DOPAMINE:
The Reward Giver
Dopamine boosts energy, motivation, focus, and the ability to enjoy life. Alternatively, dopamine imbalance is associated with addiction, memory loss, movement disorders, and mental illnesses involving mania and psychosis.
If your mood is down, if you’re unusually tired or unfocused, or if you’re just lacking enjoyment in life, it may help to focus on increasing your dopamine supply. This one is easy: Just eat more high-quality protein.
Dopamine is built from tyrosine, an amino acid plentiful in high-protein foods like meats, eggs, and fish. Vegetarian sources include cheese, soy, and pea protein. (Discover how to get more powerful plant protein in your diet at “How to Eat More Plant-Based Protein.”)
Any meal or snack in which protein is a primary component can result in a quick tyrosine boost, signaled by a bump in energy and focus. The effect increases if you also eat a moderate amount of healthy complex carbs.
Protein and Mental Health
Key for building muscle, protein is also important for your brain. Learn more at “How Protein Affects Mental Health,” from which this article was excerpted.
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