L-Theanine For Anxiety
L-theanine may sound like an unfamiliar substance, but theres actually a good chance you have encountered it before: for example, in the cup of green tea you drank this morning. Questions have been raised about whether L-theanine, a type of amino acid, can have beneficial effects for those suffering from anxiety.
In this article, we'll explore some of the potential benefits and drawbacks of taking L-theanine for your anxiety.
A Natural Cure?
L-Theanine is an interesting option for anxiety, but it's not the only one. Get a better idea of how to cure your own anxiety naturally by taking my free 7 minute anxiety test now.
How Does L-Theanine Work?
L-Theanine is just one example of many anxiety treatments available. To find out what's best for you, take my anxiety test now L-theanine is a psychoactive substance, which means that it is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and directly affect the central nervous system by interacting with the brain itself.
Because they have access to the central nervous system, psychoactive substances such as L-theanine are believed to have the ability to affect mental abilities and states including your perception of the outer world, the speed at which you think, and the mood you are in.
It is thought to have a stronger effect when combined with caffeine (the worlds most widely consumed psychoactive substance), which is also naturally found in green tea.
Possible Benefits of L-Theanine for Anxiety
Most of L-theanines effects have to do with promoting relaxation and positively affecting mood, though not all these effects have been shown to be consistent, and some have the potential to cause drug-seeking behavior when used excessively. L-theanine uses triggers the following potentially positive responses in the brain for users with anxiety issues:
Affects Alpha Waves in the Brain Alpha waves are the brain waves associated with the state of waking relaxation. They reach their highest levels when a person is awake, relaxed, and has their eyes shut, but disappear when drowsiness or sleep ensues. L-theanine has been shown to stimulate the brains alpha waves, suggesting that it has the ability to put users into a more relaxed state without ultimately causing them to fall asleep.
Increases Dopamine Levels Dopamine,the neurotransmitter that is released by the brain as a reward after engaging in rewarding activities such as consuming food or having sex, increases in the brain in response to L-theanine. Substances that cause the release of high levels dopamine can be addictive, resulting in a compulsion to seek the perceived feeling of reward. However, L-theanine produces low enough levels of dopamine that is has not been shown to produce seeking or addicted behavior in lab tests on rats or in the (more limited) tests on human subjects.
Increases GABA (Gamma-Amino-Butyric Acid) Production GABA is an acid whose function is to inhibit or limit neuron activity in the brain. This has the effect of slowing neural processes and inducing a state of relaxation. There is some believe that L-theanine increases GABA production.
Can Increase Serotonin Levels L-theanine does not consistently increase the brains serotonin happy neurotransmitter, responsible for positive mood enhancement, but has been shown to result in an increase in some instances. Mood enhancement limits anxiety by promoting positive thinking and discouraging obsessive negative thoughts.
(+ Caffeine) Improves Memory and Reaction Time When combined with caffeine, L-theanine has been shown to promote faster reaction time and improve memory through the interaction of calming mood improvement effects of L-theanine and the stimulant effects of caffeine. When anxiety makes it difficult to concentrate, or to remember names or important facts (which can cause further anxiety later on), the combination of these two psychoactive substances can penetrate the brain and aid focus and information retention.
If you are a person who experiences anxiety that interferes with your functionality on a regular basis, the above effects can help to put you in a better frame of mind. However, it is good to remember that similar effects can be achieved through other means, as L-theanine use does entail some potential drawbacks. Both the drawbacks of L-theanine and alternative methods of achieving the above effects are outlined below.
L-theanine may sound like an unfamiliar substance, but theres actually a good chance you have encountered it before: for example, in the cup of green tea you drank this morning. Questions have been raised about whether L-theanine, a type of amino acid, can have beneficial effects for those suffering from anxiety.
In this article, we'll explore some of the potential benefits and drawbacks of taking L-theanine for your anxiety.
A Natural Cure?
L-Theanine is an interesting option for anxiety, but it's not the only one. Get a better idea of how to cure your own anxiety naturally by taking my free 7 minute anxiety test now.
How Does L-Theanine Work?
L-Theanine is just one example of many anxiety treatments available. To find out what's best for you, take my anxiety test now L-theanine is a psychoactive substance, which means that it is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and directly affect the central nervous system by interacting with the brain itself.
Because they have access to the central nervous system, psychoactive substances such as L-theanine are believed to have the ability to affect mental abilities and states including your perception of the outer world, the speed at which you think, and the mood you are in.
It is thought to have a stronger effect when combined with caffeine (the worlds most widely consumed psychoactive substance), which is also naturally found in green tea.
Possible Benefits of L-Theanine for Anxiety
Most of L-theanines effects have to do with promoting relaxation and positively affecting mood, though not all these effects have been shown to be consistent, and some have the potential to cause drug-seeking behavior when used excessively. L-theanine uses triggers the following potentially positive responses in the brain for users with anxiety issues:
Affects Alpha Waves in the Brain Alpha waves are the brain waves associated with the state of waking relaxation. They reach their highest levels when a person is awake, relaxed, and has their eyes shut, but disappear when drowsiness or sleep ensues. L-theanine has been shown to stimulate the brains alpha waves, suggesting that it has the ability to put users into a more relaxed state without ultimately causing them to fall asleep.
Increases Dopamine Levels Dopamine,the neurotransmitter that is released by the brain as a reward after engaging in rewarding activities such as consuming food or having sex, increases in the brain in response to L-theanine. Substances that cause the release of high levels dopamine can be addictive, resulting in a compulsion to seek the perceived feeling of reward. However, L-theanine produces low enough levels of dopamine that is has not been shown to produce seeking or addicted behavior in lab tests on rats or in the (more limited) tests on human subjects.
Increases GABA (Gamma-Amino-Butyric Acid) Production GABA is an acid whose function is to inhibit or limit neuron activity in the brain. This has the effect of slowing neural processes and inducing a state of relaxation. There is some believe that L-theanine increases GABA production.
Can Increase Serotonin Levels L-theanine does not consistently increase the brains serotonin happy neurotransmitter, responsible for positive mood enhancement, but has been shown to result in an increase in some instances. Mood enhancement limits anxiety by promoting positive thinking and discouraging obsessive negative thoughts.
(+ Caffeine) Improves Memory and Reaction Time When combined with caffeine, L-theanine has been shown to promote faster reaction time and improve memory through the interaction of calming mood improvement effects of L-theanine and the stimulant effects of caffeine. When anxiety makes it difficult to concentrate, or to remember names or important facts (which can cause further anxiety later on), the combination of these two psychoactive substances can penetrate the brain and aid focus and information retention.
If you are a person who experiences anxiety that interferes with your functionality on a regular basis, the above effects can help to put you in a better frame of mind. However, it is good to remember that similar effects can be achieved through other means, as L-theanine use does entail some potential drawbacks. Both the drawbacks of L-theanine and alternative methods of achieving the above effects are outlined below.
