The central dogma in molecular biology states that DNA makes protein. While this scientific creed is accurate, a more philosophical interpretation of this rule asserts that DNA does more than simply produce protein; DNA produces human behavior. This is particularly true because some proteins encoded within our DNA enhance the production, and function, of chemicals known as neurotransmitters within the brain. Since neurotransmitters directly influence brain function and thus behavior, the ability of the genetic code to influence neurotransmitter function directly impacts the way we behave. Consider, for example, the neurotransmitter dopamine, which plays a major role in reward-motivated behavior— which increases dopamine activity within the brain, producing a euphoric-like feeling that ultimately reinforces that behavior.

Dopamine and Addiction

The capacity of dopamine to trigger feelings of pleasure also makes the dopamine system vulnerable to manipulation by certain types of addictive drugs like cocaine, prescription drugs like Adderall, and behaviors such as gambling— which all stimulate feelings of pleasure by increasing dopamine activity within the brain. Regrettably, a physical dependence for this enjoyable stimulus can develop, making it extremely difficult to overcome many of these addictions. In fact, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), approximately 1.5 million Americans are addicted to cocaine, and nearly 80 percent of those trying to quit will relapse within the first six months of trying. In addition, there are an astounding 4 million American children who are prescribed drugs like Adderall for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), despite mounting evidence suggesting that combined therapeutic approaches lowers the need for these potent psychotropic drugs.¹ Adding to this problem are many high school and college students, who use dopamine-enhancing prescription drugs to increase their ability to concentrate for longer periods of time, enhancing their capacity to study for exams. Then there is also the chronic use of other drugs, such as marijuana, that appear to reduce the brain’s response to dopamine— lowering motivation and sensitivity to rewards, ultimately increasing the reaction to emotional stress and irritability.²

Alleviate Addiction

The new breakthrough product DOPA RUSH™ from Advanced Molecular Labs (AML) has been scientifically formulated with natural ingredients to address all of the aforementioned addiction issues. DOPA RUSH™ does this by suppressing the incessant craving for addictive drugs and behaviors, by naturally boosting the production of dopamine— thus mitigating the urge to crank up dopamine levels with harmful substances, or behavior, while perhaps even alleviating the harmful effects that smoking pot has on dopamine function in the brain.

Reinvigorate Completely With DOPA RUSH™

Greater dopamine from DOPA RUSH™ will also revive a tired central nervous system (CNS). The CNS, composed of the brain and spinal cord, serves as the main “processing center” for the entire nervous system that controls all the workings of your body by monitoring and coordinating organ function and responding to all external stimuli. Neurons, or nerve cells, are the fundamental components of the CNS that give and receive all of this information by electrical and chemical signaling. Neuronal electrical signaling is ultimately converted at the nerve ending into chemical signaling in the form of neurotransmitters, which are chemical substances that diffuse across the synapse to the next neuron, triggering further electrical signaling down that neuron and so on— until the desired effect is produced. After neurotransmitters diffuse across the synapse and activate the appropriate neuron, they are reabsorbed and degraded by the surrounding neurons— tightly regulating neuronal activity. Therefore, neuronal activity increases the degradation of certain neurotransmitters— effectively depleting their levels, inducing CNS fatigue.

This is one reason why after a long day at work, it is a bit harder to get in a great workout or do anything else that requires focus and attention. Personally, I usually can’t wait to get into the gym and hit the weights. Yet every once in a while, especially after a long work week, I’m a little less motivated and intense during the workout. I’ve also noticed during these workouts that my strength levels are usually depleted, making me wonder what could boost my energy levels and overcome this muscle-depleting fatigue. Although it may seem that the exhaustion I’m experiencing is mainly due to muscle fatigue that can be dealt with by eating a high-energy meal that replenishes muscle cell energy, the most likely contributor to my low energy and poor workout performance is a weary CNS that requires more than carbohydrate, fat and protein— no, this kind of CNS fatigue demands DOPA RUSH™!

Boost Dopamine

The most accepted mechanism explaining a lethargic CNS is the “central fatigue hypothesis.”³ This hypothesis states that an increase in the ratio of the neurotransmitter serotonin to the neurotransmitter dopamine within the CNS is associated with feelings of tiredness and lack of motivation. On the contrary, a low serotonin to dopamine ratio favors improved performance through the maintenance of motivation and arousal. Since serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has been linked to fatigue because of its well-known effects on sleep and drowsiness, it was originally thought that the serotonin to dopamine ratio was increasing during times of fatigue because of greater serotonin production, which increased fatigue. However, it turns out that the serotonin to dopamine ratio was increasing, primarily because of the degradation of dopamine associated with neuronal activity within the CNS during exercise.⁴ This new insight is completely logical, as dopamine has well-defined roles that positively influence motivation and arousal— so dopamine removal would reduce motivation and initiate fatigue. Consequently, increasing dopamine levels with DOPA RUSH™ will improve CNS function, reducing fatigue and improving the capacity to focus on the task at hand— ultimately providing superior mental function and overall performance, in and out of the gym.

DOPA RUSH™, the Natural Alternative to Dangerous Psychostimulant Drugs

The ability to crank up dopamine production for performance enhancement has already been established with a class of drugs known as psychostimulants. Altogether, these drugs effectively overcome fatigue while restoring focus and motivation. In fact, recent findings⁵ have shown that the use of the psychostimulant bupropion, which inhibits neuronal reuptake and degradation of dopamine, improves performance during exercise, particularly in very warm temperatures. In fact, the consumption of the highest dosage of bupropion enabled subjects to maintain a higher power output than the placebo group, yet only at elevated temperatures. Interestingly, the test subjects who consumed bupropion performed a significantly greater amount of work, while they reported no changes in the rate of perceived exertion. This phenomenon suggests an altered motivation or drive to continue exercise brought on by an increase in dopamine levels, as this would tend to decrease CNS fatigue and perceived exertion, despite exercising in a high-temperature environment.

Interestingly, the consumption of the dopamine precursor L-tyrosine, which also boosts dopamine production⁶, has also been shown to improve exercise performance in warmer temperatures, where subjects performed an exercise test while consuming either a placebo or L-tyrosine in a double-blind manner, one hour before cycling to exhaustion in 86 degrees Fahrenheit.⁷ The results showed the L-tyrosine-consuming group exercised for 16 percent longer, compared to the placebo group— while showing no increase in the rate of perceived exertion, despite a longer exercise time. This is the same result seen in the previous study, where test subjects consumed the psychostimulant bupropion— indicating that L-tyrosine intake had a similar impact on dopamine levels, which enhanced motivation and determination to exercise. So, consuming 2,000 milligrams of the potent dopamine activator L-tyrosine— the exact amount found in DOPA RUSH™— mimics the strong performance-enhancing effect of psychostimulants, yet in a much more natural, safer manner.

L-Tyrosine Builds Brain Power

In addition to boosting exercise performance, L-tyrosine intake can also enhance mental performance just as impressively. In fact, one study by Thomas et al. found test subjects who consumed 2,000 milligrams of L-tyrosine showed a vastly improved memory.⁸ While a second study found that consuming the same amount of L-tyrosine apparently also improves creative thinking, as test subjects who were given 2,000 milligrams of L-tyrosine showed an enhanced capacity to perform convergent thinking— indicating that 2,000 milligrams of L-tyrosine likely improves creative thinking, as convergent thinking indicates a greater capacity for creative thinking.⁹ That’s the same amount found in DOPA RUSH™.

Mild Caffeine Dosage in DOPA RUSH™ Improves Overall Mood and Cognitive Function

Caffeine is one of the powerful components in DOPA RUSH™, enhancing dopamine production. While caffeine is normally used as an ergogenic aid to improve exercise performance by increasing muscular contraction force and energy production within muscle, it is caffeine’s ability to stimulate the CNS that impacts the mental aspect of training, influencing overall mood and well-being. Caffeine stimulates the CNS, in part, by inhibiting the adenosine receptor in the brain. The inhibition of this receptor triggers the release of dopamine.¹⁰ The surge of dopamine from caffeine consumption will amp-up your neurochemistry for superior concentration and intensity while training in the gym. In fact, studies have shown that 200 milligrams of caffeine is the optimal dose for elevated mood and focus^11,12 … the same amount found in DOPA RUSH™! Additionally, the plateauing effect of caffeine on mood is believed to match the adenosine receptor effects on dopamine areas of the brain, and their involvement in the feelings of well-being.¹³ Moreover, additional studies have shown that similar doses of caffeine, at around 200 milligrams, also improved cognitive function, both during and after strenuous exercise, while enhancing concentration— and this improved cognitive ability correlated with improved dopamine production within the brain.

Get an Extra Jolt of Dopamine With DOPA RUSH™’s Theacrine (as TeaCrine™)

Although caffeine is a remarkable performance-enhancing supplement that can raise dopamine levels on its own, combining caffeine with theacrine apparently heightens dopamine production even more so, further improving energy and reducing fatigue. Theacrine is a protoalkaloid, with a similar chemical structure to caffeine that triggers dopamine release in a similar fashion to caffeine, increasing arousal and motivation. This effect was shown in an initial study where theacrine increased energy, diminished fatigue and improved concentration just like caffeine.¹⁴ However, unlike caffeine, which can produce a tolerance after as little as four days of consumption¹⁵, theacrine use for up to seven days showed no signs of desensitization— indicating that the combined intake of caffeine with theacrine should enhance mood and energy, with no decrease in potency for longer periods of time, effectively increasing overall arousal and focus before hitting the gym.¹⁵ Furthermore, the combined use of caffeine and theacrine likely stimulates the release of greater levels of dopamine, as a study by Kuhman et al.¹⁶ showed that combining theacrine with caffeine had a greater impact on feelings of energy and mood, relative to the consumption of caffeine alone, indicating an additive impact on dopamine levels. Consequently, in addition to DOPA RUSH™ having 200 milligrams of caffeine (the optimal dose for elevated mood and focus!), it also has 125 milligrams of the optimal dose of theacrine as TeaCrine™, generating an even greater surge in dopamine levels.

Improved Mood With Folic Acid

Another key ingredient in DOPA RUSH™ is folic acid, as some evidence links a shortage of folic acid with sluggishness and depression.¹⁷ While the exact mechanisms involved in the development of depression are not entirely transparent, some insight comes from the observation that folic acid is involved in the biosynthesis of the cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) that is required for the production of dopamine. So, low folic acid probably results in lower dopamine levels fostering depression, as low dopamine levels have been linked to depression characterized by a low-energy, demotivated state.¹⁸ Consequently, more folic acid from DOPA RUSH™ will augment the catalytic production of dopamine, delivering an overall better mental state.

More Dopamine for More Motivation and Focus?

DOPA RUSH™ also has 100 milligams of Mucuna pruriens, providing a considerable amount of the dopamine precursor L-dopa, at 40 milligrams¹⁹, which is a compound that has been shown to effectively increase diminished dopamine levels— particularly in patients with Parkinson’s disease, a disease that occurs due to low dopamine.²⁰ Interestingly, an additional clinical trial also indicated that Mucuna pruriens was just as effective as some pharmaceuticals in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, illustrating the powerful ability of Mucuna pruriens to increase dopamine levels in the brain.¹⁹ Consequently, taking Mucuna pruriens along with tyrosine should bolster dopamine production and function even more potently, particularly when these two dopamine-enhancing compounds are combined with caffeine and theacrine in DOPA RUSH™. Overall, this potent blend will augment dopamine synthesis and release, giving DOPA RUSH™ an extraordinary capacity to increase dopamine activity for exceptional mental clarity and physical performance.

Trigger More Dopamine and Halt Dopamine Degradation With Piperine

DOPA RUSH™ is also loaded with the compound piperine, which is naturally found in black pepper. Piperine triggers dopamine release by activating the TRPV receptor in the brain, which stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, resulting in dopamine release.²¹ Piperine also inhibits the enzyme that degrades dopamine— monoamine oxidase— resulting in a surge in dopamine, giving this all-important ingredient the capacity to increase dopamine amounts as well as dopamine release in the brain.²² Piperine also improves the gastrointestinal absorption and systematic utilization of the other dopamine-boosting nutrients in DOPA RUSH™ which, altogether, makes piperine an indispensable ingredient in this dopamine-enhancing supplement.

Weight Loss Made Easier

Enhanced dopamine levels brought about by DOPA RUSH™ will also improve dieting and weight loss, as evidence has shown that obese people tend to have an underactive dopamine response to food intake— requiring them to eat more in order to trigger a sufficient dopamine release that fully rewards and satiates them.²³ So, the ability of DOPA RUSH™ to increase dopamine levels should diminish the desire to overeat, improving and promoting weight loss.

Take DOPA RUSH™ Without Food for Optimal Effect

In order to optimize all of the positive effects associated with DOPA RUSH™, this product should be taken on an empty stomach to avoid any potential antagonistic effects that certain foods may have on the ability of DOPA RUSH™ to boost dopamine. For instance, the amino acid leucine, found in many different protein sources, prevents the uptake of the dopamine-precursor tyrosine into the brain, reducing dopamine production.²⁴ Of course, this could potentially counteract any positive influence that DOPA RUSH™ would have on dopamine production, making it pretty clear that co-ingesting DOPA RUSH™ with any protein source loaded with leucine or tryptophan is ill-advised, as this would diminish the impact of DOPA RUSH™ on dopamine levels. As a result, DOPA RUSH™ does not contain any compounds that diminish the production of dopamine. Moreover, DOPA RUSH™ should be consumed separately on an empty stomach, to optimize the production of dopamine.

For more information or to purchase DOPA RUSH™.

 For most of Michael Rudolph’s career he has been engrossed in the exercise world as either an athlete (he played college football at Hofstra University), personal trainer or as a research scientist (he earned a B.Sc. in Exercise Science at Hofstra University and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Stony Brook University). After earning his Ph.D., Michael investigated the molecular biology of exercise as a fellow at Harvard Medical School and Columbia University for over eight years. That research contributed seminally to understanding the function of the incredibly important cellular energy sensor AMPK— leading to numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals including the journal Nature. Michael is currently a scientist working at the New York Structural Biology Center doing contract work for the Department of Defense on a project involving national security.

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