Posted by mistermindmasta on July 14, 2004, at 21:53:59
In reply to Theanine, posted by sb417 on July 14, 2004, at 20:41:25
Serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine... its all nonsense (generally) unless you're speaking about a specific brain region. Too bad that these theanine researchers couldn't specify which area of the brain it increased these chemicals. I too have read these articles. It's so confusing! But if we're talking about dopamine from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens, I'd say it lowers dopamine a bit in that region, since I and a lot of other people feel a bit of a depressing effect from it. On the other hand, it might lower norepinephrine in the prefrontal cortex, since I do feel that it slows my thinking when I'm too hyped from being anxious. But to be honest, I don't know where it REALLY effects these neurotransmitters and apparently neither do the researchers. All I can do is say how it makes me feel, which isn't consistant with the way companies trying to sell you the stuff describe it.
I wouldn't recommend it for depression. I WOULD recommend it for anxiety, as long as you don't have depression AND anxiety. I wouldn't recommend it for ADD. Basically, it feels kinda like a benzo to me... Oh, and I would recommend for like stage fright, performance anxiety, specific phobias and maybe giving a speech. It makes all that anxiety producing stuff go smoother.
poster:mistermindmasta
thread:366305
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20040613/msgs/366328.html