But First, Coffee (with a side of L- Theanine)
Edward Tangchitnob, MD, MBA, FACS, FACOG
Medical Safety Officer, Robotics, Digital and Advanced Imaging | Johnson & Johnson Medtech
But First, Coffee (with a side of L- Theanine)
Many of us rely on coffee (or some form of caffeine) to get us through the day – to wake us up, give us energy and sometimes even peace of mind. But some can’t handle the side effects of caffeine, especially as they get older, which is why they try their best to do without it. For my patients, and even friends who struggle with this, I’ve recommended L-Theanine and many have said it’s the game changer they never knew about.
So what is L-Theanine? It’s an amino acid derived from the leaves of the common tea plant–a substance often found in green tea that is well known for mood and brain enhancement (“nootropic”). L-Theanine has been shown to reduce mental fatigue and stress. It works in two different ways: 1) boosting levels of GABA (a calming neurotransmitter in the brain) and 2) amplifying alpha brain waves involved in alertness, creativity and calmness.
Caffeine, on the other hand, is also an amino acid but works differently than L-theanine. It can be found naturally in the coffee and tea brewing process or synthesized in a laboratory and added to drinks later (think energy drinks and sodas). By stimulating the central nervous system, users cite they feel energized, focused and more productive. To work as a stimulant, caffeine inhibits a neurochemical called adenosine and allows neurons in the brain to continue to fire more effectively, resulting in mental alertness and combating fatigue. In small amounts (40 mg or less) users of caffeine experience positive effects, such as an increase in energy. But at larger doses (80 mg or more), they can experience jitteriness, increased anxiety and insomnia, especially if taken too late in the day.
When L-theanine and caffeine are combined, they exhibit a synergistic effect – users benefit from the alertness and mental clarity boosts of caffeine while L-theanine decreases the side effects such as jitteriness or nervousness. The easiest way to start is to simply mix caffeine with L-theanine in a ratio of 1:2 (for example, 100 mg of caffeine with 200 mg of theanine). Most L- theanine capsules (over-the-counter natural supplements) are available in 100 mg for convenience.
L-theanine is not only safe, but it has been shown to result in minimal levels of toxicity, dependence or tolerance. It’s usually administered orally and can be taken in large doses (500 mg or more) without side effects. It can also be taken on an empty stomach (with or without food) without its effectiveness being diminished.
So…keep calm, drink coffee and take L-theanine.
Edward Tangchitnob, MD, FACOG, FACS, ABAARM
领英推荐
Medical Director, Minimally Invasive Gynecologic & Robotic Surgery, Emanate Health
Functional and Regenerative Medicine
References
Link to Dr. Tangchitnob's Fullscripts
Is there any reason for using coffee w/ supplemental l-theanine over matcha* (or green tea*)? Thanks for sharing. * Both matcha and green tea already have both the caffeine and l-theanine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7796401/
Branch Chief at California Department of Health Care Services, Audits & Investigations, Contracts and Enrollment Divison
2 年Thanks Ed! I will try it this week!
Marketing Exec
2 年I’ve never even heard of this and super curious to check it out.
Business Development and Product Launch Expert | Go to market strategies for Biotech, Gene Therapy, Genetic Diagnostics and Ultra Rare Disease | USC Executive MBA 2023
2 年Yaaas!! Dr. Ed! Let’s L-Theanine it up! Thank you!