Have you heard about l theanine before? Some people on the internet worship as a ‘wonder supplement’ for all its benefits. You can use l theanine to become more focused, or to become less stressed. But what is l theanine? And what can you expect if you start taking it.
If you want to find out the answers to these questions, then please continue reading!
What is l theanine?
L theanine is a molecule that’s found in green tea. It explains the calming vs upbeat effects of green tea compared to other beverages that also contain caffeine. It consists of 2 amino acids (l glutamate and glutamine). L glutamate has the most beneficial effects in the body.
For example, it is used in the body to produce GABA. This is one of the neurotransmitters that increases relaxation and decreases stress. Alcohol, for instance also works through this neurotransmitter. But luckily l theanine comes without all the negative effects of alcohol!
What is l theanine, straight from Wikipedia:
- Formula: C7H14N2O3
- Molar mass: 174.2 g/mol
- Onset of action: about 1 hour
- Biological half-life: 3 hours
- Boiling point: 215 °C (419 °F)
- Synonyms: γ-L-glutamylethylamide
The most important piece of information here is that its onset of action is about 1 hour and the biological half-life around 3 hours. Now, of course it all depends on how well your body reacts to l theanine.
I’ve found that, if you take l theanine on an empty stomach, it can work faster than 1 hour. Taken on an empty stomach, you will start to feel the relaxing and focusing effects of l theanine already with 20-30 minutes.
Many people in the world take theanine for its anxiolytic benefits. But even if you don’t suffer from anxiety, there are still a slew of benefits that you can take advantage of.
What are the effects of l theanine?
Theanine has many effects, but here is the top 5 list of benefits of l theanine:
- 1 Theanine increases brain function
- 2 Theanine reduces anxiety and stress
- 3 Theanine is an antioxidant
- 4 You can take theanine to combat negative effects of coffee and increase its cognitive-enhancing effects
- 5 Theanine can help you sleep better
In our society, there are many people who feel stressed and anxious. unfortunately many people take the wrong approach against these feelings. instead of finding out why they’re feeling stressed and using natural treatments, they often resort to pills that make their anxiety worse in the long-term.
L theanine works against anxious feelings and can help reduce stress in your life. But, there are more benefits to taking l theanine. Here are the top reasons why I like to take l theanine.
3 benefits of taking l theanine:
The first time I found out about theanine, was when I was experiencing the occasional OCD attack. I would be unable to get my thoughts out of a loop and I would feel really anxious.
Sometimes, this even bordered onto a real panic attacks. Now, I knew this couldn’t go on for a lot longer, so I went to look for the solution. I wanted a natural solution, since I didn’t want to mess up with my brain chemistry any more.
After long searching on the internet, I came across theanine. And just like you, I asked myself “what is l theanine?” . I checked many resources on the internet and since it was pretty cheap (you can get around 200 gram – 1000 dosages – for only $50), I decided that I had nothing to lose by trying it.
I bought myself a bag of theanine and started taking it in the morning (when I was most prone to negative circling thoughts). Here’s what I noticed:
Works against anxiety
L theanine is a great supplement against anxiety. When you take l theanine, you will find that it is easier for you to control your thoughts. Instead of your thoughts controlling you, you can simply turn them on or off at your own will.
Not only is this great if you suffer from intrusive thoughts, but it can also feel like meditation. Some people even half-jokingly refer to l theanine as ‘meditation in a bottle’.
If you suffer from anxiety, then you have nothing to lose by trying out l theanine as a natural remedy for your anxiety!
You become laser-focused
Another great benefit of less thoughts in your head, is that it’s easier to focus. If you’re a student or a working professional, you probably notice that you’re often distracted or trying to resist distraction while you’re working.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could just focus for a long period of time without being distracted or actively fighting the urge to look at your phone or email?
Theanine can help you achieve that. When you take l theanine, you’ll notice that time seems to fly and it’s easy for you to focus on the task at hand – and only the task at hand. You’ll get a lot of work done!
Have you ever experience a state of flow? A time when everything seemed to go great, you were a 100% focused on one thing (working, socializing, surfing or even watching a movie). If you have, then you probably know how great it feels to be in that state.
You’re really living in the now, time seems to fly and you feel great.
That is exactly how you can feel when you take l theanine!
Great for socializing
Since theanine allows you to become calm and in a state of flow, it’s a great supplement if you have a party coming up. if you’re usually a bit shy, then you might dread the socializing and you feel slightly awkward for some period of time at the party.
What I’ve found is that l theanine takes a way the self-conscious feelings that you might have when socializing. It will be easier for you to say what you want to say, to be yourself and fully engaged in a conversation.
P.S. If you’ve read this what is l theanine page, then you probably also want to read a complete guide to l theanine. Read my comprehensive l theanine review here!