What is Theanine?
Did you ever wonder what the ingredient was in green tea that was so calming? It’s called Theanine, and it is a naturally occurring amino acid that is said to have various health benefits.
Where does it come from?
Theanine is made from the Camellia sinensis plant and has dark, green-colored oval leaves that are used to make green tea. Although tea has been used in Chinese medicine for more than 5,000 years, it wasn’t until 1949 that this substance was actually identified.
To use it, you can either buy capsules of it at health food stores or at various places online or you can of course drink green tea. Capsules should be taken on an empty stomach and will take effect in about 30 minutes.
What are the benefits of theanine?
In 1964, Japan approved the addition of theanine in all foods except those for babies, thus showing their thoughts on just how valuable this substance can be to good health. It is also sold in the U.S. as a nutritional supplement that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Just why is this powerful substance so good for us?
Theanine, also known as l-theanine, is easily absorbed into the blood and therefore has a direct route to our brain. There, it makes something called GABA, which is what helps us get that nice calm feeling. Due to this, it has been used in recent years to help treat panic or anxiety disorders. The dosage for this treatment is usually between 50 and 200 mg.
Theanine works in the brain naturally
This substance tells the brain to make more GABA to help the patient have a better balance and therefore be less stressed, which is different from how most of the medications used to treat it work. They tell the brain to make better use of the GABA that is already there and don’t help it make more of this valuable ingredient.
It has also been used to treat hypertension, to help people to lose weight, lower their triglyceride levels and cardiovascular problems. Research has shown that it can also reduce the effects of caffeine’s stimulating properties, but at the same time promote how caffeine helps to burn fat. It can also support good liver health, protect brain tissue, and increase our metabolism.
Side Effects
As with any product, if it is not used correctly there can be side effects. If too much of it is taken, it can cause lethargy and lead to one not being able to concentrate. It may also cause headaches, stomach issues or dizziness.
If you are allergic to any sort of green tea, you should also not take theanine. And if you are taking any sort of medication, you should talk to your doctor before using it. Plus, do not give it to young children without talking to their doctor.
Research
Much research has been done over the years. Here are the results of some of its uses for things like cancer, the immune system, blood pressure and chemotherapy:
How Theanine works in the brain
Scientific confirmation has shown that it helps the brain to produce alpha waves, which make the person more relaxed, even though they are still alert. It also helps the body make not only GABA, but also dopamine, serotonin and tryptophan (which we all know as an ingredient in our Thanksgiving turkey that makes you drowsy). It is a known fact that when serotonin and dopamine levels increase, a person will feel more relaxed and calm.
Helps with the immune system
Research has also shown that theanine can help the body’s immune system respond better in fighting against various forms of bacteria. This research was conducted and confirmed through tests done at Harvard Medical School.
Helps with blood pressure
Studies have also proven that theanine can lower blood pressure and this has been proven in studies with animals.
Theanine may help with cancer treatments
Studies in Japan have shown that people who drink green tea, which has a lot of theanine, had less cancers of the liver, lungs, skin, breast, and pancreas than people in the U.S. who didn’t drink green tea. Plus, if they already had cancer and were going through some form of chemotherapy, drinking green tea helped them to get better faster and they were also better able to cope with the side effects of the chemotherapy drugs.
Studies were done with mice that had cancerous tumors that showed that it also helps to make cancer medications work better. The mice were given injections of a cancer fighting medication called Adriamycin, which by itself didn’t stop the tumor growth. But when theanine was added to the shot, the tumors shrank substantially.
All in all, it appears to be a very valuable substance with many benefits to our health. Plus, many people like the taste of green tea and the way that it makes them feel when they drink it. So, why not have a nice cup of hot and refreshing green tea and see if theanine works for you?
