NOW Supplements, DOPA Mucuna, Standardized Mucuna Extract with Naturally Occurring 15% L-Dopa, 90 Veg Capsules

TLDR: To treat symptoms of low dopamine levels, here's what's working for me:500-700mg Glutamine (amino acid, a major brain neurotransmitter) 1-3 times per day before food.1/32 teaspoon of this mucuna pruriens (~7 mg L-dopa) every 1-2 days, watching effects.600 mg of acetyl l-carnitine before breakfastOther vitamins and minerals, especially BsUpdate 3/23/23--I am feeling mentally and physically alert, a huge improvement. (see caution below)Last summer I was prescribed the smallest possible dose of a dopamine-boosting CNS med, 5mg. After decades of untreated symptoms, I felt calm relief for the first time in my long life. Then in December, the HMO denied me further prescriptions and treated me like an addict for having asked for more. They also tried to force an antidepressant on me that would affect the absolutely wrong mechanism and worsen anxiety and sleeplessness without compensating for the low dopamine. Their timing was especially cruel. My heart goes out to all Americans who experience this medical bullying.I did not want to bother with this department further. Instead, I revisited my nutritional supplements (which I keep on an excel spreadsheet, and periodically adjust).I also suspected the CNS drug was causing symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, specifically numbness in toes, feet and lower legs. A neurologist found some long nerves to be unresponsive. (Update: Probably due to potassium deficiency, from drinking reverse osmosis water for 1.5 years, which strips out *all* useful minerals. I started taking 99mg/day potassium chloride--NuSalt--and drank filtered tap water again. Feeling slowly restored in feet and toes. Neuropathy runs in family but I feel much better.)My first choice for treating my scrambled low-dopamine brain was to take the amino acid glutamine. Gives me an immediate mental boost and durable energy, and is curbing cravings, especially for sugar. Glutamine is likely not toxic until you take massive quantities (at my weight, that would be 38 grams per day instead of 2 grams max). (google side effects of amino acid supplements)I also took one 400 mg cap of this this mucuna pruriens in the morning. Like other reviewers here, after an initial boost, in just a few days I had fatigue, blurry vision and brain fog.Stopped it for a week. Brain fog cleared. Took one pill per week, same thing. Read the label more closely. The dosage of this capsule is just too dang high.So I emptied some capsules and measured. Each capsule = ~1/4 teaspoon product = 60mg L-dopa. L-dopa does cross the blood-brain barrier and it's the precursor for dopamine. I don't know how that compares with the 5mg of my CNS drug but it was waaaay too much for me.Stopped taking altogether and was dragging and unfocused within a week. I reduced dosage further.Now I am taking about 1/32 tsp of this powdered product in my coffee before breakfast, every day. Am feeling energetic and calm throughout the day. Not speeded or anxious. The idea is to microdose--hopefully kickstart your own dopamine production, rather than replace it chemically.Plus, about 600 mg of acetyl l-carnitine in my prebreakfast cocktail, which I have noticed gives me energy and focus.We will see. I'll be watching this mucuna very closely as I don't want to develop a habituation as some have reported.3/23/23--Because I'm now feeling good, I will next stop for a couple of days to see the impact.4/25--Have not taken any more mucuna. I think it did help me for that time. But other medical issues took precedence including thyroid. Things get more complicated at 60+. And, um, reducing wine consumption to 1 bottle red per month definitely helped my alertness.Good luck to all.

I give this product 5 stars because it works...and it works very well...BUT!...as others have said - use sparingly. As far as improving your mood I would indeed call this a "magic bullet", but you wouldn't want to become dependent on it. If I am expecting to attend a social gathering later in the day, I will take two capsules that morning. This product has always given me the lift that I needed (especially since I am an introvert). Use responsibly or you will regret it (trust me I know).

Update! Ok, I felt the need to update my review even though I still stand by what I said below and really feel that this product should be regulated.Super powerful! As someone who has always been serotonin dominate and recently developed a small dopamine deficiency due to very poor sleep as I can tell you this drug is very very potent and powerful. Strong positive effects can be felt by the 2nd pill in most cases and I strongly recommend you stop right there immediately for at least a month. Any extra dopamine will cause your brain to adjust and will actually create the opposite effect that can be very hard to correct for some people. Once you try to get greedy you will very quickly create negative side effects with NONE of the positive. It is very important to limit yourself to 2 pills a month.If taken with extreme responsibility this drug will work wonders and make you feel a lot better. The increase in dopamine gave me more energy, higher libido, much better mood, increased interest in my hobbies and almost all the things that dopamine is advertised as doing.This all lasted for weeks as long as I didn't abuse the product by taking more than 2 a month. The minute I try to take on a regular basis I lose it all and experience the opposite effect.Only take if you know you need more dopamine and take with extreme caution. Do not take as often as recommended. Do yourself a favor and limit yourself to just a couple a month or you will create an imbalance. Dopamine imbalance= NO FUN!Do not buy! L-Dopa will create a dependency and will cause very horrible withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking it. Mucuna Pruriens will make you feel really happy with loads of energy for about a week, after that you lose any euphoria as your brain downregulates your dopamine receptors to compensate for the increased dopamine levels. Downregulation of your dopamine receptors is the absolute worst and can take months to restore to homeostasis. The dependency and subsequent withdrawal can manifest within just 1 or 2 uses for anybody that has ever had an opiate or alcohol addiction. Imagine having to drink 10 cups of coffee just to stay on your feet, which in turn will cause adrenal fatigue creating more of an imbalance in the form of most feel good endrophins(hormones). Dopamine dysregulation syndrome is no fun and should be avoided at all cost. This product should be for prescription only and as a last resort for those people too. Look up "dopamine dysregulation syndrome" on Wikipedia.org and read it for your self. It will make you happy with loads of energy for a week but you'll pay the price for months and your dopamine system may never function the same. I'm speaking from experience, please don't buy!