Friday, July 25, 2008

More On Theanine

In an earlier post I mentioned that you might be able to Cure Insomnia With Tea. I also promised to bring you more on Theanine. Well this is what I found.

Theanine, which is a chemical found in tea, apparently does a good job of reducing stress. In an earlier post, I wrote about how a little Tea in Your Life could help to cure your insomnia. I am finding out more about this mystery chemical.

As L-theanine is digested in your small intestine, it stimulates the production of alpha waves in your brain. Alpha waves will make you feel relaxed and alert but not drowsy. L-theanine also helps you stay relaxed by stimulating your body to produce other calming amino acids, such as dopamine, GABA, and tryptophan. You've heard of tryptophan. Everyone talks about it around Thanksgiving and how it will knock out an entire gathering after a hefty meal of turkey.

The Japanese have been studying L-theanine and in 1998 did a study involving some Japenese college students. They gave the students increasing amounts of L-theanine mixed in water over several weeks. As the dosage of the L-theanine increased, so did the alpha waves produced by their brains. Also, they all reported being less stressed.

Apparently you can buy Theanine capsules at health food stores on the net. Frankly, I prefer the old way of injesting it by brewing a good cup of tea. I mean it works for me. Just another reason to get more Tea In Your Life.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi - Are there certain types of teas that contain Theanine and some that don't? Or some that have more than others? Would a good ol' bag of Lipton suffice?

Jason Witt said...

Yes, theanine is that wonderful natural ingredient of tea that balances off the caffeine. The two work together like dance partners or spouses in complete harmony. It's one of the reasons coffee will never grow to replace tea as the world's most beloved drink.