If you’ve never heard of L-theanine, you’re not alone. Unless you’ve been researching relaxation supplements or pre-workout ingredients, you may not be familiar with this lesser-known amino acid.
Found in green tea, L-theanine is believed to help promote relaxation and support sleep quality. But it can also help you get a great workout.*
That may sound like a contradiction — how can a supplement associated with relaxation possibly improve athletic performance?
There’s a simple, science-backed explanation: When combined with caffeine, research suggests L-theanine can help improve performance and focus and help offset some of the negative feelings some may experience from a caffeinated pre-workout supplement.*
Want to learn more about L-theanine and how it can help your workouts and lead to a better night’s rest? We’ve compiled the need-to-know info and key benefits of this calming supplement.
Why Do People Use L-Theanine?
“People take L-theanine for a variety of reasons, most of which revolve around a calm-yet-alert mental state,” says Paul Falcone, principal scientist at BODi.
Because it promotes relaxation, L-theanine is often found in products that claim to help reduce your feelings of stress or to help you fall asleep without leaving you feeling drowsy or groggy.
BODi’s sleep supplement LAST THING features a blend of ingredients — including L-theanine — to help promote feelings of calm and balance and provide a deeper, more restorative night of rest.*
Research also suggests L-theanine and caffeine have a beneficial effect when combined. L-theanine may counteract some of the less-pleasant effects of caffeine, so you can increase focus and delay fatigue without feeling overly amped.*
What Are the Benefits of L-Theanine?
L-theanine can be used for a variety of reasons. Here are a few of its potential benefits.
1. May help to promote a relaxed state of mind
L-theanine can help people achieve a relaxed state of mind, and research suggests it may also have a beneficial impact on daily stress. In a 2017 study, participants taking L-theanine self-reported less tension and improved calmness.
L-theanine works by blocking an excitatory substance called glutamic acid and increasing alpha waves, which correlate with a relaxed and focused state of mind, says James Greenblatt, MD, an integrative psychiatrist in Waltham, MA, and author of Integrative Medicine for Depression.
2. May help benefit sleep quality
L-theanine may help to promote the right mindset for sleep — but because it increases activity in the alpha frequency band of your brain, it shouldn’t leave you feeling drowsy.
A primary reason people might have trouble falling asleep is due to temporary feelings of anxiety — they can’t turn their mind off, Falcone says. L-theanine seems to help quiet those anxious thoughts, helping to relax the mind, which may allow people to fall asleep naturally.
In a 2019 study, people who took L-theanine reported greater sleep satisfaction after eight weeks than people who took a placebo.
3. May help support focus
“L-theanine helps the body adapt to the effects of stress,” Falcone says. “Exercise is a stressor, and L-theanine can help us have a clearer, more focused mindset.”
In a randomized, placebo-controlled study in 2019, 30 participants were given either 200 mg of L-theanine or a placebo daily for four weeks. Those who took L-theanine reported better sleep quality and improved performance on cognitive tasks when compared to the placebo group.
Those who combined L-theanine with caffeine also reported improved alertness and better performance on attention-switching tasks.
4. May support the benefits of caffeine
Studies have found that caffeine’s benefits on focus and attention are maintained and supported by adding L-theanine, Falcone says.
In one study published in the journal Neuropharmacology, participants who took 50 mg of caffeine and 100 mg of L-theanine made fewer errors when performing a task than a group who took a placebo.
And a 2018 study found that taking 200 mg of L-theanine and 160 mg of caffeine improved participants’ concentration better than a placebo or either supplement alone.
What’s the Ideal Amount of L-Theanine?
Research suggests that between 200 mg and 400 mg of L-theanine per day is the ideal amount for helping to promote a relaxed state of mind even among people exposed to stressful situations.
Greenblatt notes that you may choose to divvy up your servings of L-theanine — for example, supplementing with around 200 mg twice daily rather than a single 400 mg supplement.
Keep in mind the effects may not be instantaneous for everyone. “While most people experience benefits within a few days, for some, the effects seem to occur more slowly,” Greenblatt adds. It may take up to a full month to feel the effects — but with time, you’ll likely start to notice the positive impact on your mental focus and your performance.
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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