Homovanillate (also known as HVA) is the primary metabolite of dopamine, a brain and adrenal neurotransmitter that comes from tyrosine (with BH4 and iron as co-factors) and goes on to create norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and epinephrine (adrenaline).
Low Homovanillate indicates low levels of dopamine. Symptoms associated with this condition are depression, sleep disturbances, inability to deal with stress, and fatigue.
- Low levels of HVA can be due to low levels of dopamine or poor conversion of dopamine to HVA. The latter may be due to insufficient levels of SAM, Magnesium, FAD and NAD which are needed to metabolize dopamine.
- Low circulating dopamine may be due to insufficient BH4, iron or tyrosine. It may also be seen when adrenal function is generally low.
- Low dopamine levels may be associated with addictions, cravings and pleasure seeking (to boost levels) in addition to sleepiness, impulsivity, tremors, less motivation, fatigue and low mood.
Other possible causes:
- Low precursors/neurotransmitters (phenylalanine, dopamine, noradrenalin)
- Low cofactors (B2, B3, B6, Mg or Fe)
- Impaired methylation
Additional investigations:
- Vitamins & Minerals Analysis
Treatment considerations:
Treatments to improve digestion, along with supplementation of tyrosine or phenylalanine, can help improve the ability to keep up with demand for these neurotransmitters.
- L-tyrosine & B6
- B2, B3 or Fe if low
- Support methylation (methionine/SAMe, B6, B12, folate, Mg)
Understand and improve your laboratory results with our health dashboard.
Upload your lab reports and get your interpretation today.
Our technology helps to understand, combine, track, organize, and act on your medical lab test results.
- Elevated HVA may be caused by generally increased adrenal hormone output or because of a copper or vitamin C deficiency (which are needed for dopamine conversion to norepinephrine).
- Elevations may also be caused by a number of medications or supplements including: MAO inhibitors, quercetin, tyrosine, DL-phenylalanine (DLPA), L-dopa, macuna, dopamine medication (Levodopa, Sinemet, Methyldopa), SNRI medication (Wellbutrin), tricyclic antidepressants, amphetamines, appetite suppressants, and caffeine. Bananas also contain dopamine.
- Elevated dopamine may be associated with loss of memory, insomnia, agitation, hyperactivity, mania, hyper-focus, high stress and anxiety as well as addictions, cravings and pleasure seeking (to maintain high levels).
Elevations of Homovanillate and Vanilmandelate indicate an over-activation of nervous system function involving these neurotransmitters. This can be for various reasons, but is most commonly associated with stress, both internal (e.g., mental/emotional) and external (e.g., environmental toxins). Addressing the source of stress and improving the body’s ability to handle stress are useful in these cases.
Other possible causes:
- Increased catecholamine activity/stress pattern
-Impaired production of noradrenalin from dopamine
Additional investigations:
- Adrenal Hormone Profile
Treatment considerations:
- Adrenal support
- Stress management
Interpret Your Lab Results
Upload your lab report, and we'll interpret and provide you with recommendations today.
Get StartedOur specialized data entry service is designed to seamlessly integrate your laboratory results into your private dashboard. Just send in your lab test results—whether it's an image or a file—and our skilled data entry team will handle the rest. We accommodate various file formats like PDFs, JPGs, and Excel.
The first report is complimentary. After that, the data entry service is priced at $15 per report, unless it's part of your subscribed plan. It's an ideal solution whether you have numerous reports to upload or if your schedule doesn't permit self-data entry.
We strive to make the data entry process easy for you. Whether by offering dozens of templates to choose from that pre-populate the most popular laboratory panels or by giving you instant feedback on the entered values. Our data entry forms are an easy, fast, and convenient way to enter the reports yourself. There is no limit on how many lab reports you can upload.
Personal plans
track personal results
Professional Plan
track multiple client's results
$15/month
$250/once
own it for life
$45/month
for health professionals
Personal Account
$15/month
for personal lab results
$250/once
own it for life
Level up your lab report analysis with our Pro plan, built for health practitioners like you.
Health Business Account
$45/month
Unlock additional Pro plans when you sign up.
At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.