PROS
CONS
SUMMARY
Dopa Mucuna is advertised as an elixir for mood disorders. The company claims the use of its supplement can brain back the enjoyment in life. Based only on one key ingredient it contains we say it’s a quite big claim to make. The way the brain manages mood is a much more complex phenomenon to be cured by using one ingredient that promotes the release of dopamine. While in the short-run you will notice some benefits, eventually the supplement will stop working. The brain needs more than what this supplement offers- a healthy mix of vitamins, amino acids, and active nootropics- for you to see long-term effects. We suggest going for one such supplement that comes from a trusted brand.
Dopa Mucuna claims to increase dopamine production in the brain. This, in turn, helps you feel more motivated and energetic and enhances the general interest in life.
Off late, Dopamine has become a subject of much interest. It is a naturally-occurring neurotransmitter in the brain that plays an active role in mood upliftment, cognitive health, motivation, and learning.
So does it mean this supplement can be a definitive solution to the miseries of people suffering from anxiety and depression?
Our team researched the product with a lot of interest to find the truth behind the claims. If you are planning to add this supplement to your diet, read through our analysis before buying the supplement.
What is Dopa Mucuna?
Dopa Mucuna is a natural nootropic supplement that claims to increase the production of Dopamine in the brain.
The supplement contains L-Dopa, an amino acid that helps to generate dopamine.
About Manufacturer
Dopa Mucuna is manufactured by Now Foods. The company located in Bloomingdale, Illinois, was founded in 1968. It is one of the most respected names in the health food segment in the USA. They manufacture about 900 supplements and are known to be reasonably priced.
Some of their most popular dietary supplements include Now sports performance products, ADAM and EVE multivitamins, and their natural beauty products.
The company has also won a few awards for some of their supplements.
Dopa Mucuna Claims
Dopa Mucuna uses L-Dopa as the key ingredient and claims that it promotes the release of Dopamine.
The official website states that the increased dopamine leads to:
We find the claims to be a bit vague in description and theory. Let’s see what this ingredient actually does.
Dopa Mucuna Ingredients Analysis
Dopa Mucuna is a simple formulation that uses only one key ingredient, Mucuna Extract.
Other additives included are Cellulose, Stearic acid, and Magnesium Stearate.
Mucuna Extract
Mucuna Prurien, widely known as Velvet Bean, is a natural herb used in Ancient Ayurveda to treat anxiety and stress and boost mood and libido. It is a type of adaptogen that regulates hormones to help the body handle stress.
A study published in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine reports various traditional uses of Mucuna such as a remedy for male infertility, nervous disorders, and as an aphrodisiac.
In ancient Ayurveda, Mucuna has also been used to treat symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Another study reports its anxiolytic properties (1)
The reason to use Mucuna extract in Mucuna Dopa is that it contains a high level of naturally occurring L-Dopa, also known as Levodopa. It is an amino acid and a precursor to Dopamine.
It can cross the blood-brain-barrier (BBB), after which it is converted to dopamine that can help to elevate mood and improve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
Key point: While in the short term L-Dopa may show improvements in users, over a period of time, the condition might worsen and can lead to more dopamine depletion. (2)
Are Dopa Mucuna Ingredients Safe & Effective?
When Dopamine is released in the brain, we feel naturally happy. Low levels of dopamine can result in reduced motivation and enthusiasm in life. In short, it is an essential brain chemical that leads to a positive mood and good feelings. In addition, it helps to regulate body movements.
Naturally, taking a dopamine supplement should feel like the right remedy. But the tricky part is, having too much dopamine can be addictive and alter your brain cells resulting in its deficiency.
Too much dopamine can lead to the receptors not working properly. Over some time, the dopamine receptors can breakdown and would not work correctly.
When it comes to the safety of using L-Dopa, there are no research studies that back its long-term safety.
Talking about the efficacy, users will most likely see a temporary change in mood and energy. But, it’s neither an efficient mechanism nor a sustainable way to treat anxiety and mood disorders. The potential risk, in this case, outweighs the benefits.
Some of the common side-effects of the ingredients in question include:
Warnings for Dopa Mucuna Users
How to Take Dopa Mucuna?
The official website recommends taking 1 to 2 capsules a day, preferably early in the day.
Does Dopa Mucuna Provide 100% BrainPower?
Dopa Mucuna is a brain support supplement, and the company producing it has a good track record already.
It relies on one powerful ingredient for the claims it makes, Mucuna extract. Mucuna provides L-Dopa, which promotes Dopamine production.
Higher levels of Dopamine have been linked to better brain functioning, overall happiness and better performance in day to day life.
However, scientific researches studying the effects of L-Dopa on the brain are limited. This makes us wary about the long-term use of this supplement.
Some users have experienced positive effects after using it. However, some others have experienced negative side-effects after using it for a few days.
Based on one ingredient, the supplement will not provide any serious benefits for brain health, so the expectations from it should not be for a significant positive change. L-Dopa alone cannot improve your cognition, learning nor can boost your energy.
Whereas, a good nootropic supplement that supports overall brain health also promotes a better mood by safely increasing dopamine levels without harmful side effects in the long-run.
Customers Reviews
I just received mine yesterday night, after a long hard day at work then grocery shopping afterwards I was tired, tense, and stressed. I took one pill without eating yet with water, and I was very surprised how I began feeling this very soothing sensation from my head to my body trickling throughout my system, I felt a mild warming feeling taking over me, very relaxing ( mild but noticeable ) it really took the edge off from my day I did not think I would feel so at ease with this mucuna, I bought it just to see if it actually helped with my daily stress and tension. I would buy it again, the 4 star is because the feeling is short lived, for me about 2 hours.
Ralph
I read about the first 100 reviews and it seemed as if everyone raved about this product. I suffer from depression, fatigue, and anxiety. I suspected I have low dopamine levels so I ordered this product. I only took half a capsule the first day, upon the recommendation of a reviewer. This did nada for me. I was going to bump it up. A capsule the next day but something compelled me to read the one star reviews and I am glad that I did. I decided not to take it anymore as it seems like a dangerous and addictive supplement. While it had zero affect on me the day that I took it, the next day I felt very agitated to the point of violence. I just wanted to scream and yell at every one that came into my line of sight. This is very disturbing to me as I am usually a very mellow person. I have never felt this way before. Just now waiting for this feeling to wear off. Thank goodness I did not take any more of this product. I don’t see how in the world some reviewers took 2 a day for a month without adverse side effects. I think this stuff should not be sold online. Please talk to a doctor before taking this.
Rosesarered71
I decided to try this as I struggle with depression and assumed after not having much luck with serotonin boosting products that low dopamine might be my issue. I took two capsules the first time, which was unbelievably strong for me. I felt great, happy, focused, motivated, and really social. It felt like a miracle, but something seemed a little off. Although I felt great, I felt like I was really high. I also noticed some weird agitation/anxiety. I should've just stopped taking it then but I proceeded to take it for three more days, taking one each morning. I was able to get a lot of homework done so I felt the need to keep taking it. It began to have less and less of an effect, so on the third day I stopped taking it. I felt pretty good for most of the week while I was off it, it seemed to be having a lasting effect on me. After a week I took it again, this time it didn't work very well and I became very tired afterwords and felt really off. Didn't take it for another week, then tried one more time and again it made me feel worse. Now I'm going through what feels like my dopamine receptors being completely fried, I've become extremely depressed and lost all my motivation and drive. I don't care about school anymore, I've been missing my classes. I feel fatigued and my muscles ache, I've been having weird anxiety and just feel like a total zombie shut off from the rest of the world. I don't enjoying anything anymore. I've have issues with suicidal ideation through out my life but it's been worse then it ever has since trying this product.
My life has been going to complete shit because of trying dopa macuna. Be super careful when messing with your neurotransmitters, people shouldn't be taking these kinds of supplements without some kind of guidance from a licensed professional. My doctor informed me it could take up to six weeks before my brain starts to recover. So there goes six weeks of my life.
Amazon customer
Where to Buy Dopa Mucuna?
Dopa Mucuna can be bought from their official website and a few other reputable Ecomm shops like Amazon, GNC, and iherb.
One bottle costs $15.99 and contains 90 capsules.
Return Policy & Money-Back Guarantee
The Now Foods website offers money refund only on products that are bought from their official website.
Additionally, the refund is only eligible on unopened bottles, if sent back within 30 days of purchase.
Is Dopa Mucuna A Good Nootropic For You?
As already explained above, our research team feels, consuming a supplement that directly affects dopamine production may not be a safe solution in the long term. Many customer complaints point out this factor.
Some customers faced rather negative effects after using Dopa Mucuna for a few days. They claimed to have felt more anxious and demotivated.
If you’re looking not just for a temporary remedy for mood upliftment but overall nourishment of brain and emotional health, we suggest you look at this well-placed nootropic supplement, Mind Lab Pro.
To give you an idea, Mind Lab Pro is a nootropic supplement that promotes overall cognitive functioning. Its formula, which is made using vital vitamins that support overall health and potent natural herbs are studied well for their use and safety. It contains ingredients like L-Tyrosine, Rhodiola Rosa, L-Theanine and Citicoline that naturally boost dopamine.
These ingredients can help balance neurotransmitter levels using the body’s inherent mechanism.
Here’s a direct comparison of the two supplements to give you an idea.
Comparison Table
Enter your text here... | Dopa Mucuna |  Mind Lab Pro |
|---|---|---|
Support Memory? Encoding, Storage, Recall, Learning, Test Taking | ||
Support Brain Energy? Mental agility, quick thinking and focus | ||
Supports Mindset Mood balance, Stress resistance, Relaxation, Creativity, Motivation | ||
Supports Focus | ||
Supports Brain Protection Fights toxins and unhealthy structural changes that degrade the brain over time. | ||
Supports Performance Speed, Process, Attention, Focus, Verbal | ||
Supports Structural Injury repair, Fluid membranes, Neurogenesis, Anti-aging, Fight depression | ||
Meets mental performance demand From day to day and hour to hour | ||
Helps with immediate and long-term brain health and function | ||
Free from stimulants and additives | ||
Side Effects | Appetite loss, Nausea, Trouble sleeping, Low blood pressure, Abnormal movements, Hallucinations, Psychosis | No Potential Side Effects |
Price Per Bottle | $ 15.99 | $65 |
Free Shipping | ||
Availability | Limited Countries | Worldwide |
Money Back Guarantee | 30 days (only on unopened bottles) | 30 Days |
Conclusion
Dopa Mucuna works on the brain by increasing the production of dopamine. This approach, however, doesn’t come without a few side-effects.
Increased dopamine, in the short run, may uplift the mood and improve overall mental health, but in the long-term, it can lead to addiction and adverse reactions, as seen in some users. In addition, dopamine receptors may get harmed after a long term use of the supplement. To sum up our findings, it does not appear safe for long-term use.
If you are looking out for a safe and effective option to boost mood and mental performance, look no further than Mind Lab Pro nootropic supplement.
Last Updated On: June 23rd, 2022