Are L-Theanine and Caffeine Really Beneficial for Brain Health?

L-theanine and Caffeine are two of the popular nootropics that are known to have amazing health benefits for the human brain. While these two have their individual pros when used separately, the best qualities and benefits can be leveraged only by using them together as a pair.

So, let’s discuss the various qualities of these nootropics and how they can benefit brain health.

Let’s start with the basics.

What Are Nootropics?

Nootropics are supplements or substances that have brain-boosting capabilities, i.e. they can improve the health of the brain by enhancing cognitive functions related to memory, motivation, attention, alertness, creativity, etc.

L-theanine and Caffeine are two of the most popular and used nootropics. Supplements containing both L-theanine and Caffeine are known to be even more beneficial because of the synergistic effect of these two, which leads to improved mental endurance and energy.

Let’s get a brief idea of the individual qualities of L-theanine and Caffeine before we discuss their combined benefits.

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L-Theanine & Its Benefits

L-theanine is an amino acid commonly found in tea leaves, including both green and black tea. In general, L-theanine supplements are consumed in the form of pills or tablets.

L-theanine works by blocking excitatory responses in the brain, which leads to a reduction in heart rate and blood pressure. It also controls the release of stress hormones, thus effectively reducing anxiety and stress.

L-theanine has the same benefits as you get from drinking tea. For one, it helps your mind get relaxed but doesn’t cause drowsiness. In other words, it helps relieve stress from the mind without making you sleep.

L-theanine supplements are beneficial in treating hyper anxiety [1] and stress problems.

Besides increasing calmness and helping you get relaxed almost instantly, L-theanine also helps increase focus and keeps you alert, which is why people involved in physical activities find the need to take tea multiple times a day to stay awake and alert.

L-theanine is also commonly used to counteract the effects of caffeine. In other words, it increases brain function and focuses while keeping you calm.

Thanks to its stress-relieving capability, L-theanine beverages or supplements can be a nice companion to your yoga, meditation, and similar relaxation activities.

A study [2] suggests that taking a cup of tea, preferably green tea, a few hours before bedtime can help ensure a good night’s sleep by calming your mind. On the other hand, a cup of tea in the morning can do wonders to improve your brain health and focus.

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Caffeine And Its Benefits

Caffeine is a stimulant that is known to boost mental performance and alertness. Besides coffee, which is one of the most consumed beverages worldwide, cocoa beans, kola nuts, and tea leaves are some of the major sources of caffeine.

Caffeine is known to improve cognitive functions in the brain that have a direct impact on memory, focus, and attention abilities. It works by blocking adenosine, which is responsible for making us feel drowsy. Also, it elevates the central nervous system by increasing the release of dopamine and serotonin neurotransmitters.

Caffeine can help your brain stay alert and awake. It also helps boost memory and focus. For those engaged in heavy workouts, caffeine can be a nice source for alertness and enhanced cognitive function.

Some studies also suggest that caffeine can be beneficial for persons suffering from certain types of cancer. However, more research needs to be done on that particular subject.

But, there are also some known side effects of caffeine consumption, especially when used in excess. It’s said that caffeine-based beverages may increase the urge to urinate. It’s also sometimes said that the excess consumption of caffeine may cause high blood pressure and increase anxiety, which is somewhat true, this is why caffeine is recommended to be used in combination with L-theanine.

When used in combination with L-theanine, the side effects of caffeine are reduced and it can be quite beneficial for improving brain function.

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L-Theanine + Caffeine: What Are The Benefits?

Most of the workout supplements contain both L-theanine and Caffeine. That’s because these two have the best effects when used together. Let’s see how.

As previously discussed, caffeine has some side-effects, including high blood pressure and anxiety, which generally emerge when the stimulant is consumed in excess. This is where L-theanine comes in to mitigate the side-effects and bring out the benefits of caffeine. It allows caffeine to boost brain activities and cognitive functions without causing any side effects like anxiety or an increase in blood pressure.

Studies suggest that taking L-theanine and caffeine together can help improve attention, focus, alertness, energy levels, and overall performance, allowing you to perform any task with more efficiency and accuracy.

Supplements containing both L-theanine and caffeine are the solution for those who avoid caffeine because it causes anxiety and/or headaches. Similarly, those who avoid taking caffeine because of its negative impact on sleep must try combining it with L-theanine to limit the negative effects and achieve an enhanced quality sleep.

It’s important that the supplement you’re taking has the right ratio of L-theanine and Caffeine for the best results.

World wide known BLOW Pre-workout supplement contains good quantities of both L-theanine and Caffeine, which makes it ideal for those looking to get sufficient energy and focus for an intense workout session. While the caffeine in BLOW helps you stay alert and awake during the workout, L-theanine keeps you calm and your heart rate controlled, allowing you to achieve the maximum performance.

REFERENCES:

[1] L-theanine, a natural constituent in tea, and its effect on mental state From www.apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/APJCN/17%20Suppl%201/167.pdf

[2] Reduced Stress and Improved Sleep Quality Caused by Green Tea Are Associated with a Reduced Caffeine Content From https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5537891/