| L-theanine | |||||
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L-theanine is an amino acid which is predominantly found in the green tea plant (Camellia sinensis), making up about 50% of the amino acid content in the tea plant.
The l-theanine content in green tea contributes to the main flavour of it.
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- L-theanine is non-protein amino acid
- L-theanine is sold in Japan as a supplement to help with mood regulation
- L-theanine is a derivative of glutamic acid
- L-theanine increases levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine and GABA in the brain
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L-theanine possesses strong antioxidant properties and has demonstrated in various studies that it has anti-cancer properties as wel as being ale to positively enhance the activity of some anti-cancer drugs and decreased tumour size more than just in experiments with the anti-cancer drugs alone.
L-theanine's effect on certain neurotransmitters could be a reason why it is thought to be able to regulate mood.
A recent study on lab rats demonstrated that even high doses of L-theanine administered at repeated intervals did not cause any toxic effects.
Other research suggests that L-theanine naturally stimulates activity in the brain known as alpha waves, which are associated with a relaxed yet alert mental state.
references
- Borzelleca J, Peters D, Hall W (2006). "A 13-week dietary toxicity and toxicokinetic study with L-theanine in rats". Food Chem Toxicol 44 (7):
1158-66. PMID 16759779 - Hindmarch I et al. A naturalistic investigation of the effects of day-long consumption of tea, coffee and
water on alertness, sleep onset and sleep quality. Psychopharmacology, (2000); 149: 203-216 - Nobre AC, 2005, Effects of theanine (50mg) on alpha activity in a naturalistic setting, Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University
- Rolfes SR, Pinna K, Whitney E. Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition. 7th Edition, 2005. Brooks Cole Publishing
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