# L-Theanine



## X33 (Feb 13, 2005)

Some information on L-Theanine. Please add more if you find anything relevant.

*L-theanine-a unique amino acid of green tea and its relaxation effect in humans*

Abstract
Since ancient times, it has been said that drinking green tea brings relaxation. The substance that is responsible for a sense of relaxation, is theanine. Theanine is a unique amino acid found almost solely in tea plants and the main component responsible for the exotic taste of 'green' tea. It was found that L-theanine administered intraperitoneally to rats reached the brain within 30 min without any metabolic change. Theanine also acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain and *decreased blood pressure significantly in hypertensive rats*. In general, animals always generate very weak electric pulses on the surface of the brain, called brain waves. Brain waves are classified into four types, namely α,β,δ and θ-waves, based on mental conditions. Generation of α-waves is considered to be an index of relaxation. *In human volunteers, α-waves were generated on the occipital and parietal regions of the brain surface within 40 min after the oral administration of theanine (50-200 mg), signifying relaxation without causing drowsiness. *With the successful industrial production of L-theanine, we are now able to supply Suntheanine™ (trade name of L-theanine) which offers a tremendous opportunity for designing foods and medical foods targeting relaxation and the reduction of stress. Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd, Japan won the 1998 'Food Ingredient Research Award' for development of Suntheanine™ at Food Ingredients in Europe (Frankfurt). The judges felt it was a particularly well-documented and fascinating piece of research.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_o ... d26371b9d9

*The acute effects of L-theanine in comparison with alprazolam on anticipatory anxiety in humans
*
Abstract
L-Theanine ( -glutamylethylamide) is one of the predominant amino acids ordinarily found in green tea, and historically has been used as a relaxing agent. The current study examined the acute effects of L-theanine in comparison with a standard benzodiazepine anxiolytic, alprazolam and placebo on behavioural measures of anxiety in healthy human subjects using the model of anticipatory anxiety (AA). Sixteen healthy volunteers received alprazolam (1 mg), L-theanine (200 mg) or placebo in a double-blind placebo-controlled repeated measures design. The acute effects of alprazolam and L-theanine were assessed under a relaxed and experimentally induced anxiety condition. Subjective self-reports of anxiety including BAI, VAMS, STAI state anxiety, were obtained during both task conditions at pre- and post-drug administrations. The results showed some evidence for relaxing effects of L-theanine during the baseline condition on the tranquil-troubled subscale of the VAMS. Alprazolam did not exert any anxiolytic effects in comparison with the placebo on any of the measures during the relaxed state. Neither L-theanine nor alprazalam had any significant anxiolytic effects during the experimentally induced anxiety state. *The findings suggest that while L-theanine may have some relaxing effects under resting conditions, neither L-theanine not alprazolam demonstrate any acute anxiolytic effects under conditions of increased anxiety in the AA model. * Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi- ... 7/ABSTRACT

(Alprazolam ineffective??? Thats odd.)

*L-Theanine reduces psychological and physiological stress responses.*

L-Theanine is an amino acid contained in green tea leaves which is known to block the binding of L-glutamic acid to glutamate receptors in the brain. Because the characteristics of L-Theanine suggest that it may influence psychological and physiological states under stress, the present study examined these possible effects in a laboratory setting using a mental arithmetic task as an acute stressor. Twelve participants underwent four separate trials: one in which they took L-Theanine at the start of an experimental procedure, one in which they took L-Theanine midway, and two control trials in which they either took a placebo or nothing. The experimental sessions were performed by double-blind, and the order of them was counterbalanced. The results showed that L-Theanine intake resulted in a reduction in the heart rate (HR) and salivary immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) responses to an acute stress task relative to the placebo control condition. Moreover, analyses of heart rate variability indicated that the reductions in HR and s-IgA were likely attributable to an attenuation of sympathetic nervous activation. Thus, it was suggested that the *oral intake of L-Theanine could cause anti-stress effects via the inhibition of cortical neuron excitation.*

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entre ... t=Citation


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## Soul666 (Oct 29, 2006)

I drink alot of Green Tea...

It makes me feel Dead Inside...
Keeps you Calm...


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## kb_101 (Apr 7, 2007)

I've tried L-Theanine and it did help, I had less anxiety. It was like a watered down version of Klonopin except it doesn't really make you sleepy. From the research I've done, L-theanine is said to increase both dopamine and Gaba levels in the brain.


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## Formerly Artie (Jun 26, 2007)

I've been doing a lot reading about L-Theanine recently. With tolerance from Klonopin, obtaining Nardil being difficult (not to mention its inferior reformulation in 2003), and a lot of other things just not working for me, I'm going to buy L-Theanine tomorrow and see what it does. I've heard much more positive experiences with it than negative, and if it works primarily on dopamine and GABA receptors, then I'm fairly optimistic. I'll post my experiences after I receive it and give it a test trial.


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## kb_101 (Apr 7, 2007)

Good luck, I really do hope that it works for you, but as with anything else, I've read that you can build a tolerance to the L-Theanine as well (everybody is different though). I've only used it on an as needed bases which helped me. There are other things that I take, rotating supplements as needed. Right now I am experimenting with Bacopa. What else have you tried?


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## Formerly Artie (Jun 26, 2007)

Thx. Right now I need the luck. I'm glad that L-Theanine works for you. That's at least another positive sign. And yes, tolerance has always been a concern to me with any drug/supplement/etc...

I've heard the name Bacopa before, but don't know anything about it, so I'll go look it up.

As for what else I've tried, oh boy, that's a bit loaded, since some supplements I've used, and still do, include "proprietary blends" of many different herbs. If they're doing anything, then it's having a mild effect which I don't really notice consciously, but perhaps underneath the surface it's working.

Of the singular medications/supplements, they would include Rivotril (Klonopin), Alplax XR (Xanax), Ativan, Phenibut, Picamilon, Kava, Kratom, PEA, and perhaps one or two other ones that I can't think of off-hand. Only Klonopin made any noticeable difference which had me believe that I was actually cured. As my luck would have it, tolerance gradually set in, and so I have to take 8 or 10 mg whenever I go out just for it to have some effect. At the moment I'm still somewhat disabled.

Phenibut was the only other thing which I felt something with, but in a different kind of anxiolytic way. It's hard to describe actually. Many people compare it to GHB. I've never had GHB btw. But in another post of mine I tried to describe it. Aside from tolerance setting in very quickly, Phenibut is also one of the worst-tasting substances I've ever had the displeasure of having. Rat p.i.s.s probably tastes less worse.

But anyway, if L-Theanine does do anything for me, I hope I don't develop a tolerance to it, at least not to the point that Klonopin or Phenibut did.

Edit: Forgot to mention that having a lot of Omega-3 doesn't do anything for anxiety, but can be great as an uplifting mood-enhancer, more than SJW and 5-HTP it seems. I've always wanted to try SAM-e, but it's just too expensive for me right now.


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## Formerly Artie (Jun 26, 2007)

Okay. After giving it a test run, L-Theanine is definitely a calming agent. Without sounding long-winded about the whole thing, using 600mg of the Vitamin World brand (inexpensive and high quality) made me feel more calm, focused and alert than I otherwise would have been given the situation. It's not hard-hitting at all like Klonopin can be, but I definitely recommend it as part of one's GABA-induced diet. There's no side-effects to it, which is a plus, and virtually tasteless when uncapped and added to water. I read the Suntheanine brand is also top quality.

In another thread on here, somebody mentioned Magnolia as working a little bit better than L-Theanine, so I'm going to look into trying that next, in addition to Bacopa as mentioned above.

My patience with all this is starting to wear thin though.

Actually I take that back. It wore thin a long time ago. I'm just going through the motions now.


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