If you're using L-Theanine to help you wind down at night, it's best to take the supplement between 30 minutes and an hour before your bedtime. This gives the compound time to calm and ease your mind before you start trying to fall asleep.
So, should you take L-theanine in the morning or at night? If you're looking to get a good night's sleep, take L-theanine at night. For example, if you need help getting to sleep, you won't want to drink caffeinated tea at night, so you should opt for caffeine-free or herbal tea before bed.
L-theanine can help you fall asleep more easily, and it can also improve the quality of your sleep. L-theanine has been shown to increase sleep efficiency (9), which means you spend more time in deep sleep and less time in light sleep.
You can take L-Theanine multiple times daily, including in the morning before work and at night before bed. Taking a daytime dose of L-Theanine may help you focus and maintain mental clarity as you go about your daily tasks. A nighttime dose, on the other hand, can help you wind down before getting ready for bed.
Keep a glass of water and a bottle of L-theanine by your bedside. When you awake in the night, take 200-400 mg of L-theanine to put your mind at ease and fall back to sleep.
To boost mental focus or energy, try taking L-theanine first thing in the morning, ideally about 30 minutes before breakfast. Conversely, to help support better sleep, a 50-200mg dose of L-theanine 30-60 minutes before bed would be best.
A calming effect is usually noted within 30 to 40 minutes after L-theanine is taken at a dose of 50 to 200mg, and typically lasts 8 to 10 hours. Moderate anxiety symptoms often improve with a regimen of 200mg once or twice daily.
Some research indicates that L-theanine could be beneficial for a good night's sleep, which could be because it helps to promote relaxation. Researchers in one study found that doses of 250 mg and 400 mg of L-theanine greatly improved sleep in animals and humans (16).
When taken by mouth: L-theanine is possibly safe when used short-term. Doses of up to 900 mg daily have been safely used for 8 weeks. It isn't clear if L-theanine is safe to use for longer periods of time. It might cause mild side effects, such as headache or sleepiness.
“A combination of magnesium with L-Theanine (an amino acid) will ease the tension in the physical body and settle anxiety as L-Theanine supports the production of calming neurotransmitters. Take this combination now twice daily rather than waiting until you feel tense or anxious.”
However, if we're looking for a natural compound that can simultaneously improve your daytime mental performance and nighttime cognitive relaxation, L-theanine takes the cake—whether compared with melatonin or any other natural substance.
L-theanine Dosage and Use
L-theanine is one of my most common treatments for anxiousness and may help any of the three sub-types. It's usually taken in doses from 50-100 mg once or twice daily. In more severe cases, it may be taken 3 or 4 times per day. It is not habit forming like many anti-anxiety medications.
Taking theanine along with stimulant medications might decrease the effectiveness of stimulant medications. Some stimulant drugs include diethylpropion (Tenuate), epinephrine, phentermine (Ionamin), pseudoephedrine (Sudafed), and many others.
Recommended L-Theanine Dosage for Sleep
However, published studies suggest that taking 200 milligrams of L-theanine before bed may promote restful sleep. People considering taking L-theanine supplements should discuss the dosage with a doctor.
L-theanine, on the other hand, promotes relaxation and stress reduction without sedating. L-theanine can help foster a state of calm, attentive wakefulness. L-theanine has positive effects on both the mental and physical symptoms of stress, including lowering heart rate and blood pressure.
Conclusion: Our study suggests that chronic (8-week) l-theanine administration is safe and has multiple beneficial effects on depressive symptoms, anxiety, sleep disturbance and cognitive impairments in patients with MDD.
L-theanine is a fast-acting amino acid. You should feel the effects within 30 minutes to 1 hour after taking it. The effects of L-theanine can last up to 8 hours.
Most people find that L-theanine works best when taken in doses of 200-400 mg per day. (3) Larger doses may be more effective but can also cause side effects. It's important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting L-theanine, especially if you take medication or have a pre-existing medical condition.
L-theanine has been historically reported as a relaxing agent, prompting scientific research on its pharmacology. Animal neurochemistry studies suggest that L-theanine increases brain serotonin, dopamine, GABA levels and has micromolar affinities for AMPA, Kainate and NMDA receptors.
The participants receiving the L-theanine showed a greater increase in alpha brain-wave activity than those receiving the placebo. Although these studies suggest that L-theanine may be beneficial in the treatment of anxiety, the study sample sizes are small and the doses of L-theanine were not standardized.
The most common side effects of L-theanine dosage include headaches, nausea, and irritability. However, the nausea appears to be mostly linked with L-theanine being administered through green tea rather than dietary supplements.
Substances that cause the release of high levels dopamine can be addictive, resulting in a compulsion to seek the perceived feeling of “reward.” However, L-theanine produces low enough levels of dopamine that has not been shown to produce “seeking” or addicted behavior in lab tests on rats or in the (more limited) ...
The Best Time of Day to Take L-Theanine
If you're using l-theanine to boost cognitive function during the day, it's best to take l-theanine about 30 minutes (in capsule or pill form) before your morning coffee. You can also add it as a powder to your cup of coffee.
l-theanine (γ-glutamylethylamide), an amino acid in green tea, has been shown to affect brain functions by relieving stress disorders, improving mood, and maintaining normal sleep.
Recommended L-Theanine Doses
50 to 200 mg/ day for cardiovascular benefits. 250 to 400mg/ day for general psychopathology and sleep disorders.