and omega-3 essential fatty acids are surprisingly common, and each can contribute to dopamine deficiency.

One omega-3, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), may be the single most important nutrient you can take for brain health throughout all stages of life.

It facilitates neurotransmitter activity and increases the number of neurotransmitter receptors, allowing the brain to optimize its use of mood-boosting brain chemicals, including dopamine.

Vitamin B6 is an important cofactor that’s essential for dopamine synthesis.

Probiotics

It’s now known that there is two-way communication between the bacteria in our intestines and our brains.

More than 50% of our dopamine resides in the intestines and probiotics can increase dopamine production there.

So far, there’s evidence that dopamine can be synthesized by gut microbes of the Bacillus and Serratia genera and the species Lactobacillus plantarum.

Caffeine as a Dopamine Booster

Lastly, few substances do as much dopamine-boosting as caffeine.

Caffeine is the most popular mind-altering substance in the world.

Many people with low dopamine levels self-medicate with caffeine, and this is not necessarily a bad thing.

Caffeine works byblocking theneurotransmitter adenosinewhich signals that you are tired, leading to a stimulant effect.

Much of the world gets its caffeine from tea.

Here in the US, we get ours mainly from coffee.

While I definitely do not recommend caffeine supplements which can be dangerous, natural caffeine sources like coffee, tea, and yerba mate provide some amazing health benefits.

Coffee, for example, decreases the risk of many major diseases and can even help you live longer.

So, if your morning cuppa makes you feel happier, more energetic, and more productive, I won’t argue with your methods.

But keep in mind that caffeine is addictive and is not a good choice for anyone with anxiety.

Two Dopamine Supplements toAvoid

No one wants to waste their money on supplements that don’t work as claimed, so here are two I recommend skipping.

Phenylethylamine

Phenylethylamine(PEA) is a naturally occurring compound that stimulates the release of dopamine and norepinephrine.

Butit’s pretty useless as a supplement.

Once ingested, it has a half-life of only a few minutes.

5-HTP

5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) is an amino acid supplement commonly sold for depression, anxiety, and insomnia.

While 5-HTP boosts serotonin, it’s suspected of doing so at the expense ofdopamine.

So skip taking 5-HTP either alone or as part of a proprietary blend if boosting dopamine is your goal.