Description
Theanine is a substance found in green, black, and oolong tea. Its chemical structure is similar to that of two neurotransmitters. Traditionally it has been used to obtain relaxation, and it has other benefits.
Possible Benefits
- May reduce stress
- May improve mood
- May improve cognitive function
- May strengthen cardiovascular health
Required Equipment
Black, green, or oolong tea bags.
Supplements.
How to Do It
To get the benefits of theanine, prepare a tea in the traditional way, using the tea bags and hot water. Ideally, do not add sugar or do so in very small amounts.
Theanine can also be found as a supplement. You can get one and consume it according to the manufacturer's instructions. It is usually not recommended to consume more than 200mg per day.
Why it works
- The most important feature of theanine to improve mood is that it produces a relaxation effect without affecting your cognitive ability and normal functioning.
- It has been shown to provide improvements in concentration and memory, but this has only been demonstrated in the short term.
- Some studies have confirmed that theanine can reduce the death of neurons and increase the level of substances in the nervous system that act as protection.
Time Commitment
1-5 minutes
Suggested Frequency
2-3 times per week
Time of Day
Any.
Very useful when you are in times of high stress.
Possible Side Effects
Avoid during pregnancy
It can lower blood pressure in some people.
Notes
- Its potential to prevent cognitive decline, especially related to aging, is currently being studied.
- It should not be used in combination with medication to regulate blood pressure. Theanine can increase it.
- You can also find theanine in capsules as a supplement.
- Several studies on theanine have been done in combination with caffeine, so it is sometimes difficult to isolate its benefits.
- Use it at the times of day when you feel more tired as an energy boost.
Related Products
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Supporting Studies and Articles
Expand Collapse- Protective effect of the green tea component, L-theanine on environmental toxins-induced neuronal cell death. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18452993
- Effect of Green Tea Phytochemicals on Mood and Cognition. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28056735
- Behavioral and molecular evidence for psychotropic effects in L-theanine. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00213-011-2440-z
- Effects of L-theanine or caffeine intake on changes in blood pressure under physical and psychological stresses. https://jphysiolanthropol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1880-6805-31-28
- l-Theanine promotes nitric oxide production in endothelial cells through eNOS phosphorylation. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0955286312000836?via%3Dihub
- Time for tea: mood, blood pressure and cognitive performance effects of caffeine and theanine administered alone and together. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00213-007-0938-1
- Acute effects of theanine, caffeine and theanine-caffeine combination on attention. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26869148
