Is L-theanine Work For Anxiety and Depressure?

L-theanine is an amino acid commonly found in green and black tea, as well as some mushrooms. It is known for its calming effects and its ability to help reduce stress levels. Most people do not get much theanine in their diet because it is not found in many common foods. It is a unique amino acid in that it is not used to form proteins – unlike many other amino acids such as L-carnitine, leucine, lysine, methionine, or tryptophan – and is not used to make enzymes. The biggest sources of L-theanine in our diet are green, dark and white teas – but most people don’t drink too much tea every day and L-theanine supplements may be beneficial. Studies have also suggested that L-theanine may improve cognitive function, improve sleep quality, and promote relaxation without causing drowsiness. Additionally, it may enhance the effects of certain medications used to treat mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. As we’ll introduce more below, drinking tea and taking L-theanine supplements can help reduce the effects of stress, protect the brain, support the cardiovascular system and much more. So, if you want to learn more about the benefits of L-theanine, check out the following articles below.

Benefits of L-theanine Extract

May reduce anxiety and stress　

L-theanine is a powerful, safe supplement that is easy to use and can be beneficial for many health conditions. It is especially useful for those who are struggling with anxiety or insomnia. L-theanine is called “a nonsedative relaxant,” meaning it can help improve your ability to cope with stress without making you feel drowsy or tired. If you suffer from tension, anxiety, depression, or other stress-related issues, you may benefit from the relaxing effects of L-theanine, although it may not produce a strong enough effect to reduce severe anxiety. In one study, L-theanine significantly reduced scores on a test of stress and anxiety compared with a placebo. The effects of L-theanine and caffeine on mental task performance and physiological activity were studied. Participants were placed in physical or psychological stress conditions where they took L-theanine plus placebo, caffeine plus placebo or placebo orally. Mental task results showed that L-theanine significantly inhibited stress-related increases in blood pressure, whereas caffeine tended to have similar but smaller blood pressure inhibition.

L-theanine has anti-stress effects because it inhibits (blocks) cortical neuron firing. This effect is mainly due to the fact that l-theanine works by helping your brain create the happy chemicals serotonin and dopamine. These neurotransmitters can control your mood, feelings of happiness, and focus. Theanine has been found to cross the blood-brain barrier, especially when administered as an injection, and when taken orally, it can increase the brain concentration of the compound for up to five hours. Theanine appears to affect two important areas of the brain called the amygdala and hippocampus, which help control fear responses and memory. Theanine may also increase alpha brainwaves (alpha waves), which are associated with “wakeful relaxation” states, selective attention mechanisms, arousal and mental alertness.

There is also some evidence that taking l-theanine along with caffeine can help you fall asleep easier. A study found that people who took 450 to 900 milligrams (mg) of the amino acid before bed reported a more restful night’s sleep than those who didn’t take it. Some studies have found that L-theanine can help improve sleep quality in people with ADHD. Another positive property of L-theanine during sleep is that it can resist the effects of stimulants. This means that if you drink a lot of coffee for medical reasons or use other stimulants, the calming effects of theanine may help reduce wakefulness, nervousness, etc. Some people take L-theanine and melatonin together, which work together to reduce stress and help improve sleep quality.

May help you stay focused

L-Theanine is also thought to help you stay focused and energized. This is a good thing, as the right kind of focus can improve your productivity and lead to increased work efficiency. Some people choose to use L-theanine with caffeine to improve alertness, cognition, and concentration. They have a “synergistic” relationship that can sharpen focus without feeling overly strained. For this purpose, consumption of about 200mg of L-theanine and caffeine tends to produce the best results.

May help protect memory and cognition

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, patients with mild cognitive impairment were given 360 mg of green tea extract and 60 mg of theanine three times a day for 16 weeks. The latter helped improve recognition skills without any negative effects on verbal and visual-spatial memory, the researchers found. According to the study’s researchers, after three hours in the reading state, temporal waves (an indicator of cognitive alertness) increased significantly in the temporal, frontal, parietal and occipital regions. Thus, this study suggests theanine has the potential as a cognitive improvement intervention. “One way L-theanine can help protect the brain is by preventing excessive glutamate from stimulating brain cells (excitotoxicity), which some have linked to neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, and schizophrenia. By blocking the effects of some glutamate, L-theanine may be able to provide neuroprotective effects in the aging brain.

May help support cardiovascular health

Green tea is a major source of L-theanine, which many studies have found can help reduce inflammation and support heart health. Some experts believe that green tea has a protective effect on cardiovascular health, mainly because it provides theanine rather than other active compounds such as green tea catechins or theaflavins.

Theanine may help prevent blood pressure spikes in response to stressful events and help regulate nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a molecule produced by our bodies that helps cells communicate, regulates blood pressure by dilating arteries, reduces inflammation, supports the immune system, improves sleep quality, and more. The inner cortex of our arteries produces nitric oxide, which helps relax narrowed blood vessels and increases oxygen and blood flow. Sufficient production of nitric oxide can help prevent clogged arteries from clots or blockages, heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular problems.