By Co-founder - Connor Secor
The high output, low cortisol journey.
It's what we all strive for. You sit down, your phone rings. You open your email, the 19 year old broccoli hair solar salesman knocks on your door. The dog pooped on the ground and you left the stove on. Your brain is in a constant fire storm with world events, tasks and it just has trouble processing it.
You mix that in with concussions, trauma and other stress, you're in for it.
In the military, I always looked out for caffeinated beverages with L-theanine because its profound effects on cortisol and lowering alpha brain waves in the brain which have a calming effect. There is people out there that take L-theanine for anxiety alone.
Mixed with caffeine you have a serious cognitive boosting stack with only two ingredients but the flow was missing something.
The missing link. L-Tyrosine.
I first came across L-Tyrosine when I got back from my second deployment. It was making some noise in the ADHD assistance discussion and there was some people even reporting it help with PTSD.
I always thought it was weird that you could have so many different neurotransmitters but the main way psychiatrist treated most things was with SSRIs. Serotonin? That's the cure?
There are over 100 identified neurotransmitters in the human body, generally categorized by their chemical structure and whether they excite, inhibit, or modulate neural activity.
My mental health has always been the best when I am moving forward.
Outward expression and transfer of energy is the light at the end of the tunnel.
Create, Move, Go.
Precursor to Dopamine? Count me in!
I was already anti-serotonin at the moment. Is happiness just a simple on and off switch? Nah.
Dopamine is often as the "do more molecule" and it's honestly fascinating.
What most people don’t know is that dopamine isn’t something you just have. Your body makes it and it needs the right raw material to do it.
That raw material is L-tyrosine.
L-tyrosine is an amino acid. Your body can produce some of it on its own, but under stress, sleep deprivation, or heavy cognitive demand, you burn through it faster than you can replenish it.
That's exactly why more high-performers need L-Tyrosine.
The Stack: Caffeine + L-Theanine + L-Tyrosine
These three work together. Not separately.
Caffeine is the engine. It blocks adenosine, the chemical that makes you feel sleepy and increases alertness and motivation. You already know this. The issue is that caffeine alone also raises cortisol and can spike anxiety, especially at higher doses.
L-Theanine is the governor. It’s an amino acid found naturally in green tea. Paired with caffeine, it smooths out the jitteriness and takes the edge off the cortisol spike without dulling the focus. This is why matcha feels different than espresso. You’re getting the caffeine plus the L-theanine that naturally occurs alongside it.
L-Tyrosine is the fuel for your neurotransmitters. Your brain runs on dopamine and norepinephrine, the chemicals behind motivation, decision-making, and staying cool under pressure. Tyrosine is the raw material your body uses to make them. Under stress, you burn through it fast. Supplementing it helps your brain stay productive even when the demands are high.
The Practical Version
Look for a formula that includes all three in meaningful doses — not trace amounts added for the label.
- Caffeine: 100–200mg per serving
- L-Theanine: 100–200mg (ideally at least a 1:1 ratio with caffeine)
- L-Tyrosine: 250–500mg
Take it in the morning. Give it 20–30 minutes before your first real task of the day.
Welcome to low cortisol - high output living. Cheers!