Read time: 5 min
If you've ever felt the effects of too much caffeine at once, you know that it can be rough.
Caffeine can keep you alert and energetic in the short term, but it also triggers anxiety, restlessness, and shakiness in some people—not to mention headaches and irritability.
If you're looking for an alternative to coffee (try Moksha - our decaf coffee alternative ) but if looking for a caffeinated drink that can help relieve stress while enhancing your mood and cognition, L-theanine might be just what the doctor ordered!
Many people rely on coffee to get them moving and keep them alert, but too much caffeine may lead to restlessness and shakiness.
Caffeine is a stimulant, and it's one of the most powerful drugs in that category.
If you're drinking a lot of coffee or soda every day, it's likely that your body has become dependent on the caffeine—meaning that if you stop, there will be withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, restlessness and shakiness.
Caffeine can also lead to other health problems; for example:
-
Many people also suffer from headaches after consuming too much caffeine (the same way some people get migraines after drinking alcohol). These headaches are caused by blood vessels dilating too quickly in response to increased blood flow through them (which happens with elevated levels of epinephrine).
-
Some studies have shown that high doses of caffeine can cause heart arrhythmias in some individuals (though these results haven't always been replicated), which could increase risk for heart attack or stroke among those who already have underlying cardiac conditions such as high blood pressure or coronary artery disease .
However caffeine does have many wonderful health benefits. One study published in the journal Nutrition Reviews, researchers found that drinking 200 ml (about 7 fl oz) of brewed black tea per day may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by about 10%.
Other studies have also shown that drinking five or more cups per day could lower your risk for heart attack and stroke by as much as 45%.
One compound in particular, L-theanine, an amino acid found almost exclusively in tea leaves, is thought to counteract caffeine's negative effects while amplifying its positive ones.
One compound in particular, L-theanine, an amino acid found almost exclusively in tea leaves, is thought to counteract caffeine's negative effects while amplifying its positive ones.
This counterintuitive effect may be due to the fact that L-theanine relaxes your body and mind by acting on a part of the brain called the cerebral cortex.
The result? You feel less jittery, but you still have plenty of energy for getting things done.
Previous research has suggested that L-theanine boosts the activity of alpha brain waves.
Previous research has suggested that L-theanine boosts the activity of alpha brain waves. Alpha brain waves are associated with a relaxed but alert mental state, which can help you relax and focus at the same time.
In this study, researchers tested whether caffeine and L-theanine would boost cognitive performance and mood when taken together.
Since alpha activity is associated with relaxed but alert mental states, researchers have speculated that L-theanine might improve mood and cognition in people who consume it along with caffeine.
Since alpha activity is associated with relaxed but alert mental states, researchers have speculated that L-theanine might improve mood and cognition in people who consume it along with caffeine.
To test this idea, we conducted a randomized, double-blind study on a group of healthy adults.
Participants were given either 100 milligrams of L-theanine or a placebo and then asked to complete a series of computerized tasks designed to measure attention and reaction time. Halfway through the session, they were given 400 milligrams of caffeine or another placebo drink; those who received it had significantly faster reaction times than those who did not receive any additional caffeine.
When the researchers compared participants' cognitive performance before and after treatment, they found no significant differences between the groups taking caffeine alone and those taking caffeine with L-theanine.
When the researchers compared participants' cognitive performance before and after treatment, they found no significant differences between the groups taking caffeine alone and those taking caffeine with L-theanine.
These results were similar to those of previous studies, which also found no differences in cognitive performance between groups that consumed either caffeine or a combination of caffeine and L-theanine.
The study also looked at how each individual's mood was affected by the two treatments.
While there were some significant differences in mood among subjects who took different doses of each substance (caffeine alone or combined with L-theanine), there were no obvious trends across experiments.
Additionally, no side effects were reported for either group during or after testing; this suggests that both treatments are safe for long-term use as part of your daily routine!
But the participants who took the combination reported fewer negative side effects like headaches than those who consumed just caffeine.
The researchers noted that participants who took the combination reported fewer negative side effects like headaches than those who consumed just caffeine.
However, they noted that further studies are needed to determine if this effect is due to L-theanine or caffeine alone
This study had a number of limitations, including its small sample size and short duration.
Participants who took the caffeine/L-theanine combination also reported feeling more alert and energetic than those taking only caffeine.
The combination of caffeine and L-theanine was more effective than caffeine alone in enhancing cognitive performance.
This is likely due to L-theanine's ability to reduce stress, which can negatively impact concentration and mental performance.
Participants who took the caffeine/L-theanine combination also reported feeling more alert and energetic than those taking only caffeine.
Combining L-theanine with caffeine may improve mood without increasing cognitive performance
One of the main reasons people drink coffee is for its energizing effects. The caffeine in coffee can increase wakefulness and improve cognitive performance, but it also has some negative effects on mood.
In contrast, L-theanine is known to promote relaxation and reduce anxiety without causing drowsiness.
In this study, researchers investigated whether combining L-theanine with caffeine could improve both mood and cognitive performance by counteracting the negative effects of caffeine while amplifying its positive ones.
They found that when combined with 200 mg of L-theanine (about twice as much as what's found in one cup of tea), 200 mg of caffeine increased alpha brain wave activity (a sign of relaxed alertness) without increasing heart rate or blood pressure.
Conclusion
When the researchers compared participants' cognitive performance before and after treatment, they found no significant differences between the groups taking caffeine alone and those taking caffeine with L-theanine.
But the participants who took the combination reported fewer negative side effects like headaches than those who consumed just caffeine. Participants who took the caffeine/L-theanine combination also reported feeling more alert and energetic than those taking only caffeine.
You'll love...
If you liked this, you'll love...
