The calming effect of drinking a cup of green tea may be L-theanine. L-theanine, a natural amino acid found in green tea and some mushrooms, is said to ease anxiety, improve sleep, and reduce stress.
To date, the benefits of L-theanine have not been extensively explored by scientists. However, preliminary research suggests that it may help boost mood and calm the body's response to stress and anxiety.
1) Adaptability to pressure
According to a 2016 study, L-theanine may help increase resilience to stress. Healthy participants drank a beverage containing 200 mg (L) of theanine or a placebo. One hour after consumption, those who consumed the L-theanine drink had significantly lower stress responses to cognitive stressors. Three hours after eating, salivary cortisol, a hormone secreted in response to stress, was significantly lower.
Another study examined the effects of regular consumption of L-theanine and found that daily intake reduced subjective stress and saliva levels of alpha-amylase, an enzyme that responds to stress, in stressed college students .
2) sleep
Salivary alpha-amylase activity is a marker of overall sympathetic nervous system activity involved in stress and sleep. The study among undergraduates also found that higher levels of alpha-amylase were associated with shorter sleep duration. Another study examined the effects of decaffeinated green tea on sleep quality and found that people who drank decaffeinated green tea after 7 days of daily intake had significantly lower salivary alpha-amylase levels than those who consumed standard caffeinated green tea, tea. Those who consumed a lot of decaffeinated green tea, which contains L-theanine, had better sleep quality.
3) Relieve Anxiety
A 2017 study published in the Journal of Neuropsychiatry explored the use of L-theanine to treat major depressive disorder.
The trial included 20 men and women who added 250 mg of L-theanine to their current medication for eight weeks. They found that it had multiple benefits for relieving anxiety, sleep disturbances, and cognitive impairment associated with depression.
