10 Things to Consider When Buying L-Theanine Powder

L-theanine is an amino acid found in tea leaves and the Bay bolete mushroom. Since the amount you might get in a cup of tea depends on variables like the type of tea plant and how long you brew the leaves, some people use L-theanine supplements to help them relax, destress, and sleep better.

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L-theanine also shows promise for cognitive and mental health issues, potentially boosting attention and working memory, relieving depression, and improving symptoms caused by attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, more research is needed to confirm these benefits.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate supplements the way it regulates prescription drugs. That means some supplement products may not contain what the label says. When choosing a supplement, look for independently tested products and consult a healthcare provider, registered dietitian nutritionist (RD or RDN), or pharmacist.

Supplement Facts

• Active ingredient(s): 5-N-ethyl-L-glutamine
• Alternate name(s): 5-N-ethyl-L-glutamine, γ-glutamylethylamide, Suntheanine, theanine

• Legal status: Over-the-counter supplement. Generally recognized as safe (GRAS).

• Suggested dose: Varies by condition.
• Safety considerations: Pregnancy, breastfeeding, chemotherapy;
  potential interactions with medications and other supplements, such as those for blood pressure.

What Are L-Theanine&#;s Benefits?

Supplement use should be individualized and vetted by a healthcare professional, such as a registered dietitian nutritionist (RD or RDN), pharmacist, or healthcare provider. No supplement is intended to treat, cure, or prevent disease.

Researchers have studied L-theanine's effects for several conditions.

However, it's important to note that better-designed clinical trials are still needed.

Tea leaves.

ADHD Symptoms

Researchers have investigated L-theanine for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms.

Attention issues can have the following causes and/or associations:

Addressing any underlying issues is worth considering. If you have questions about your child's symptoms, it's best to contact their pediatrician.

A study was conducted in male children (8 to 15 years) with ADHD. L-theanine improved total cognition compared to a placebo (an inactive substance). Both L-theanine alone and an L-theanine-caffeine combination also reduced mind wandering.

Caffeine Use in Children

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) advises against caffeine for children under 12 years.

Some children with ADHD may also have significant issues with sleep. Sleep disturbances can impact both a child's and family's well-being.

A clinical study suggested L-theanine helped sleep quality in male children 8 to 12 years with ADHD.

Further, higher-quality studies are needed to confirm these results.

Correct Diagnosis of ADHD

Correctly diagnosing ADHD is essential. Some gifted (highly or profoundly intelligent) children may have behaviors that seem like ADHD due to boredom or other issues.

ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and giftedness can also share overlapping characteristics and can be correlated. A healthcare provider well-versed in both giftedness and neurodiversity can help. Organizations like the National Association for Gifted Children have additional resources.

Another study showed younger males in kindergarten were, as a group, over-diagnosed with ADHD. Developmentally normal behavior has been mistaken for a medical issue. It may be that a lower student-to-teacher ratio (smaller class size) with experienced teachers may benefit children in this case as well.

Ask your child's healthcare provider about questions or concerns. They may refer you to a healthcare provider that specializes in these areas.

Anxiety

Anxiety affects around 12.5% of adults and 9.4% of children in the United States. Unresolved anxiety can cause further health issues.

Scientists found L-theanine has anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) effects. A systematic review (a collection of research on a single topic) suggested L-theanine reduced anxiety in people under stress.

Researchers conducted a study in children between 4 and 17 years with Tourette&#;s syndrome (a nervous system condition causing sudden twitches, movements, and sounds). L-theanine with vitamin B6 reduced tics with anxiety. It&#;s challenging to fully understand L-theanine's effects in this study alone as it was used in combination.

While there's promising evidence, conflicting evidence of theanine&#;s effectiveness for anxiety also exists.

Speak with your healthcare provider if you're experiencing anxiety.

Cognition

Scientists have suggested caffeine may bolster L-theanine&#;s impact on cognition (processing and understanding information) and working memory.

In a study of young adults, L-theanine with caffeine helped with attention.

However, in other studies of healthy adults, L-theanine alone (no caffeine added) had the following effects:

• Decreased errors

• Increased attention

• Enhanced working memory

• Promoted verbal fluency (retrieving information from memory)

• Improved executive function

• Increased selective attention (the ability to select and process information while tuning out distractions)
  
  

Cancer

Theanine has been investigated for its anticancer effects in in vitro (in cells in a laboratory) and in vivo (animal) studies.

However, clinical trials (research in humans) are needed before recommendations can be made.

Depression

In one study, researchers added L-theanine to current medication in people with major depressive disorder. The following symptoms improved:

• Depressive symptoms
• Anxiety
• Sleep disturbance
• Cognitive impairments

Further, high-quality studies are needed.

Please reach out to your healthcare provider if you're experiencing depression. Promptly diagnosing and treating this and other mental health issues is important.

Immune Effects

L-theanine impacts the immune system. In a study of professional athletes, L-theanine affected different immune system markers. It was associated with decreased interleukin-10 (IL-10).

Further study is needed.

Schizophrenia

In people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, L-theanine was added to regular treatment with beneficial effects.

L-theanine supplementation was associated with the following improvements:

• Sleep quality
• Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) scores (assesses how well treatment is working)

Consult with your healthcare provider before adding supplements to your medication regimen.

Sleep

Chronic sleep disorders can seriously affect your quality of life. Sleep disorders are linked with or can worsen the following conditions:

In healthy adults, L-theanine reduced sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep), sleep disturbance, and the use of sleep medication.

Some children with ADHD have associated sleep problems, affecting both the child's and family&#;s well-being. In a clinical study of male children 8 to 12 years with ADHD, L-theanine improved sleep.

If you or your child has sleep issues, please reach out to your healthcare provider.

It's essential to evaluate and rule out contributing issues such as:

• Anxiety
• Sleep apnea
• Restless legs syndrome
• Insomnia
• Iron deficiency anemia

Sleep issues can be connected with behavior and mood issues in adults and children.

Your healthcare provider can help you figure out and address the root cause.

Stress

Researchers studied theanine for its stress-reducing effects. In young adults, L-theanine reduced stress. It also lowered blood pressure in high-stress situations.

Further study is needed to confirm these results.

What Are L-Theanine&#;s Downsides?

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If you are looking for more details, kindly visit L-Theanine Powder.

L-theanine has been mostly well-tolerated in clinical trials. However, adverse effects or interactions are still possible, including the following:

• Allergy: People allergic or hypersensitive to tea or any part of L-theanine products should avoid tea or L-theanine. Carefully read your product labels. If you're having a severe allergic reaction to L-theanine, symptoms may include breathing difficulties, itchiness, and rash. Call 911 and seek prompt medical attention if you have a severe allergic reaction or life-threatening symptoms.
• Anxiety medications: Theanine reduced anxiety in a clinical study. Theoretically, it may interact with medications or other supplements used for anxiety.
  
  
• Blood pressure medication: Theanine has lowered blood pressure in clinic study.
  Theoretically, it may interact with medications or other supplements that affect blood pressure.
  
• Cancer medication: Using L-theanine supplements while undergoing chemotherapy is best done in collaboration with your healthcare provider.

• Pregnancy or breastfeeding: Pregnant or breastfeeding people should likely avoid L-theanine supplements.
  Speak with your healthcare provider or pharmacist for further information.
  

How Does L-Theanine Work?

Researchers believe L-theanine improves sleep quality via anxiolysis (reducing anxiety), not sedation.

Scientists believe these effects may be due to theanine's ability to benefit levels of the following:

L-theanine also impacted levels of the following when used with antipsychotic medication:

Researchers think BDNF may help the brain heal itself, which may explain some of theanine's positive benefits.

Dosage

Always speak with a healthcare provider before taking a supplement to ensure that the supplement and dosage are appropriate for your individual needs.

L-theanine is available in the following forms:

• Capsule
• Gummy
• Liquid
• Powder
• Soft gel
• Tablet

Theanine is also found in tea. It's often combined with other ingredients. Vegetarian and vegan products are available.

The following are dosages used in clinical studies. They are not meant to substitute for a consultation with your or your child's healthcare provider:

• ADHD: In male children (8 to 12 years), 2.5 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) of body weight of L-theanine for six weeks was studied.

• Anxiety: In adults, 200 to 400 milligrams (mg) of L-theanine daily for up to eight weeks were studied.

• Cognition: In adults, 100 to 400 mg L-theanine for auditory processing was tested, with 400 mg producing the highest results.
  In young adults, 97 mg of L-theanine with 40 mg of caffeine helped attention.
  (The AACAP advises against caffeine for children under 12 years.)

• Depression: A dose of 250 mg of L-theanine taken daily along with a prescribed antidepressant for eight weeks was tested.

• Schizophrenia: From 250 to 400 mg of L-theanine taken daily with regularly prescribed medication for up to eight weeks was studied.

• Sleep: In adults, 200 mg per day of L-theanine for four weeks was studied.
  In children with ADHD-related sleep disturbances, 400 mg daily for six weeks split into two daily doses were tested.

• Stress: Theanine at doses as low as 50 mg increased relaxation.
  For adults, 200 to 400 mg daily L-theanine for up to eight weeks.
  For young adults, 200 mg of L-theanine were tested.

Similar Supplements

Supplements with anxiety-lowering and/or sleep-inducing effects include but aren't limited to the following:

Physical activity, including but not limited to aerobic exercise and yoga, lowers stress levels and can improve sleep.

Acupuncture has also been touted for its anxiety-lowering and sleep-inducing effects.

Summary

Since its discovery in the s, researchers have investigated L-theanine for ADHD, anxiety, cognition, stress, and more.

While results are promising, more research is needed.

Consider avoiding L-theanine in the following situations:

• Pregnancy
• Breastfeeding
• Chemotherapy

And please do your best to speak with your healthcare provider, registered dietitian nutritionist (RD or RDN), and/or pharmacist about your supplements, prescriptions, and over-the-counter medication.

This way, you can collaboratively come up with a plan that optimizes safety and helps successfully meet your health goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is L-theanine?

  L-theanine is an amino acid found in tea and some mushroom species.

• What does L-theanine do?

  Clinical studies suggest L-theanine has antianxiety effects and promotes relaxation, sleep, and cognitive function.

• How much L-theanine is in green tea?

  One study suggested the L-theanine content of green tea was 6.56 milligrams per gram (mg/g) of tea leaves. Conversely, white tea had 6.26 mg/g, oolong 6.09 mg/g, and black 5.13 mg/g. Anywhere from 1 to 3 g of tea have been used per cup. This means a cup of green tea may have anywhere from around 6.5 to 19.5 mg of L-theanine.

It&#;s said to help ease anxiety, stress, and reduce insomnia. Before trying it out yourself, learn more about the potential health benefits, as well as any possible risks or complications.

L-theanine is an amino acid found primarily in green and black tea and some mushrooms. It&#;s also available in pill or tablet form.

Most known for helping people relax, L-theanine has other potential health benefits, including:

Anxiety and stress relief

Sipping on a hot cup of tea can help you feel at ease, and research suggests that it not only relaxes the mind, but it also does so without causing drowsiness (1).

In a review of five randomized controlled trials that included 104 participants, four trials linked L-theanine with reduced stress and anxiety in people experiencing stressful situations (2).

Another study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry focused on people living with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Researchers found that L-theanine decreased anxiety and improved symptoms (3).

Increased focus

Paired with caffeine, L-theanine may help increase focus and attention.

A small study found that a combination of L-theanine (97 milligrams, or mg) and caffeine (40 mg) helped a group of young adults focus better during demanding tasks. A typical cup of coffee contains 95 mg of caffeine (4, 5).

The study&#;s participants also felt more alert and less tired in general.

Better immunity

Some research suggests that L-theanine may improve the function of the body&#;s immune system. One study published in the journal Beverages found that L-theanine could help decrease upper respiratory tract infections (6).

Another one found that green tea catechins&#; antioxidants&#; and theanine could be effective at preventing the flu (7, 8).

Another study found that L-theanine could help improve inflammation in the intestinal tract. However, more research is needed to confirm and expand on these findings (6, 9).

Tumor and cancer treatment

L-theanine has also been associated with amplifying the anti-tumor effects of certain chemotherapy drugs. Because of these promising findings, researchers expect that L-theanine could also help improve chemotherapy&#;s ability to fight cancer (10).

Although there&#;s no definitive evidence to show that tea prevents cancer, a number of studies suggest that people who regularly drink tea have lower rates of cancer (10, 11, 12).

Researchers of one study in China found that women diagnosed with ovarian cancer who drank at least one cup of green tea a day lived longer than those who didn&#;t (13).

Another study that looked at tea drinkers compared to nondrinkers found that women who drank green tea were 32 percent less likely to develop pancreatic cancer (14).

Blood pressure management

L-theanine may be beneficial for those who experience increased blood pressure in stressful situations.

One study found that people who usually experienced higher blood pressure after specific mental tasks found that L-theanine helped reduce an increase in blood pressure.

In the same study, the researchers noted that caffeine had a similar but less beneficial effect (15).

Some research indicates that L-theanine could be beneficial for a good night&#;s sleep, which could be because it helps to promote relaxation.

Researchers in one study found that doses of 250 mg and 400 mg of L-theanine greatly improved sleep in animals and humans (16).

Also, 200 mg of L-theanine was shown to help reduce resting heart rate, pointing to its ability to promote relaxation (16).

L-theanine may also help boys diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) sleep better.

A double-blind study looked at the effects of L-theanine on 98 boys ages 8 to 12 years old. A randomized group was given two 100 mg chewable tablets of L-theanine twice daily. The other group received placebo pills.

After 6 weeks, the group taking L-theanine had longer, more restful sleep. While the results are promising, more research is needed before it can be proven safe and effective, especially for children (17).

Other research suggests that L-theanine improved sleep quality for those diagnosed with schizophrenia (18).

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