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Relax, Unwind, Reduce Fatigue And Anxiety With L-Theanine

Relax, Unwind, Reduce Fatigue And Anxiety With L-Theanine

Darrell Miller

06/30/11

Date: June 30, 2011 10:55 AM
Author: Darrell Miller (dm@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: Relax, Unwind, Reduce Fatigue And Anxiety With L-Theanine

Can Theanine Help the Brain?

Theanine is best known as a component of tea. It is an organic compound that occurs naturally in Camellia sinensis and several other plant species. It was first isolated in a laboratory in Kyoto in 1950, and has become the subject of numerous scientific studies since. In the US, it is available as a dietary supplement, which has been granted the status GRAS, short for generally recognized as safe, by FDA.

As a chemical analog to glutamine and glutamic acid, theanine easily crosses the blood brain barrier. It displays psychoactive properties when it enters the central nervous system. It influences brain chemicals and enhances mood in the process. For this reason, it has been used as a therapeutic agent for anxiety disorders. It has also been observed to relieve symptoms associated with chronic stress.

Reduces Mental Fatigue

Mental fatigue stem from many different conditions. The feeling of languor characteristic of mental fatigue may also be idiopathic in nature. More often than not, it is one of the medical signs tied to physical exhaustion. Either way, it is caused by chemicals found in the brain that have reached unhealthy levels. Brain chemicals change in response to outside stimuli, such as repetitive tasks.

There is very good scientific evidence that the presence of theanine impacts brain chemicals and other compounds found in the human body. While its mechanisms of action remains under investigation, it has long been postulated that it helps maintain homeostasis in the central nervous system and aid cellular responses to stress. Regular intake of theanine has been observed to reduce mental fatigue.

Improves Brain Function

Proponents of supplements believe that theanine exert a positive effect on brain function. The brain boosting effects of tea have been recorded throughout history, and modern science attributes them to theanine as well as caffeine. Research says that caffeine serves as a stimulant in tea infusions while theanine influences neurological functions responsible for cognitive process and memory formation.

Laboratory studies on theanine point to its inhibitory effects in comparison with caffeine, though both have been noted for their similar psychoactive properties. In particular, theanine stimulates alpha brain wave activities, which in turn governs brain function related to wakeful relaxation. Theanine has been studied in a number of clinical trials, and there is consensus that it contributes to mental clarity.

Relieves Anxiety Problems

Theanine is certain to benefit sufferers of anxiety disorders and panic attacks. For one, it influences the production and release of serotonin, which controls several physiological functions that create a general feeling of well being and enhance mood as a result. Also, it increases overall levels of gamma aminobutyric acid, or GABA, which counters the neurotoxic effects of excitatory brain chemicals.

Theanine is becoming increasingly popular as a nutritional supplement largely owing to positive anecdotal evidence. Plus, scientific research on theanine supplements has reported promising results and an absence of adverse effects.