Transcription
In today's quick video, let's talk about L-theanine. Let's dive in.
Theanine is an amino acid that is similar to glutamic acid and is most properly known for being found in green tea. And in green tea, the general form that we find is L-theanine, which is what you see mostly in most supplements. But theanine could also be found in some foods like mushrooms as well. And most of the research regarding theanine has generally revolved around the extract from green tea, which is why we generally talk about L-theanine.
There's more research happening now about L-theanine being used for its anti-cancer effects. It has been seen in some studies to actually enhance the effects of some cancer treatments and also seems to mitigate some of the side effects, such as diarrhea, loss of appetite, that can come from things like chemotherapy.
L-theanine has also been shown to be a great antioxidant, meaning it helps to scavenge free radicals, helping to reduce cellular damage, and also has some anti-inflammatory effects as well. And in some cases, can help to reduce the loss or the decrease of glutathione, which again, is another powerful antioxidant. It also has some immunomodulating effects, helping to boost the body's immune system when it's fighting off infection.
But L-theanine is probably most known for its cognitive or central nervous system effects. It is often used as an anxiolytic, meaning it can help to decrease the symptoms of anxiety. And we do believe that this is because it actually helps to increase the neurotransmitter GABA. And again, GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter of the central nervous system, meaning that it helps to tamp down the nervous system response, leaving you with a calmer, cooler type feeling.
We also see GABA has some interesting cognitive effects. It's actually thought that GABA actually helps to increase alpha brainwave activity. Now, alpha brain waves happen when you are in a relaxed state and you're actually able to better concentrate, as opposed to being in a beta brainwave state, which usually has some agitation or things like anxiety associated with it.
Dosages of L-theanine are generally around 200 to 800 milligrams daily, and I've generally seen this studied for a period of four to eight weeks. And again, always check with your doctor for dosing and duration. Now, generally, this one is well tolerated and doesn't have many side effects. But there is the theoretical possibility that it could have too much of a sedating effect when combined with other central nervous system relaxants. And there also is a possibility or theoretical possibility that it could reduce blood pressure as well.
Because L-theanine has so many cognitive effects, and also it's an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, it's also being studied in other mood disorders and even other cognitive disorders. So things like dementia, Alzheimer's, even things like schizophrenia and depression. I find that this one is a very interesting and very powerful type of supplement.
Now, how do I use this one? Generally, I tend to use this one with my clients who are burned out and suffering from things like brain fog, difficulty concentrating, difficulty thinking, lack of focus. I often will combine it with things like GABA or even phosphatidylserine. For many clients, it really does help promote that feeling of mental clarity and allows them to focus. And it gives that mental clarity without them needing to resort to some other type of stimulant like a caffeine or, in some cases, even Adderall.
And one of my favorite ways to introduce this is to actually just start a client with drinking more green tea. Even a decaffeinated version of green tea is great. Or if you use loose leaf tea, steeping the tea just for a minute in some warm water, pulling it out, and then doing another steep will eliminate some of the caffeine.
I hope that this was helpful and that you learned something. If you have experience with L-theanine, go ahead and drop it in the comments below. Otherwise, I'll see you in the next video. Bye.