L-Theanine Benefits on Brain

L-Theanine is an amino acid found almost exclusively in green tea. One of the L-Theanine benefits is to produce its anti-anxiety effects without producing sleepiness or impairing motor behavior.

L-Theanine is an amino acid found almost exclusively in green tea.  L-Theanine is known to produce its anti-anxiety effects without producing sleepiness or impairing motor behavior.
Discoveries during recent years added more benefits to the brain:

– L-Theanine protects brain cells and promotes cognitive function*.

– L-Theanine reduces the elevation of stress hormones and oxidative damage to the brain**.

– Stress significantly reduces performance, memory, increases oxidative stress in the brain, and elevates levels of stress-response hormones. During a scientific test, treating animals with L-theanine before the stress is applied, results were in reverse, in both cognitive and stress hormones, and oxidative damage.

– L-Theanine lowers stroke risk and the damaging effects if a stroke has occurred.  L-Theanine provides two stroke-preventing mechanisms:

1. Improves nitric oxide production in endothelial cells and aids a signal to relax muscles and enhance blood distribution***.

2. Inhibits TNF-a (tumor necrosis factor-alpha) and reduces the risk of an artery-blocking clot that produces a stroke****.

– L-Theanine protects the body from damage after the abrupt loss of circulation during a stroke. Animal studies show that the administration of L-Theanine up to 12 hours after a stroke protects brain cells and reduces the size of the damaged brain areas.*****

– L-Theanine prevents damage to brain cells induced by aluminum******.

Which tea is rich in L-Theanine?  Shade-grown teas are high in L-Theanine, as sun exposure converts L-Theanine into Catechin antioxidants.

Gyokuro and Matcha are shade-grown teas. The higher grade, the richer in L-Theanine, as the higher grade is covered in the shade for a longer period of time.