Caffeine and L-Theanine: The Greatest Combination for Boosting Brain Power
Caffeine is the most widely consumed molecule in coffee, tea and other formulated preparations for its psychoactive effect all over the world. There is several effects of caffeine defined such as nootropic [1], memory and mood enhancement [2, 3], cognitive performance improvement [4] and also it is argued seriously for cancer prevention [5].
Nature Neuroscience journal collected the accumulated data that caffeine administration may boost the human memory. Nevertheless it may increase the blood pressure and anxiety, also cause a case of the jitters.
Since ancient ages, it has been believed that drinking green tea brings relaxation. The substance that is responsible for a sense of relaxation, is theanine [6]. Administration of L-theanine increases alpha electric waves on the brain that promotes alert relaxation [7]. Scientist have documented in several study that generation of α-waves is considered to be an index of relaxation. After 10 min the oral administration of theanine, α-waves were generated on the occipital and parietal regions of the brain surface that indicates relaxation without causing drowsiness [8].
Caffeine and L-theanine potentiate each other’s effect
Some molecules were just made for each other; caffeine and L-theanine combination is one of the most prominent formulation that has been using for the brain boost formulations such as THE THINKER and THE GOLDEN THINKER.
Scientist from Northumbria University, have documented in Psychopharmacology Journal that L-theanine gives opportunity to caffeine for showing brain-boosting activity without letting it increase blood pressure or induce anxiety. When take into account that caffeine has vasoconstrictor effect on vessels, we may confront some unexpected complications: hypertension, anxiety and jitters. However, accumulated data showed that L-theanine eliminates caffeine’s vasoconstrictor tendency [9].
In conclusion, combination of caffeine and L-theanine is better choice than that’s single using. Also scientists from Human Cognitive Neuroscience Unit asserted that combination of these molecules have advantages about headache and tired ratings when comparing to getting them alone. In addition, significant positive synergism effect detected with this combination on reaction of word recognition time [10].
Scientific Citations (References)
- Nicolaus, B.J., Chemistry and pharmacology of nootropics. Drug Development Research, 1982. 2(5): p. 463-474.
- Loke, W.H., Effects of caffeine on mood and memory. Physiology & behavior, 1988. 44(3): p. 367-372.
- Borota, D., et al., Post-study caffeine administration enhances memory consolidation in humans. Nature neuroscience, 2014. 17(2): p. 201.
- Lieberman, H.R., et al., Effects of caffeine, sleep loss, and stress on cognitive performance and mood during US Navy SEAL training. Psychopharmacology, 2002. 164(3): p. 250-261.
- Yang, C.S., et al., Cancer prevention by tea: animal studies, molecular mechanisms and human relevance. Nature Reviews Cancer, 2009. 9(6): p. 429.
- Kobayashi, K., et al., Effects of L-theanine on the release of alpha-brain waves in human volunteers. Journal of the Agricultural Chemical Society of Japan (Japan), 1998.
- Mason, R., 200 mg of Zen: L-theanine boosts alpha waves, promotes alert relaxation. Alternative & Complementary Therapies, 2001. 7(2): p. 91-95.
- Juneja, L.R., et al., L-theanine—a unique amino acid of green tea and its relaxation effect in humans. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 1999. 10(6-7): p. 199-204.
- Dodd, F.L., et al., A double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the effects of caffeine and L-theanine both alone and in combination on cerebral blood flow, cognition and mood. Psychopharmacology (Berl), 2015. 232(14): p. 2563-76.
- Haskell, C.F., et al., The effects of L-theanine, caffeine and their combination on cognition and mood. Biol Psychol, 2008. 77(2): p. 113-22.
