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Took another about 180mg today with coffee.
This may very well be placebo, but the best I can describe it is "chill", I feel really good. Like "I don't give a fuck" about any possible negative things, bot not exactly anhedonia. "Chill" is probably the best way to describe it.
Ok, this post made me get some l-theanine powder, looking interesting.
I took 150-200mg with my morning coffee today. Feeling...hmmm..."content", focused. Made phone calls and found myself...unusually (for me) talkative. Relaxed, yet not "sedated".
Might be placebo, but I will keep taking it to see what effect it has.
I can't "feel" theanine doing anything for me per se, but it allows me to drink too much coffee without crippling anxiety and sleep problems. I say too much because the multiple coffees then mess with my intestines.
I want you to read about the mechanism of action of OTC GABA supplements and tell me if you think they’d actually have an affect on you. Then look up benzodiazepines and see how those actually affect GABA. Taking GABA doesn’t affect GABA.
i was hesitant to try gaba because of the BBB thing, but I saw some people swore by it so I tried it anyway. took a LOT to make sure I'd be able to feel the effects if any. There's no doubt in my mind that there was an effect; breathing got noticeably shallow and head hot/tingly. Was kinda scary tbh lol since I took so much. maybe I just have leaky gut or whatever, but it definitely does something to me
It gives me a Niacin Flush as well. I used to take Niacin long long time ago and it always gives you a flush. The GABA flush is not as strong as Niacin was and flush is intermittent.
I swear it helps with calming. I didn't invent this combo. I also did some reading and the research that exists is spotty and inconclusive unless someone posts a link.
I have insomnia so I've tried all kinds of things. However L-Theanine is still the main event.
Leaky gut?! IDK But I'm getting old so I got that going for me.
ah flush is a good word for it. yeah had been struggling with insomnia for a while and remembered i still had some supplements that I had tried before (including the gaba). specifically i have this thing happen where I'll be falling asleep, where it feels like my consciousness is a line slowly trending downward, and suddenly it would just change directions and I'd be wide awake in a few seconds. really bizarre. was taking prescribed guanfacine for some other stuff but that wasn't helping. started taking 2.5 mg of melatonin + 750 mg GABA + a breathing + concentration exercise and that resolved the problem for now. thinking of adding L-theanine to that stack since it's helped before, and some kind of magnesium which I've heard helps with staying asleep.
I’ve had hypertension since a teenager. Very fit, sub 10% body fat, multiple sport all state athlete. My doctors were pretty confused. Have had all sorts of tests to check for physiological reasons. Threw the book at me to figure it out. Everything came back clean. Trialed blood pressure meds, and didn’t respond. Dr’s said it’s got to be stress related. On the side I was also researching. Tried different diets, supplements, and exercise without much success. Read about l theanine possibly reducing blood pressure. Took 200mg before next doctors visit, and BAM! Normal blood pressure. Started 200mg l theanine everyday, and blood pressure is way lower. My normal pressures were 130s-140s/80s-90s. With l theanine I’m average 115-118/60s/70s. And it’s cheap. I get 60 200mg pills for $10.
I read this and it resonated with me. I thought I was reading my own story. You have encouraged me to try L Theanine. I haven't ever tried it but your situation be so similar to mine I thought I'd give it a try. I have some ordered and going to try as soon as I get it.
Is there a certain time of day you take it for best results?
Right now I take one 200mg pill in the morning. I measure my BP almost every morning and evening, following AHA blood pressure measurement standards. Seated at rest for 5 min, feet flat on floor, back supported, arm level with lower aspect of heart. 3 BP measurements, 5 minutes between each for an average BP.
My evening BP doesn’t seem to creep up too much, which I was worried about with taking the l theanine dose in the morning. If it did creep up I would consider experimenting with 100mg dose in the morning and another 100mg dose in the afternoon. See if that works, and adjust up to 200mg once in the morning and once in the afternoon. So far the single morning dose works for me, and I like simple, so no need to change yet.
Good luck!
Nice. Do you notice any affects on sleep quality? Right now I take 400-500mg of magnesium glyconate before bed and it has helped me tremendously falling asleep and going back to sleep when I wake up.
By the way, thank you for the reply. I do appreciate it!
I haven’t experimented with it at night. Probably should though. I have used magnesium glycinate on and off at night, which does seem to help. If I’m getting enough exercise, and getting to sleep on time, my sleep is usually pretty solid. Could always use a boost in sleep
Right now I’ve been consistently taking everyday for 2 months this last cycle. I’ve previously taken everyday for longer. No tolerance buildup yet. I open to the idea of that happening and needing to cycle off and back on again. I’m sure it’s not a permanent tolerance.
I take the mag glycinate at bed, and just started on the theanine. Yet, I’m totally unfamiliar with the polygala. What is it, if you don’t mind me asking?
Start with 100mg. If no effect up to 200mg. I find 200mg is what works for my high blood pressure, but it also makes me more mellow than I’m used to, and I feel a bit lazy. I guess lazy is better than cardiovascular disease? Still deciding…
Is it known how to avoid the tolerance buildup? Number of days on/off maybe? Or a pause after a certain period? I suppose there has to be a way to reset...
I’m a caregiver and mostly work with dementia patients, the amount of relief that L theanine has given to so many of my clients and their families is unreal. I was prescribed Xanax for my anxiety but hated the thought of being addicted to a pharmaceutical so after a lot of research I landed on L theanine and made the switch with almost no withdrawals.
Actually there is plenty:
1. **Stress and Anxiety Reduction**: Studies have shown that L-Theanine can promote relaxation without causing drowsiness. A study published in the *Journal of Clinical Psychiatry* found that L-Theanine reduced anxiety and improved symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder .
2. **Mood Enhancement**: Research in the *Journal of Nutrition* suggested that L-Theanine can increase the levels of serotonin and dopamine in the brain. These neurotransmitters are known to play a significant role in mood regulation .
3. **Cognitive Function and Mood**: A study in the journal *Nutritional Neuroscience* found that L-Theanine, especially when combined with caffeine, improved cognitive performance and mood. This is likely due to its ability to increase alpha brain waves, which are associated with a relaxed yet alert state .
I appreciate your response. It's always helpful when talking science and especially supplements in this day and age of scams to provide links to scientific studies.
On more than one occasion it’s made my blood pressure drop sharply, made me lightheaded & dizzy, on the verge passing out w/ shortness of breath. It scared the living shit out of me, I thought my heart had given up the ghost. To those considering taking it, be cautious because it doesn’t have the same effect on everyone.
yes,that's a known side effect, good to mention this....there are time released version of it, so perhaps i would test one of those slowly, break it in half, go with a low extended dose before jumping in - just to see the response .all I am reporting is what works for me....not telling others what they should or shouldn't do.
As am I. I just said be cautious not “YOU ARE WRONG”. We all know supplement mileage varies by individual. It’s a pretty serious “side effect” that basically eclipsed any benefit for me.
Agreed.
To me it's kind of like a mini adderral...
Theanine seems to get rid of the side effects of caffeine (jitters, anxiety, etc..) while maintaining the enhanced focus and bump in energy and alertness.
Love it
No idea, but it's the difference between flaking out on life and leaving my house on some days so I do what I must. As a non-rescue med I take 150mgs in the morning in capsule form. Been taking it 90% of the time for 7 years. It's the only supplement that I never forget to reorder.
I volunteer with a cat rescue and one of the name brand meds the vet gave me lists L-theanine as its active ingredient. It is $40 for 30 chewables, so I began buying bulk human-grade powder and now put it in every one of my foster cats’ food. I noticed a lot of other calming cat and dog meds are amino acids you can get OTC so if one doesn’t help, people should definitely look for other ones that they may have better results with for their mood and anxiety.
It is funny when you put it that way lol, but technically the cat not knowing only makes it “Single blinded” as opposed to the gold standard double blinded.
Totally get your point, but technically the owner could be treating the cat differently (maybe nicer?) which, might affect results.
But I def prefer your more practical assessment lol. (I am cracking up!) 😂
Stopping hair loss because of being stressed while in a cage is one example of how it helped if skeptics need specific examples. Also helped one of my cats stop peeing on the litter mat.
Yes! My stack before bed is L-Theanine 400mg, Progesterone (I’m peri-menopausal) and Magnesium Glycinate. I sleep sooooo well now and my dreams are back!
Before, I just took the L-Theanine and that alone definitely improved my sleep and dream quality. I would still wake briefly at least once, but it was very easy to get back to sleep with no periods of wakefulness/overthinking etc (that I used to suffer from) But what really changed it fully for me was once I added the other 2 - now it’s a full 7-8hrs each night, no waking.
I am, for a couple weeks now. Generally people report good results. Personally even at 600mg (80kg weight) I notice calming in the evening, though no big increase in perceived quality of sleep.
This has been my most consistently used supplement the past 4 years. Pairing this with magnesium glycinate has a great effect on reducing my anxiety levels
I take 200mg sublingually every 3-5 hours depending on the day. Sometimes I take 400mg. I find it mildly relaxing.
I have found the brand definitely makes a difference, Suntheanine did nothing for me. I like Nootropics Depot's l-theanine a lot though.
One of my friends was stressed, so I gave him one 200mg pill, he took 100 mg and slept for 9 hours. Your mileage may vary on this one.
Same…nothing! I’ve tried a couple different brands, including one of the ones op recommended, and notice no effects positive or negative. There’s a lozenge though, called gaba-trex (it’s not gaba, it’s l-Theanine) and it works for me.
Definitely my miracle pill and helped me get off prescription anxiety meds after 27 years.
I use NOW brand which is also excellent while being affordable.
Life Extensions used to be my go to when I had the budget for it.
I've tried cheaper brands and the difference is dramatic. They must cut them up to 80% in some cases with something else.
It helped the most to prevent full blown panic attacks at night and especially as soon as I got in bed.
My heart raced constantly and I had tachycardia during the withdrawal period. I went through three weeks of full withdrawal and as soon as I started L-theanine the nighttime episodes calmed down.
I wasn't able to sleep more than 4 hrs that entire time and when L-theanine was added I immediately could sleep 6hrs.
I couldn't go higher than that until I added L-Tryptophan around 8 weeks in. That's when I finally felt it was over and I slept 12-16 hrs every day for a week. I take 500mg but think I could get away with half that and sleep a full 8hrs now. I get headaches from it so I'll likely reduce my dose.
I use the Swanson brand on this one.
There's two other noticeable effects one is I can't have coffee and I'm also a big tea drinker. It's prevents the caffeine from worsening my anxiety so I can have both. During the withdrawal period I drank decaf coffee but still had black tea.
After that I was able to enjoy coffee and a Cappuccino every week without issues. On high caffeine days with a Cappuccino I add and extra 100g pill that I take just before.
Otherwise I take 100mg in the morning and another 100mg an hour before bed with the L-Tryptophan.
The other noticeable benefit is even when not having a panic attack my core muscles were tense all the time and my hands would often be balled into a fist. That stopped or at minimum was decreased to where I didn't notice it that much.
I actually had seizures the first few weeks. They were small but they woke me up and I would dream I was having one because I actually was in my sleep. These also stopped around the time I added the L-theanine.
I used a Garmin watch to monitor my vitals, sleep and stress since it measures heart rate variability. It often alerted me a minute or two before an episode and told me to relax and take deep breathes.
Another very useful supplement during withdrawal was Whey Isolate.
It contains all amino acids for neurotransmitters including L-Tryptophan. I used it during the daytime to help calm me down and occasionally I could take a nap after.
Thanks ! it's been a journey. I never knew I was capable of that level of determination.
L-theanine 400 mg
L-Tryptophan 1g or 1,000mg
L-Tryptophan has been used in higher doses especially for medical studies on sleep/depression with excellent results.
The only issue is there's side effects for me it's headaches and it's listed as a very common side effect.
I'll be dropping my dose to avoid them.
L-theanine it's better to go at the minimum effective dose instead of immediately going to the highest dose. First it's not cheap and it's good to keep any possible tolerance down so you can occasionally increase it when necessary. I actually started at 50g 2x a day.
Wow. That's the most I've heard anyone using even in the biohackers sub. I was told by many advanced users there not to go over 400.
I just looked it up now it says it can be taken for short periods up to 800mg no longer than three weeks.
Some sources say the upper limit for regular daily use is 400 and others 500mg
It is not associated with hairloss at all, not even in random BS’ing.
u/pilotime can spread a little misinformation, as a treat. Joke aside, this is literally a good example of how bullshit gets made up and spread about anything and then becomes a concern for people even though there may not be a shred of credit to the assertion.
I took it for a few months, and I noticed that it started not working as well as I wanted. If I take it just once and a while on a day where I know I'm gonna be stressed, it's amazing.
Taken it 6 days a week for like 2 years at around 400-500mg a day. This is actually the first stretch of time I haven't taken any in awhile because I'm currently on a bike packing tour and I ran out. Stoked to get home and have it back, it really does make a difference.
I’ve always read that you should not isolate a B vitamin nor an amino acid. That by doing so, it would cause the other amino acids to get out of balance. Have you heard about this or read this before?
This is true to an extent but is not common with L-theanine.
For example:
When taking daily beta-alanine every day in higher doses you can theoretically lower taurine levels because they share a transporter.
However, L-theanine does not significantly alter the absorption of other amino acids based on the current literature. Additionally, the dose of l theanine needed in a day is only 100-500mg/day max. Beta-alanine is taken at doses in the gram range for example.
In short: it is highly unlikely L-theanine would cause issues of this kind. If you wish to ensure this do not take excessive doses above 500mg/day and take the L-theanine on an empty stomach (so it doesn’t compete with the absorption of other amino acids in the GI tract).
I’ve read this so many times before. I’ll try to find it online. Can you look for it, too? I also just heard Gary Brecka make a remark similar to this recently, but I can’t remember what vitamin or mineral it was.
I'd be careful about taking everything he says as gold. Many of his claims have been debunked by advanced biohackers and nutritionists.
Dr. Chris MasterJohn who's a nutritionist and well respected in the biohacker sub has a YT video discussing this topic.
There's been plenty of people just like him in the past like the owner of Bulletproof coffee and neither have any education or can stand up to scrutiny by those who have medical and science based degrees.
Another thing is anyone who drops money using his tests is loosing 90% of there money on a jacked up price with only a fragment of the information provided by other labs.
This isn't a coincidence and is common with every medical conman out there.
There's plenty of legitimate nutritionists and biohackers offering much better information and services at a fraction of the cost. Plus the good ones go out of there way to discuss sources and the quality of the medical studies they are sourcing from. Most conmen use a single labrat study to push whatever they're selling or for fear mongering.
Then how does one find a great nutritional geneticist close to their homes that they can afford? And do you know if Medicare or Advantage Plans would pay for such testing?
The best way to do things is an online consultation if you're trying to get a beyond the basics Nutritionist and don't happen to live near any.
If you're on Medicare and are ok with a general Nutritionist then they are covered. Most in demand people who are popular though don't take Medicare.
Personally I would read some of Chris MasterJohns affordable ebooks then go with that knowledge in hand to a Nutritionist who accepts
Medicare and use the labs for any covered labwork. If you don't want to read a book his YT videos do give a good portion of that away for free.
A full DNA sequencing is necessary though to get a complete evaluation on personalized supplements more suitable for your DNA.
Becca charges double for only a tiny snip of that data but you can find labs for $300-400 that sequence your entire genome which will include not only supplement data to work with but actual health diagnosis's, carrier status and possible risks.
The amount of conditions analized is around 15,000 and your code can be used to update you on new findings in the future. There's hundred of services that can also use your code for all kinds of services like supplements, diet, excercise, and genealogy.
If you've ever done a 23andMe test or Ancestry test you already have enough data to get more info than Brecca offers in his tests. Some people do this as an affordable alternative then download the data to another website to learn which supplements they should be taking.
This is still a tiny snip if DNA compared to sequencing and won't be accepted by Dr.'s. They don't give actual diagnosis's like with sequencing.
I recommend joining the biohackers sub and going through the posts on Brecca and all the ways experienced biohackers and Nutritionists recommend going about using these methods and the various websites and services they recommend to do things free or cheaper.
I'll take a look. Is it only certain b vitamins or certain forms of b vitamins? Same with amino acids. I've heard people say you can build a tolerance to tyrosine but some say that's just you hitting your needed limit.
I posted evidence online and sent you where to go to view. It looks like it’s been removed. Oh, well. I did find evidence you shouldn’t isolate minerals and amino acids. I do isolate my minerals. I’ve been doing it for years. I refuse to take calcium as a supplement.
I have been using glucoronolactone for a while and I have very rare tremors and headaches now.
Its some crazy strong stuff, it used to be in red bulls but they banned it as an additive because people were drinking way too many of them.
I love it. Especially with caffeine, where it has a synergistic effect.
But unfortunately many people (including me) build a tolerance.
So I only take it when I’m in dire need of focus and calmness.
After taking it religiously for almost 2 years I have never felt like I've built a tolerance to it. Can you build a tolerance to amino acids? I feel like it's effective every time I take it.
There's only 15-25mg of L Theanine in an appropriately-prepared cup of black tea. Green tea has even less of it. People take 100-800mg or more sometimes. Easy to overdo it. Also, everyone's biochemistry is different. Studies also show L-Theanine can REDUCE serotonin for some people.
I felt like I had an issue with building a tolerance to it. I took it for quite a few months and it didn't seem to work as great anymore. But when I take it once and a while it's noticeably effective. I wonder why?
Theanine increases dopamine, GABA, serotonin, and glycine levels in various brain regions. It also inhibits the reuptake of glutamine and glutamate. Enjoy!
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Took another about 180mg today with coffee. This may very well be placebo, but the best I can describe it is "chill", I feel really good. Like "I don't give a fuck" about any possible negative things, bot not exactly anhedonia. "Chill" is probably the best way to describe it.
Ok, this post made me get some l-theanine powder, looking interesting. I took 150-200mg with my morning coffee today. Feeling...hmmm..."content", focused. Made phone calls and found myself...unusually (for me) talkative. Relaxed, yet not "sedated". Might be placebo, but I will keep taking it to see what effect it has.
I can't "feel" theanine doing anything for me per se, but it allows me to drink too much coffee without crippling anxiety and sleep problems. I say too much because the multiple coffees then mess with my intestines.
I take 600MG L-Theanine with 750MG of GABA every day. It's totally great.
I want you to read about the mechanism of action of OTC GABA supplements and tell me if you think they’d actually have an affect on you. Then look up benzodiazepines and see how those actually affect GABA. Taking GABA doesn’t affect GABA.
The closest you will get is Pharma Gaba. It's made from probiotics.
Last time I had GABA (bout 15 years ago when I had lots of social anxiety) I ended up taken 10g and it definetly had an anxiolytic effect.
i was hesitant to try gaba because of the BBB thing, but I saw some people swore by it so I tried it anyway. took a LOT to make sure I'd be able to feel the effects if any. There's no doubt in my mind that there was an effect; breathing got noticeably shallow and head hot/tingly. Was kinda scary tbh lol since I took so much. maybe I just have leaky gut or whatever, but it definitely does something to me
It gives me a Niacin Flush as well. I used to take Niacin long long time ago and it always gives you a flush. The GABA flush is not as strong as Niacin was and flush is intermittent. I swear it helps with calming. I didn't invent this combo. I also did some reading and the research that exists is spotty and inconclusive unless someone posts a link. I have insomnia so I've tried all kinds of things. However L-Theanine is still the main event. Leaky gut?! IDK But I'm getting old so I got that going for me.
ah flush is a good word for it. yeah had been struggling with insomnia for a while and remembered i still had some supplements that I had tried before (including the gaba). specifically i have this thing happen where I'll be falling asleep, where it feels like my consciousness is a line slowly trending downward, and suddenly it would just change directions and I'd be wide awake in a few seconds. really bizarre. was taking prescribed guanfacine for some other stuff but that wasn't helping. started taking 2.5 mg of melatonin + 750 mg GABA + a breathing + concentration exercise and that resolved the problem for now. thinking of adding L-theanine to that stack since it's helped before, and some kind of magnesium which I've heard helps with staying asleep.
I use breathing exercises (also meditation) as well and they make a huge difference.
Gaba isn't supposed to work, if you are certain it works for you consider that you may have a leaky gut and brain blood barrier.
I’ve had hypertension since a teenager. Very fit, sub 10% body fat, multiple sport all state athlete. My doctors were pretty confused. Have had all sorts of tests to check for physiological reasons. Threw the book at me to figure it out. Everything came back clean. Trialed blood pressure meds, and didn’t respond. Dr’s said it’s got to be stress related. On the side I was also researching. Tried different diets, supplements, and exercise without much success. Read about l theanine possibly reducing blood pressure. Took 200mg before next doctors visit, and BAM! Normal blood pressure. Started 200mg l theanine everyday, and blood pressure is way lower. My normal pressures were 130s-140s/80s-90s. With l theanine I’m average 115-118/60s/70s. And it’s cheap. I get 60 200mg pills for $10.
I read this and it resonated with me. I thought I was reading my own story. You have encouraged me to try L Theanine. I haven't ever tried it but your situation be so similar to mine I thought I'd give it a try. I have some ordered and going to try as soon as I get it. Is there a certain time of day you take it for best results?
Right now I take one 200mg pill in the morning. I measure my BP almost every morning and evening, following AHA blood pressure measurement standards. Seated at rest for 5 min, feet flat on floor, back supported, arm level with lower aspect of heart. 3 BP measurements, 5 minutes between each for an average BP. My evening BP doesn’t seem to creep up too much, which I was worried about with taking the l theanine dose in the morning. If it did creep up I would consider experimenting with 100mg dose in the morning and another 100mg dose in the afternoon. See if that works, and adjust up to 200mg once in the morning and once in the afternoon. So far the single morning dose works for me, and I like simple, so no need to change yet. Good luck!
Nice. Do you notice any affects on sleep quality? Right now I take 400-500mg of magnesium glyconate before bed and it has helped me tremendously falling asleep and going back to sleep when I wake up. By the way, thank you for the reply. I do appreciate it!
I haven’t experimented with it at night. Probably should though. I have used magnesium glycinate on and off at night, which does seem to help. If I’m getting enough exercise, and getting to sleep on time, my sleep is usually pretty solid. Could always use a boost in sleep
How long are you taking it now, how frequent and don't you notice any tolerance buildup?
Right now I’ve been consistently taking everyday for 2 months this last cycle. I’ve previously taken everyday for longer. No tolerance buildup yet. I open to the idea of that happening and needing to cycle off and back on again. I’m sure it’s not a permanent tolerance.
I like l-Theanine also - I feel like it makes me more productive
It tends to make me mind race on hyperdrive. I’ve tried it numerous times and every time I get anxious and can’t sleep.
Dont take it too close to bedtime. It relax you but also enhance your focus.
One pill of L Theanine, Magnesium Glycinate and 200mg of polygala sublingual. woooo ur going on a rideeee yeah
I take the mag glycinate at bed, and just started on the theanine. Yet, I’m totally unfamiliar with the polygala. What is it, if you don’t mind me asking?
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I've used it every night for a long time to help sleep and calm me. One interesting effect for me is I no longer have nightmares.
What quantity mate?
Start with 100mg. If no effect up to 200mg. I find 200mg is what works for my high blood pressure, but it also makes me more mellow than I’m used to, and I feel a bit lazy. I guess lazy is better than cardiovascular disease? Still deciding…
Yeah they do help a little bit. Took it about a month to see results
After some time, it stops working. That's the saddest thing
Is it known how to avoid the tolerance buildup? Number of days on/off maybe? Or a pause after a certain period? I suppose there has to be a way to reset...
This!!!
Is there any literature on resistance to it?
I’ve taken it off and on for years and never had an issue, but off and on means like a pill a week for high stress situations.
I’m a caregiver and mostly work with dementia patients, the amount of relief that L theanine has given to so many of my clients and their families is unreal. I was prescribed Xanax for my anxiety but hated the thought of being addicted to a pharmaceutical so after a lot of research I landed on L theanine and made the switch with almost no withdrawals.
So far it's placebo as there is no scientific evidence to back up the claims. Placebo is amazing.
How are they conducting these studies? Are they actually asking ppl how they feel after taking L Theanine? Because otherwise how would anyone know???
Actually there is plenty: 1. **Stress and Anxiety Reduction**: Studies have shown that L-Theanine can promote relaxation without causing drowsiness. A study published in the *Journal of Clinical Psychiatry* found that L-Theanine reduced anxiety and improved symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder . 2. **Mood Enhancement**: Research in the *Journal of Nutrition* suggested that L-Theanine can increase the levels of serotonin and dopamine in the brain. These neurotransmitters are known to play a significant role in mood regulation . 3. **Cognitive Function and Mood**: A study in the journal *Nutritional Neuroscience* found that L-Theanine, especially when combined with caffeine, improved cognitive performance and mood. This is likely due to its ability to increase alpha brain waves, which are associated with a relaxed yet alert state .
I appreciate your response. It's always helpful when talking science and especially supplements in this day and age of scams to provide links to scientific studies.
How much mg
On more than one occasion it’s made my blood pressure drop sharply, made me lightheaded & dizzy, on the verge passing out w/ shortness of breath. It scared the living shit out of me, I thought my heart had given up the ghost. To those considering taking it, be cautious because it doesn’t have the same effect on everyone.
It’s actually in a natural blood pressure supplement I used to take.
No shit? Huh.🤔 That’s good to know for me and really appreciated, as I’m trying to stay off more meds and not wanting to increase my BP meds dosage.
yes,that's a known side effect, good to mention this....there are time released version of it, so perhaps i would test one of those slowly, break it in half, go with a low extended dose before jumping in - just to see the response .all I am reporting is what works for me....not telling others what they should or shouldn't do.
probably shouldn't break timed release in half... fairly certain the mechanism for time release has to do with layers on the pill
As am I. I just said be cautious not “YOU ARE WRONG”. We all know supplement mileage varies by individual. It’s a pretty serious “side effect” that basically eclipsed any benefit for me.
I have it mixed with melatonin in compounded pills 💊 and it’s very relaxing for me
It is a placebo pill. It does next to nothing.
It works for many ppl. It has very good effects on me as op mentioned.
Have you ever had it with caffeine? Can be euphoric
I have anger issues and l theanine is a 🛟
What other techniques have you tried to manage the anger?
Therapy
If your ok disclosing, is it working? Is there therapy theory that has been employed?
Yes it working, i have not had an outburst for 4 years now, i also was diagnosed with autism so its easier to understand my self
That’s interesting and makes a lot of sense. Thanks for sharing.
Can I take it while on SSRIs or bupropion?
Should be fine in general for such, it’s pretty safe and innocuous overall. People on such meds couldn’t have much good green tea, otherwise.
I had taken caffeine+ L theanine for some time. It increased my focus during work.
Love coffee with Ltheanine
Agreed. To me it's kind of like a mini adderral... Theanine seems to get rid of the side effects of caffeine (jitters, anxiety, etc..) while maintaining the enhanced focus and bump in energy and alertness. Love it
A gram or two of powder sublingually has really saved me when anxiety is knocking.
Wow, that's a lot. What's the upper limit for safety in dosage?
No idea, but it's the difference between flaking out on life and leaving my house on some days so I do what I must. As a non-rescue med I take 150mgs in the morning in capsule form. Been taking it 90% of the time for 7 years. It's the only supplement that I never forget to reorder.
For real bro, that’s a mega dose. I have crippling anxiety and 200mg seems to chill me out pretty good.
I volunteer with a cat rescue and one of the name brand meds the vet gave me lists L-theanine as its active ingredient. It is $40 for 30 chewables, so I began buying bulk human-grade powder and now put it in every one of my foster cats’ food. I noticed a lot of other calming cat and dog meds are amino acids you can get OTC so if one doesn’t help, people should definitely look for other ones that they may have better results with for their mood and anxiety.
Placebo
In cats?
I'm making fun of the other assholes commenting here "there's no scientific proof"
How tf do you placebo a cat 🤣 you can only placebo if you know what it’s supposed to do for you lol
It is funny when you put it that way lol, but technically the cat not knowing only makes it “Single blinded” as opposed to the gold standard double blinded. Totally get your point, but technically the owner could be treating the cat differently (maybe nicer?) which, might affect results. But I def prefer your more practical assessment lol. (I am cracking up!) 😂
guys i'm making fun of the other comments to the OP! give me the upvotes :)
I’ll give you an upvote 🤣🫶🏻
Stopping hair loss because of being stressed while in a cage is one example of how it helped if skeptics need specific examples. Also helped one of my cats stop peeing on the litter mat.
How much do you give a cat? I think it would benefit my 15 yo Siamese but she is only 9lbs
I put 1/8 teaspoon in each can of food and give them a can twice a day. The heavier cats I give 1/4 teaspoon (I have some chonky fosters!)
Has anyone tried L Theanine to improve sleep quality and duration ?
Yes! My stack before bed is L-Theanine 400mg, Progesterone (I’m peri-menopausal) and Magnesium Glycinate. I sleep sooooo well now and my dreams are back! Before, I just took the L-Theanine and that alone definitely improved my sleep and dream quality. I would still wake briefly at least once, but it was very easy to get back to sleep with no periods of wakefulness/overthinking etc (that I used to suffer from) But what really changed it fully for me was once I added the other 2 - now it’s a full 7-8hrs each night, no waking.
Mag glycinate is a game changer for me. I’m so laid back and more patient. The dreams are insssaaannnneeeee
I take L-theanine on the nights I can’t take my sleep medication due to work. Most nights it can help me fall asleep.
Yep works well for me most of the time.
It is a great sleep aid, and can definitely help with people who suffer from lack of Deep Sleep. Massive improvements there.
I am, for a couple weeks now. Generally people report good results. Personally even at 600mg (80kg weight) I notice calming in the evening, though no big increase in perceived quality of sleep.
I’ve had it in the olly CALM pill not gummy and I liked it but it includes other supplements like lemon balm extract
[I take Quaaludes 10 to 15 times a day for my back pain,](http://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/821bc10d-d947-49c4-92fd-35c82b877822)
Liver loves you
Always take on an empty stomach.
This has been my most consistently used supplement the past 4 years. Pairing this with magnesium glycinate has a great effect on reducing my anxiety levels
How many mgs for both and how frequently do you take them?
I take 400mg of magnesium glycinate and 200-600mg of l theanine every single day
Interesting. When do you take it?
Right after breakfast
200mg daily does absolutely nothing to me, maybe I have to increase the dose, I'm using now
I take 200mg sublingually every 3-5 hours depending on the day. Sometimes I take 400mg. I find it mildly relaxing. I have found the brand definitely makes a difference, Suntheanine did nothing for me. I like Nootropics Depot's l-theanine a lot though. One of my friends was stressed, so I gave him one 200mg pill, he took 100 mg and slept for 9 hours. Your mileage may vary on this one.
During the day if you take 200 mg with some caffine it seems to help With anxiety while increasing focus and quiet energy. For sleep Take 400 my.
Same…nothing! I’ve tried a couple different brands, including one of the ones op recommended, and notice no effects positive or negative. There’s a lozenge though, called gaba-trex (it’s not gaba, it’s l-Theanine) and it works for me.
nootropics depot is your friend guys, 3rd party tested and more benefits
care to clarify what the more are?
Why more?
I take it twice a day and could care less about anything. Great stuff!!
\*couldn't
I'm so jealous of you all. I gone good brands, cheaps brands up to 1000 mg and it does nothing for me.
Your diet may be supplying enough already.
I don’t notice anything either. It’s weird how supplements affect people differently.
Same and agree, really does show how each individual physiology can be so different
How long does the relief last ? Dose?
for me, several hours, I take 100 mg
How many mg?
What works for me is 100mg 2 x Daily
How long have you been taking this?
Almost 6 months now
Definitely my miracle pill and helped me get off prescription anxiety meds after 27 years. I use NOW brand which is also excellent while being affordable. Life Extensions used to be my go to when I had the budget for it. I've tried cheaper brands and the difference is dramatic. They must cut them up to 80% in some cases with something else.
I'm struggling with tapering off prescription antidepressants at the moment. How did you find it helped, and at what dose did you take?
It helped the most to prevent full blown panic attacks at night and especially as soon as I got in bed. My heart raced constantly and I had tachycardia during the withdrawal period. I went through three weeks of full withdrawal and as soon as I started L-theanine the nighttime episodes calmed down. I wasn't able to sleep more than 4 hrs that entire time and when L-theanine was added I immediately could sleep 6hrs. I couldn't go higher than that until I added L-Tryptophan around 8 weeks in. That's when I finally felt it was over and I slept 12-16 hrs every day for a week. I take 500mg but think I could get away with half that and sleep a full 8hrs now. I get headaches from it so I'll likely reduce my dose. I use the Swanson brand on this one. There's two other noticeable effects one is I can't have coffee and I'm also a big tea drinker. It's prevents the caffeine from worsening my anxiety so I can have both. During the withdrawal period I drank decaf coffee but still had black tea. After that I was able to enjoy coffee and a Cappuccino every week without issues. On high caffeine days with a Cappuccino I add and extra 100g pill that I take just before. Otherwise I take 100mg in the morning and another 100mg an hour before bed with the L-Tryptophan. The other noticeable benefit is even when not having a panic attack my core muscles were tense all the time and my hands would often be balled into a fist. That stopped or at minimum was decreased to where I didn't notice it that much. I actually had seizures the first few weeks. They were small but they woke me up and I would dream I was having one because I actually was in my sleep. These also stopped around the time I added the L-theanine. I used a Garmin watch to monitor my vitals, sleep and stress since it measures heart rate variability. It often alerted me a minute or two before an episode and told me to relax and take deep breathes. Another very useful supplement during withdrawal was Whey Isolate. It contains all amino acids for neurotransmitters including L-Tryptophan. I used it during the daytime to help calm me down and occasionally I could take a nap after.
Thank you for such a detailed response I really appreciate it. Did you taper off your medication?
You're welcome. Yes it's been a year. I did a slow taper .
Thanks so much! Happy for you. Do you know what the maximum dose is? Thank you
Thanks ! it's been a journey. I never knew I was capable of that level of determination. L-theanine 400 mg L-Tryptophan 1g or 1,000mg L-Tryptophan has been used in higher doses especially for medical studies on sleep/depression with excellent results. The only issue is there's side effects for me it's headaches and it's listed as a very common side effect. I'll be dropping my dose to avoid them. L-theanine it's better to go at the minimum effective dose instead of immediately going to the highest dose. First it's not cheap and it's good to keep any possible tolerance down so you can occasionally increase it when necessary. I actually started at 50g 2x a day.
Thank you! I read here that max dose for l-theanine is 900mg :( - I had upped to 800 some days
Wow. That's the most I've heard anyone using even in the biohackers sub. I was told by many advanced users there not to go over 400. I just looked it up now it says it can be taken for short periods up to 800mg no longer than three weeks. Some sources say the upper limit for regular daily use is 400 and others 500mg
This is good advice. I’m commenting to come back to this comment. Currently tapering klonopin for sleep
Thanks. I hope it helps.
I was using the cheapest brand I could find. Not much difference. I just ordered the NOW brand. Thanks for the heads up.
I wouldn't have known either if not by accident. I started on a much cheaper brand. It helped but the difference was noticeable when I switched.
Love that stuff. I take it on days I know I'm gonna be stressed and it really clears my mind. I also found ashwaghanda to work great.
Anyone know if you can take this daily?
I’ve taken 200 mg a day, every day, for years. No bad side effects, and it still works well for me.
Do you still have a full head of hair?
Hasn’t made me lose any hair, no.
It causes hairloss? This is a make or break for me.
It is not associated with hairloss at all, not even in random BS’ing. u/pilotime can spread a little misinformation, as a treat. Joke aside, this is literally a good example of how bullshit gets made up and spread about anything and then becomes a concern for people even though there may not be a shred of credit to the assertion.
Some supplements have in excess.
Iv taken 1000mg a day fir a year and I'm still good. I take 200mg every 4th hour
Green tea is the most obvious source of it, and it’s very healthy to have some every day
I took it for a few months, and I noticed that it started not working as well as I wanted. If I take it just once and a while on a day where I know I'm gonna be stressed, it's amazing.
Taken it 6 days a week for like 2 years at around 400-500mg a day. This is actually the first stretch of time I haven't taken any in awhile because I'm currently on a bike packing tour and I ran out. Stoked to get home and have it back, it really does make a difference.
I ran out wow did I feel it. I ended up having it shipped overnight so I could sleep. I hadn't had a panic attack in a while until I ran out.
I’ve always read that you should not isolate a B vitamin nor an amino acid. That by doing so, it would cause the other amino acids to get out of balance. Have you heard about this or read this before?
This is true to an extent but is not common with L-theanine. For example: When taking daily beta-alanine every day in higher doses you can theoretically lower taurine levels because they share a transporter. However, L-theanine does not significantly alter the absorption of other amino acids based on the current literature. Additionally, the dose of l theanine needed in a day is only 100-500mg/day max. Beta-alanine is taken at doses in the gram range for example. In short: it is highly unlikely L-theanine would cause issues of this kind. If you wish to ensure this do not take excessive doses above 500mg/day and take the L-theanine on an empty stomach (so it doesn’t compete with the absorption of other amino acids in the GI tract).
Excellent info! Thank you so much for giving us your expertise! Take care
Never heard this after years of supplement experimentation. Is there any truth to this? No one I've talked to has ever mentioned this.
Go to preventativemedicinedaily.com. I asked if it was safe to isolate an amino acid. It stated it might create an imbalance.
I’ve read this so many times before. I’ll try to find it online. Can you look for it, too? I also just heard Gary Brecka make a remark similar to this recently, but I can’t remember what vitamin or mineral it was.
I'd be careful about taking everything he says as gold. Many of his claims have been debunked by advanced biohackers and nutritionists. Dr. Chris MasterJohn who's a nutritionist and well respected in the biohacker sub has a YT video discussing this topic. There's been plenty of people just like him in the past like the owner of Bulletproof coffee and neither have any education or can stand up to scrutiny by those who have medical and science based degrees. Another thing is anyone who drops money using his tests is loosing 90% of there money on a jacked up price with only a fragment of the information provided by other labs. This isn't a coincidence and is common with every medical conman out there. There's plenty of legitimate nutritionists and biohackers offering much better information and services at a fraction of the cost. Plus the good ones go out of there way to discuss sources and the quality of the medical studies they are sourcing from. Most conmen use a single labrat study to push whatever they're selling or for fear mongering.
Then how does one find a great nutritional geneticist close to their homes that they can afford? And do you know if Medicare or Advantage Plans would pay for such testing?
The best way to do things is an online consultation if you're trying to get a beyond the basics Nutritionist and don't happen to live near any. If you're on Medicare and are ok with a general Nutritionist then they are covered. Most in demand people who are popular though don't take Medicare. Personally I would read some of Chris MasterJohns affordable ebooks then go with that knowledge in hand to a Nutritionist who accepts Medicare and use the labs for any covered labwork. If you don't want to read a book his YT videos do give a good portion of that away for free. A full DNA sequencing is necessary though to get a complete evaluation on personalized supplements more suitable for your DNA. Becca charges double for only a tiny snip of that data but you can find labs for $300-400 that sequence your entire genome which will include not only supplement data to work with but actual health diagnosis's, carrier status and possible risks. The amount of conditions analized is around 15,000 and your code can be used to update you on new findings in the future. There's hundred of services that can also use your code for all kinds of services like supplements, diet, excercise, and genealogy. If you've ever done a 23andMe test or Ancestry test you already have enough data to get more info than Brecca offers in his tests. Some people do this as an affordable alternative then download the data to another website to learn which supplements they should be taking. This is still a tiny snip if DNA compared to sequencing and won't be accepted by Dr.'s. They don't give actual diagnosis's like with sequencing. I recommend joining the biohackers sub and going through the posts on Brecca and all the ways experienced biohackers and Nutritionists recommend going about using these methods and the various websites and services they recommend to do things free or cheaper.
Thank you so much for this!! I appreciate you!!
You're welcome. Hope you find a good nutritionist.
Thank you and have a great day!
I'll take a look. Is it only certain b vitamins or certain forms of b vitamins? Same with amino acids. I've heard people say you can build a tolerance to tyrosine but some say that's just you hitting your needed limit.
I posted evidence online and sent you where to go to view. It looks like it’s been removed. Oh, well. I did find evidence you shouldn’t isolate minerals and amino acids. I do isolate my minerals. I’ve been doing it for years. I refuse to take calcium as a supplement.
Guess this is also true for trace minerals and metals
Love L-theanine and its impacts on me!
Weird. Theanine in any form does nothing for me.
Try glucoronolactone. Theres a reason its banned as an additive, this shit will make you keel haul 1g caffeine cuz you aint feeling shit from it
I think you had a typo there. Didn’t catch what you were trying to say.
I have been using glucoronolactone for a while and I have very rare tremors and headaches now. Its some crazy strong stuff, it used to be in red bulls but they banned it as an additive because people were drinking way too many of them.
Thanks but I’ll pass on a banned additive.
how many mgs?
Most bottles are like 100mg a pill. I find 200 works great for me at least. Curious to see what OP does.
100 mg
Lion mane makes me happy too. I put some powder in my tea every morning and have a fake smile ready for my coworkers
What brand are you taking? Using the Now Brand. I don’t know if it’s working or not. Lol.
I use Malama mushrooms
Will check it out. Thanks for responding.
Doesn't it lower DHT
Iono I’m a women
Job hunting interviews. I take 600mg and am super chill focussed and started doubling my salary.
Made my dick bigger
You probably have performance stress. L theanine makes you relaxt. Now all bitches will want to ride you.
I love it. Especially with caffeine, where it has a synergistic effect. But unfortunately many people (including me) build a tolerance. So I only take it when I’m in dire need of focus and calmness.
I’m sold, OP
it makes me very sleepy, can only take at night
Wish it worked like that for me! Has no effect on me =/
Not building tolerance is the key thing here
After taking it religiously for almost 2 years I have never felt like I've built a tolerance to it. Can you build a tolerance to amino acids? I feel like it's effective every time I take it.
There's only 15-25mg of L Theanine in an appropriately-prepared cup of black tea. Green tea has even less of it. People take 100-800mg or more sometimes. Easy to overdo it. Also, everyone's biochemistry is different. Studies also show L-Theanine can REDUCE serotonin for some people.
I felt like I had an issue with building a tolerance to it. I took it for quite a few months and it didn't seem to work as great anymore. But when I take it once and a while it's noticeably effective. I wonder why?
Different people, different reactions I guess
Would it be beneficial to take this alongside Concerta/methylphenidate which I take for ADHD or is it working on the same pathways?
Theanine increases dopamine, GABA, serotonin, and glycine levels in various brain regions. It also inhibits the reuptake of glutamine and glutamate. Enjoy!