Phenylalanine: Its Role in Chronic Stress
Phenylalanine, an essential amino acid, plays a crucial role in the regulation of chronic stress and depression. This state is characterized by a dysregulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenalan axis (HPA), with a hyperactivity of this axis and a disappearance of the circadian variations of the levels of ACTH and cortisol. Cortisol excess has a deleterious effect on other cells of the hypothalamus and seems to be responsible in part for premature aging of the brain.