L-theanine is a naturally occurring, non-protein amino acid found in tea that promotes relaxation by reducing stress and anxiety levels. Although L-theanine is not a sedative and does not cause drowsiness, it may help improve sleep quality by promoting a more relaxed state.
L-theanine is an amino acid naturally found in plant sources such as tea leaves and some mushrooms. L-theanine benefits include helping to support alertness, relaxation, and sleep. The appeal of L-theanine stems from its ability to support a state of alert relaxation, so it can calm you down without causing drowsiness.
The most common side effects of L-theanine dosage include headaches, nausea, and irritability. However, the nausea appears to be mostly linked with L-theanine being administered through green tea rather than dietary supplements.
So, should you take L-theanine in the morning or at night? If you're looking to get a good night's sleep, take L-theanine at night. For example, if you need help getting to sleep, you won't want to drink caffeinated tea at night, so you should opt for caffeine-free or herbal tea before bed.
L-theanine is an amino acid found primarily in green and black tea and some mushrooms. It's also available in pill or tablet form. It's said to help ease anxiety, stress, and reduce insomnia. Before trying it out yourself, learn more about the potential health benefits, as well as any possible risks or complications.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding:There is not enough reliable information about the safety of using theanine if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use. Children: Theanine is POSSIBLY SAFE for children. Doses of 200 mg of theanine have been safely used twice daily for up to 6 weeks.
“A combination of magnesium with L-Theanine (an amino acid) will ease the tension in the physical body and settle anxiety as L-Theanine supports the production of calming neurotransmitters. Take this combination now twice daily rather than waiting until you feel tense or anxious.”
L-theanine, on the other hand, promotes relaxation and stress reduction without sedating. L-theanine can help foster a state of calm, attentive wakefulness. L-theanine has positive effects on both the mental and physical symptoms of stress, including lowering heart rate and blood pressure.
However, if we're looking for a natural compound that can simultaneously improve your daytime mental performance and nighttime cognitive relaxation, L-theanine takes the cake—whether compared with melatonin or any other natural substance.
Conclusion: Our study suggests that chronic (8-week) l-theanine administration is safe and has multiple beneficial effects on depressive symptoms, anxiety, sleep disturbance and cognitive impairments in patients with MDD.
54 They found that all the components suppressed weight gain. Green tea powder, catechins, and theanine also reduced triglyceride levels. The researchers concluded that not only can caffeine help prevent weight gain and fat accumulation, but theanine can, too.
l-theanine (γ-glutamylethylamide), an amino acid in green tea, has been shown to affect brain functions by relieving stress disorders, improving mood, and maintaining normal sleep.
L-theanine is a fast-acting amino acid. You should feel the effects within 30 minutes to 1 hour after taking it. The effects of L-theanine can last up to 8 hours.
People use L-theanine to improve mental function. It is also used for anxiety, mental impairment, stress, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
L-theanine Dosage and Use
L-theanine is one of my most common treatments for anxiousness and may help any of the three sub-types. It's usually taken in doses from 50-100 mg once or twice daily. In more severe cases, it may be taken 3 or 4 times per day. It is not habit forming like many anti-anxiety medications.
L-theanine may reduce brain fog symptoms such as memory problems and delayed reaction time when taken as a supplement. It may also help reduce stress and improve sleep, which may relieve brain fog symptoms.
Magnesium can decrease the absorption and effectiveness of numerous medications, including some common antibiotics such as tetracycline (Achromycin, Sumycin), demeclocycline (Declomycin), doxycycline (Vibramycin), minocycline (Minocin), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), levofloxacin (Levaquin), moxifloxacin (Avelox) and ofloxacin ...
Magnesium and calcium/multivitamin
But if you do take magnesium, Erin Stokes, ND, recommends not taking it at the same time as your multivitamin, as it may interfere with the absorption of smaller minerals found in the multivitamin, like iron and zinc.
L Theanine is absorbed in the small intestine and its absorption is relatively quick. On an empty stomach, it may take less than 20 minutes for the effects of L Theanine to be felt, and the maximum effects are present around 35-45 minutes after ingestion.
In a randomized controlled trial in patients with mild cognitive impairment, L-theanine taken with green tea extract for 16 weeks had no significant effect on memory and attention, though a trend for an improvement in memory was seen midway through the trial [1].
Possible Drawbacks of L-Theanine for Anxiety
A decrease of serotonin in the brain may result in an increase in stress and tension, which is the opposite of the desired effect for anxiety sufferers.
A study on the effects of theanine on the liver showed that when it was administered to mice prior to ethanol exposure, it fully restored the mice's baseline liver functions. These results bode well for drinkers, since they imply that theanine can help prevent ethanol-induced liver injury.
The answer is yes! Because of its natural calming effects, L-Theanine can have a significant impact on your ability to fall asleep quickly and sleep deeply*. The amino acid can be especially helpful when combined with GABA and other natural calming supplements.
In fact, explains Kramer, just one 200 to 400mg capsule can ease stress, lower your cortisol levels, and get you to a state of zen in 20 minutes. And, if you want, you can safely consume L-theanine every day.
You can take L-Theanine multiple times daily, including in the morning before work and at night before bed. Taking a daytime dose of L-Theanine may help you focus and maintain mental clarity as you go about your daily tasks.