L-Theanine benefits people in several ways
Omid Armin photo from Unsplash
If your nerves are feeling frazzled, if you have anxiety, and you just can't seem to calm down, you might want to buy a supply of L-theanine tablets and take some every day. It will give you a double benefit of energy, too.
The substance is in both black and green tea and some types of mushrooms. You can buy a supply of the pills from VALI at this link: https://amzn.to/2Yva5KB. As an added benefit, VALI's L-theanine pills have 50 mg of caffeine, which may enhance the beneficial effects of the supplement.
In the VALI supplement [1], you get the calming effect of the L-theanine, plus the energy and mental clarity boost of the caffeine. And the L-theanine may help offset some of the unpleasant effects of the caffeine that some people report.
A relaxed and calm state of mind are not the only L-theanine benefits. Scientific research has been verifying several other areas where L-theanine helps people.
An article by scientific researchers in the journal Beverages [2] says:
Tea has been consumed for thousands of years and is an integral part of people’s daily routine, as an everyday drink and a therapeutic aid for health promotion. Consumption of tea has been linked to a sense of relaxation commonly associated with the content of the non-proteinogenic amino acid theanine, which is found within the tea leaves.
The aim of this review article is to outline the current methods for synthesis, extraction and purification of theanine, as well as to examine its potential benefits related to human health. These include improvements in cognitive and immune function, cancer prevention, reduced cardiovascular risk and its potential usefulness as a functional food product.
Be more alert, less anxious
One of the first and most prominent ways L-theanine helps people is in relaxation and in alleviating anxiety. As we reported in this VALI Health blog [3]:
L-theanine is an amino acid that brings about optimal brain activity:
- It improves cognitive function. L-theanine affect alpha brain waves that bring about alertness sans the jitters, heightened focus, as well as a boost in creativity.
- L-theanine is a natural anxiolytic. It eases anxiety and brings down high blood pressure. It’s a great stress reliever because it tapers down levels of hormones linked to stress and anxiety ... like cortisol. While some anxiolytics such as valerian and hops reduces anxiety through sedation, L-theanine can do just the same without sedation.
Other benefits of L-theanine
According to Healthline.com [4], scientists are looking into the following areas where L-theanine may help the human body:
- Some scientific research is showing evidence that the chemical helps improve immune system functioning. A study in the journal Beverages says L-theanine may help prevent upper respiratory tract infections. Still another found L-the can reduce inflammation in the gut. Healthline cautions more study is necessary to verify and expand these research studies.
- A study in the journal Cancer Epidemiology [5] found that tea drinkers had a 37 percent lower chance of developing pancreatic cancer, possibly because of the presence of L-the. Other studies suggest people who drink tea get cancer less. And another study, this one in the journal Biotech found mushrooms, in which L-theanine is found, can enhance the efficacy of some chemotherapy drugs and possibly thereby the drugs' cancer-fighting properties.
- With VALI L-theanine and caffeine supplements, you might be getting a double benefit whammy for people whose blood pressure increases when they undergo stress. Healthline reports on a study that looked at people whose blood pressure shot up after certain mental tasks. The study found that L-theanine helped reduce the blood pressure, while caffeine had a similar but not as profound effect.
- In the study titled "l-Theanine as a Functional Food Additive: Its Role in Disease Prevention and Health Promotion" in the journal Beverages, research found it may help people sleep better. "Researchers in one study found that doses of 250 mg and 400 mg of L-theanine greatly improved sleep in animals and humans," Healthline reports. A dose of 200 mg reduces resting heart rate, a sign it helps people relax. And it might be good for boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and for schizophrenics [6] by helping them get longer, more restful slumber.
- A cup of tea may give relief to people suffering from sinusitis, possibly from the L-theanine in the tea. Author and physician Murry Grossan in a book (available from Google here) says the substance can enhance cilia movement in the nose, which helps remove stale mucous from the sinuses and nostrils.
How L-theanine helps us mentally
Psychology Today reported on how L-theanine improves relaxation and sleep [7]. The chemical can cause a number of changes in the brain.
For one, it boost levels of chemicals that calm the brain, including GABA, dopamine, and serotonin. The magazine says these are neurotransmitters that regulates mood, emotions, alertness, concentration, sleep, energy, appetite and other types of cognition.
L-theanine may also decrease excitatory brain chemical levels and chemicals linked to anxiety and stress. It also increases the amount of chemicals that make you feel calmer. These benefits may help protect against damage related to stress and age.
In addition, the VALI supplement [8] enhances alpha brain waves, which are linked to feelings of wakeful relaxation, which you may feel while being creative, daydreaming, or meditating, without causing sleepiness. L-theanine may actually trigger alpha waves, enhancing focus, relaxation, and creativity.
Conclusion
It really looks like you can't go wrong with an L-theanine-caffeine supplement. VALI supplements have zero additives, are tested by third parties for purity, and are made in the United States. So be a healthy patriot, and order some today.
[1] https://www.valiup.com/products/vali-caffeine-l-theanine-nootropic-stack[2] https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5710/2/2/13/htm
[3] https://www.valiup.com/blogs/vali-blog/l-theanine-caffeine
[4] https://www.healthline.com/health/l-theanine#benefits-and-uses
[5] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1877782112001130?via%3Dihub
[6] https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/acta-neuropsychiatrica/article/effect-of-l-theanine-on-glutamatergic-function-in-patients-with-schizophrenia/4C52908DEEDE7C938EA5110D13AA2BA2
[7] https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz/201708/what-you-need-know-about-l-theanine
[8] https://www.valiup.com/collections/all
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Mark Miller
Author