What is phenylethylamine?

phenylethylamine, also known as 2-phenylethylamine or femethylamine, is the best known for its natural occurrence in the nervous system of humans and other mammals where it is assumed to act as a neurotransmitter or neuromodulator. It has stimulating effects and is important for the neurochemistry of outrage and romantic love. It is a trace amin and a natural monoamine alkaloid. In the human brain, it causes norepinephrine and dopamine neurotransmitters. There are also a large number of phenylethylamine derivatives, many of which are used or recreational. Dopamine is strongly tied to sexual desire, feelings of pleasure and brain rewarding. Norepinephrine causes increased attention and increased heart rate and is closely bonding to the reaction of combat or flight. Together, these neurochemicals lead to many feelings associated with romantic love, including sexual desire, dizziness or euphoria and nervousness.

There has been speculation that the consumption of foods that naturally contain a large amount of phenylethylamine, such as chocolate, could imitate or have other psychological benefits. Similarly, neurotransmitter pills are often launched due to the expected benefits or effects of weight loss chemicals on the mood. However, phenylethylamine consumed by the digestive system is metabolized too quickly to achieve a significant amount of brain, so its ingestion into food, pills or supplements will usually not be unlikely to be therapeutic effects. People who suffer from attention disorder, hyperactivity or clinical depression often have reduced the level of phenylethylamine, while schizophrenia suffers from increased levels.

There are many chemical compounds, commonly called femethylamins, based on the chemical structure of phenylethylamine with added or substituted atoms. These include the categories of substituted femethylamine, substituted amphetamines and substituted methylensioxyfentylamina. Many of the chemicals in these groups have significant effects on the human nervous system and are used as psychoactive drugs, including amphetamine, methamphetamine and methylenemoxymemetamfetamine, known as MDMA or ecstasy. The use or possession of some femethylamins is limited or prohibited in many jurisdictions. Some femethylamins also have medical use and are used in decongestants, antidepressants and in the treatment of respiratory problems such as asthma.