THEANINE FOR BRAIN
GAINS!
Nootropics are all the rage, but which ones actually work? This
nutrient found in green tea offers a wide variety of cognitive benefits to take
your mental performance to the next level!
Green tea has been getting plenty of positive press in recent
years. Today, it's touted for its ability to support fat loss, numerous health
benefits, and high antioxidant content. But these impressive attributes are
only part of the story. There's another reason more and more people are turning
to green tea—one that you can feel.
I'm talking about L-theanine, an amino acid found in green tea
and almost nowhere else in nature. As an isolated nutrient, L-theanine has
recently popped up in several supplements, ranging from nootropics to
pre-workout supplements, and for good reason! Recent research suggests that L-theanine
can support feelings of calm and focus, and promote productivity.
While this ingredient alone might provide some benefit, it
really cashes in and leaves its mark when paired with caffeine. So get a pot of
green tea brewing, and let's dive in.
WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT GREEN TEA AND
L-THEANINE?
L-theanine (referred to as "theanine" here on out) is
an amino acid common to the leaves of the plant species Camellia sinensis, the
leaf most commonly used to make green tea.1 It's
not found in any food, aside from one rare species of mushrooms.
L-THEANINE IS AN AMINO ACID COMMON TO THE
LEAVES OF THE PLANT SPECIES CAMELLIA SINENSIS, THE LEAF MOST COMMONLY USED TO
MAKE GREEN TEA. IN A NUMBER OF STUDIES, THEANINE HAS BEEN SUGGESTED TO SUPPORT
FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION.
In a number of studies, theanine has been shown to support focus
and concentration without that crazy-intense jittery feeling common in energy
drinks. This is where theanine really shines. It has also been shown to support
feelings of calmness. Whether at work, studying, or hitting the gym, it's easy
to imagine how feeling less stressed and more focused could help you get more
done.*
Whether at work, studying, or hitting the gym, it's easy to
imagine how feeling less stressed and more focused could help you get more
done.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Theanine exerts its effects on several fronts, by supporting
levels of inhibitory neurotransmitters in the brain and promoting a state of
relaxation in the brain.* Here's a breakdown of the main players involved in the
process.
GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid): Theanine
works to support GABA levels in the brain. Increased levels of GABA in the
brain promote a relaxation-like effect.2
Dopamine: Theanine also supports levels of
dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a hormone that helps control the brain's
reward and pleasure centers. An increase in dopamine not only helps with focus,
but also promotes feelings of happiness.*3
Glycine: Theanine supports glycine, which has
similar properties to GABA, and works to further increase dopamine levels.*3
Alpha brain waves: Theanine is
suggested to have a major impact on alpha-brain-wave activity.1 Alpha-wave
generation is associated with an awake, alert, and relaxed state, and might be
one of the main reasons theanine is so effective in supporting a healthy stress
response.1
Increased alpha-brain-wave activity is also linked to alertness
and arousal.4 There is research to suggest that the more theanine
ingested, the greater the support for alpha-wave activity.1
THEANINE AND CAFFEINE: BETTER TOGETHER
Theanine may sound like a perfect bedtime supplement, and it's
true that it offers some definite benefits when taken at the end of the day.
The amino acid has become a common ingredient paired with melatonin in
sleep-focused supplements, and many people even take theanine on its own before
hitting the hay.
When taking it as a pre-workout during the day, however, there's
evidence that theanine is even more effective when taken with caffeine.
Theanine and caffeine provide a one-two punch of benefits stronger than taking
either alone. Supplementing with both theanine and caffeine has been suggested
to narrow focus and enhance attention, which may help to drown out the crowd
around you.5-7
For lifters, this is invaluable when preparing for, say, a
near-maximal weight. A break in form or a forgotten cue can result in a missed
attempt—or worse, an injury. Additionally, cosupplementation has been suggested
to improve reaction time, which may be beneficial when training for power or
speed.*8
SUPPLEMENTING WITH BOTH THEANINE AND
CAFFEINE HAS BEEN SUGGESTED TO NARROW FOCUS AND ENHANCE ATTENTION, WHICH MAY
HELP TO DROWN OUT THE CROWD AROUND YOU.
Not surprisingly, this pairing also shows great promise for
cognitive support. A study published in Nutritional Neuroscience had subjects
consume 40 milligrams of caffeine and 97 milligrams of theanine shortly before
performing a serious of cognitive tests.9 The
experimental group demonstrated increased performance on several cognitive
tests and reported reduced tiredness and mental fatigue, as well as increased
alertness.*
Another study published in Biological Psychology divided
subjects into three groups: theanine only, caffeine only, or both theanine and
caffeine. Once the supplement was consumed, subjects underwent a series of
cognitive tasks 30 and 90 minutes after taking the supplement. The
theanine-and-caffeine group demonstrated significant improvements in multiple
reaction and information-processing tests.
They also reported feelings of increased alertness, as well as
reduced tiredness and less mental fatigue. Benefits were most pronounced in the
group that took theanine and caffeine together.*5
HOW TO GET YOUR THEANINE
Now that you've learned about the benefits, you're likely
wondering how much you should take. Studies examining the effect on theanine
have used anywhere from 25-500 milligrams per serving. A 6-ounce glass of green
tea provides between 25 and 60 milligrams of theanine in most cases. An ideal
pairing for enhanced performance is 200-300 milligrams of theanine with 100-200
milligrams of caffeine.
So how to you get it? You could swap out some of your daily cups
of coffee for green tea. Once you get the hang of steeping times—oversteeping
produces a bitter flavor—it's easy to get 2-3 strong cups of tea from a single
scoop of loose tea or a couple of bags.
You could also buy theanine, which is quite inexpensive on its
own, and add it to your pre-workout stack. Yes, theanine has begun popping up
in many pre-workout supplements, but not always in efficacious doses. Make sure
you're getting enough, and then pair it with enough caffeine to support focus
and performance!
* Ratings as of article's date of publication
REFERENCES
1.
Juneja, L.R., Chu, D.C., Okubo, T., Nagato, Y and Yokogoshi H.
(1999). L-theanine—a unique amino acid of green tea and its relaxation effect
in humans. Food Science and Technology, 10<96), 199-204.
2.
Petroff, O.A. (2003). GABA and glutamate in the human
brain. Neuroscientist, 8(6), 562-573.
3.
Yamada, T., Terashima, T., Okubo, T., Juneja, L.R. &
Yokogoshi, H. (2005). Effects of theanine, r-glutamylethylamide, on
neurotransmitter release and its relationship with glutamic acid
neurotransmission.Nutrition Neuroscience, 8(4), 219-226.
4.
Kelly, S.P. (2006). Increases in alpha oscillatory power reflect
an active retinotopic mechanism for distracter suppression during sustained
visuospatial attention. Journal of Neurophysiology, 95(6),
3844-3851.
5.
Haskell, C.F., Kennedy, D.O., Wesnes, K.A. & Scholey, A.B.
(2005). Cognitive and mood improvements of caffeine in habitual consumers and
habitual non-consumers of caffeine. Psychopharmacology, 179(4),
813-825.
6.
Heatherley, S.V., Hayward, R.C., Seers, H.E.& Rogers, P.J.
(2005). Cognitive and psychomotor performance, mood, and pressor effects of
caffeine after 4, 6 and 8 h caffeine abstinence. Psychopharmacology,
178(4), 461-470.
7.
Owen, G.N., Parnell, H., De bruin, E.A. and Rycroft, J.A.
(2008). The combined effects of L-theanine and caffeine on cognitive
performance and mood. Nutritional Neuroscience, 11(4), 193-198.
8.
Childs, E. & de Wit, H. (2006). Subjective, behavioral, and
physiological effects of acute caffeine in light, nondependent caffeine
users. Psychopharmacology, 185(4), 514-523.
9.
Giesbrecht, T., Rycroft, J.A., Rowson, M.J. & De Bruin, E.A
(2010). The combination of L-theanine and caffeine improves cognitive
performance and increases subjective alertness. Nutritional
Neuroscience, 13(6), 283-290.
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