Theanine is an amino acid extract of the green tea plant, Camellia sinensis. Theanine, which gives green tea its flavor, has been studied for its calming effects on the central nervous system. One cup of green tea provides about 50 mg of theanine. Consult your doctor before using theanine to treat anxiety.
Physical Stress
Theanine reduced mental and physical stress in a study on laboratory animals published in the March 2011 issue of the journal "Phytotherapy Research." Doses of 1 mg, 4 mg and 20 mg per kg of body weight each day for 10 days resulted in antidepressantlike effects. Study animals were able to swim longer and were more active in stressful situations. Theanine also maintained healthy body temperatures at these doses, a sign of improved circulation, which can be impaired in anxiety states. The researchers concluded that theanine exerted a beneficial effect on the central nervous system resulting in decreased anxiety, in this preliminary animal study.
Safe and Effective
A study published in the "Journal of Clinical Psychiatry" in January 2011 found that 400 mg per day of theanine for eight weeks relieved symptoms of anxiety in schizophrenic patients. Theanine was safe and well tolerated. Researchers concluded that a 400 mg per day dose of theanine may be a useful adjunctive therapy for relief of anxiety in some schizophrenic patients.
Mental Focus
A combination of theanine and caffeine improved young adults' ability to focus and carry out mental tasks -- a function that is impaired in high anxiety states -- in a study published in the December 2010 issue of the journal "Nutritional Neuroscience." Participants took 97 mg of theanine and 40 mg of caffeine and were evaluated 20 minutes and 70 minutes after taking the supplements. The combination improved accuracy when the participants switched from one task to another. Additionally, levels of alertness were improved and levels of tiredness decreased, as reported by the study participants.
Nervous System Support
The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends a dose of 200 mg of theanine one to three times per day for relief of stress and to support the nervous and immune systems. The site cautions that there's not a lot of scientific evidence in support of theanine's effects on anxiety at this time.
Calming
The book "The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth" recommends theanine, at a dose of 200 mg per day, to relieve anxiety. Author Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S. attributes a calming effect to theanine that gives tea drinkers a pleasant lift and decreased anxiety, without the jitters associated with coffee consumption.
References
- "Phytotherapy Research"; Antidepressant-like Effects of L-theanine in the Forced Swim and Tail Suspension Tests in Mice; C. Yin et al.; March 2011
- "Journal of Clinical Psychiatry"; L-Theanine Relieves Positive, Activation, and Anxiety Symptoms in Patients with Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder: An Eight-Week, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Two-Center Study; M.S. Ritsner et al.; January 2011
- "Nutritional Neuroscience"; The Combination of L-Theanine and Caffeine Improves Cognitive Performance and Increases Subjective Alertness; T. Giesbrecht et al.; December 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Stress
- "Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth"; Jonny Bowden, PhD., C.N.S.; 2008
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Green Tea
