L-Phenylalanine
An essential aromatic amino acid, isolated in 1879.
L-Phenylalanine is one of the nine essential aromatic amino acids in the human diet, meaning the body cannot synthesise it endogenously. It was first isolated by Erlenmeyer and Lipp from lupin seedlings in 1879. Chemical formula C9H11NO2, molar mass 165.19 g/mol, presenting as a white crystalline powder, water-soluble, with a characteristic slightly bitter taste. In LUCID, the compound is produced by microbial fermentation of glucose using engineered strains of Escherichia coli or Corynebacterium glutamicum, yielding exclusively the L-enantiomer at pharmacopoeial purity above 99 percent. It is registered in the European Pharmacopoeia under monograph 0782. Each lot carries specifications for identity by FTIR, purity and enantiomeric ratio by HPLC, optical rotation, residual solvents to ICH Q3C, heavy metals, and microbiological load. Vegan, non-GMO substrate, gluten-free.
L-Phenylalanine sits upstream of L-tyrosine in the human biosynthetic pathway: the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase converts one to the other. Its presence in LUCID next to Acetyl-L-Tyrosine is a deliberate compositional decision, an editorial choice to include the precursor as well as the derivative rather than doubling the tyrosine mass alone. The 130 mg calibration is a low band, chosen precisely because the dose is not intended to substitute for dietary intake but to preserve the compositional coherence of the aromatic amino acid group. Contraindication of note: individuals with phenylketonuria (PKU) must not consume this product. This is stated on the label and repeated in the LUCID precautions. We would rather narrow the audience than blur the warning.
The material is produced by an EU GMP-certified manufacturer via fermentation of non-GMO plant-derived glucose, using industrial strains that carry no antibiotic resistance markers on the product itself. Certifications include Kosher, Halal, and Vegan. Each incoming lot is re-tested at Eurofins Antwerp for identity, enantiomeric purity and contaminant panels before release to the LUCID encapsulation run. Documentation is retained for ten years.
L-Phenylalanine sits fifth in the composition table, in the cognitive-foundations band, upstream of Acetyl-L-Tyrosine in the compositional logic.
