Have you ever wondered how you automatically respond to situations in so many of your daily activities like suddenly braking while driving, catching a glass before it falls to the ground, etc.?
Sometimes we wished we had faster reflexes. And you might be surprised to know that your diet can help you improve your reflexes. This might be possible by certain food substances that are rich in an amino acid “tyrosine”. Tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid, which is used in the synthesis of structural proteins and also plays a role in the production of neurotransmitters. Tyrosine stabilizes the body and helps the brain in its proper functioning.
Researchers at Leiden University and the University of Amsterdam have carried out the first-ever study to test whether the intake of tyrosine enhances our ability to stop an activity at lightning speed. Substances that we ingest through our food can determine our behavior and the way we experience our environment.
According to the medical research, individuals should get an adequate amount of iron in their diet because iron is required for the production of phenylalanine hydroxylase; this enzyme is responsible for turning phenylalanine into L-tyrosine.
Taking tyrosine helps you keep your thyroid working well which indirectly boosts energy and apparently your reaction and thinking speeds. It was also found to be effective at increasing the reaction speed and in boosting the mental performance of thinking and problem solving.
Tyrosine is also seen playing its part in the production of dopamine and epinephrine. If the tyrosine intake is low, then this leads to the production of less dopamine which makes you feel stressful. So, tyrosine in your daily diet will even help you maintain your mental capacity.
Tyrosine helps fortify the immune system and even nourishes your body, since it acts as a cortisol regulator. It is also a precursor of melanin. Other than this, tyrosine enhances and boosts up the function of the pituitary and adrenal glands in the formation of progesterone hormones.
Tyrosine, which can also be synthesized in the body from phenylalanine, is found in many high-protein food products such as almonds, peanuts, chicken, cheese, spinach, eggs, dairy and its product, soy products, beans, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, avocados, bananas, etc.
According to Leiden cognitive psychologist Lorenza Colzato, “Tyrosine food supplements and tyrosine-rich foods are a healthy and inexpensive way of improving our intellectual capabilities.”