A fair number of subscribers have asked us about using l-theanine for anxiety. In this article, we will explain why there is so much discussion over l-theanine and whether it is worth trying.
But First: Make sure you don’t miss out!
Theanine is found in green tea. Consequently, in order to understand the use of l-theanine for anxiety, it is important to have more information about green tea.
We therefore obtained some information from WebMD about the benefits of green tea. Possible benefits include the following:
- Protect and restore the brain
- Improve blood flow
- Lower cholesterol
- Assist working memory;
- Help block the formation of plaques that can lead to alzheimer’s disease
- Stabilize blood sugar;
- Lower blood pressure;
- Possible weight loss
A study featured by PubMed.gov indicated that l-theanine has a direct effect on the brain
L-theanine significantly increases activity in the alpha frequency band. This increase indicates that it relaxes the mind without inducing drowsiness.
The aim of this research was to establish whether this effect occurred at more realistic dietary levels.
Indeed the first study found that there was a greater increase in alpha activity by using l-theanine.
A second study replicated this effect.
These authors concluded that L-theanine, at realistic dietary levels, has a significant effect on the general state of mental alertness or arousal.
However is using l-theanine for anxiety worth it?
You may have to drink at least 5 cups of green tea to get the minimum dosage to feel the effects of the theanine.
However, one option, in addition to drinking green tea, is taking a supplement containing green tea extract. This would have much higher levels of theanine.
You would need to be cautious with green tea extract, to ensure that you don’t over do it.
You can also purchase supplements in a health food store, where the l-theanine has been isolated from the tea.
Moreover, natural things such as green tea might be helpful for your mental and physical health in general. This can be particularly true if they are being used as an alternative to caffeinated beverages which often contain additional sugar.
Like many natural things that can be helpful, we would not view l-theanine for anxiety as a “cure-all.”
We would suggest that many sufferers of anxiety may find theanine a helpful aid in dealing with anxiety. However probably only when part of an overall approach with anxiety.
Consequently, it is critical to make sure that you are tackling your anxiety and panic attacks with evidenced based practices. We cover such practices in detail, in our free newsletter series.
References
Health Benefits of Green Tea. Retrieved July 10, 2016, from: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/health-benefits-of-green-tea?page=1
Substance in Green Tea Calms and Increases Focus
Retrieved July 10, 2016, from:
http://www.amenclinics.com/blog/substance-in-green-tea-calms-and-increases-focus/