Where is L-Dopa Extracted From?

L-dopa is found in the tropical plant, the Velvet Bean, or also commonly known as mucuna pruriens. An annual climbing vine that blooms white to dark purple, the Velvet Bean is found in tropical regions in Africa, India and the West Indies. Long used in traditional medicine as an aphrodisiac in Brazil and India, in clinical studies the Velvet Bean has shown some aphrodisiac abilities, attributed to the L-dopa extracts that are made from the plant. The plant produces clusters of pods, which contain the mucuna beans, the Velvet Bean. The bean’s pods are covered in a wooly defense of red-orange hairs that cause severe irritation if lodged into the skin. The “itching” beans, or pruriens species, refers to the irritating hairs on the seed pods.

Contained in the pods are the valuable Velvet Beans, which are high in protein, carbohydrates, lipids, fiber, and minerals. They are also high in the amino acid L-dopa, which when processed to the L-dopa extract is what makes up many of the L-dopa supplements on the market. The pods, leaf and fruit has also been found to contain concentrations of serotonin.

The Velvet bean has been gaining popularity in the natural foods and supplements market over the past few years, especially in the sports nutrition markets. L-dopa’s ability to naturally increase the body’s production of testosterone and the human growth hormone (HGH), therefore increasing lean muscle mass, has made the L-dopa extract a very popular supplement with both professional and recreational athletes. Several of the mainstream vitamin and supplement brands have launched L-dopa extract or mucuna products to target this market. The standardized concentrations of L-dopa are also being used in products that are designed for weight-loss, increasing libido, increasing mental acuity, and anti-aging.

This supplement has been also used to treat Parkinson’s disease. When introduced into the body, L-dopa extracts cross the blood-barrier and is converted into dopamine. Dopamine is an essential hormone in the brain that acts as a neurotransmitter. A lack of this hormone causes tremors and motor skill impairment. With L-dopa extracts as a supplement in Parkinson’s patients, there is an increased level of dopamine, therefore relieving the disabilities and controlling the symptoms of the disease.