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Re: Anyone use theanine regularly?

Posted by Larry Hoover on May 7, 2006, at 13:50:01

In reply to Anyone use theanine regularly?, posted by Jay on May 6, 2006, at 19:09:11

I do enjoy it when a substance is drawn up into cognition. When it becomes salient. I don't recall having given theanine such a narrowly focussed view, before this. Interesting molecule. As Schulz used to say "Very interesting.....". {Hogan's Heroes.....oh, I feel old.}

Theanine is the condensate, the coming together of two simpler bodies, of glutamic acid and ethylamine. Because the amide so formed more closely resembles glutamine, it's not surprising the effects of it resemble the latter so much. Perhaps the nuanced distinction between the molecules known as glutamate and glutamine is challenging to readers, but it is a critical distinction to make.

For images of those molecules, see:
http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?page=molecules

Glutamate is stimulatory. It is directly opposed by GABA and/or taurine, in most synaptic realms. But it is also opposed by glutamine, although indirectly so. Glutamine is calming.

Yes, Jay, theanine is a calming modulator for your brain.

Theanine, as formed in the tea plant, Thea sinensis (also known as Camellia sinensis), is nearly unique in nature. Surprisingly, there are only a couple of other known sources. Caffeine, we find it all over the place. Theanine is rarer, by far. And theanine directly modulates and softens the effects of caffeine, by the way. It's clearly been proven.

Theanine does something very special, too. It directly stimulates glutathione synthesis, which is a very good thing. Glutathione is perhaps the main "sacrificial lamb" that your body uses to defend itself against oxidants, in the broadest sense. So, theanine ought to work synergistically with any intake of glutathione precursors, such as NAC (N-acetyl cysteine), or hydrolyzed proteins with high cysteine content, such as whey powder. These precursors would ensure the maximal benefit of theanine intake, protecting both the brain and the liver.

What makes using theanine challenging, I suppose, is that it is bimodal in effect. At lower doses, its net effect can be stimulating. At higher doses, the calming effect predominates. For those who find theanine stimulating, you may be taking too little. That said, you may not like the effect of a higher dose. But, it's probably worth doing the experiment, anyway, just to know the outcome.

I rather like what I've found out about theanine. It looks like all around "good stuff". I didn't find a single "red flag" about using it, anywhere......except, this is one of the cases where natural is better than synthetic. Avoid, if possible, any product that contains D-theanine. You want the natural L-theanine. The D-enantiomer just slows everything down. It's a competitive inhibitor for L-theanine.

Anyway, here are a few general information articles, and a few links to abstracts, preceded by my own commentary. Excuse me, in the meantime. I'm off to find my green tea extract. I'm sure I've got some 'round here, somewhere.

Lar


http://www.thorne.com/altmedrev/.fulltext/10/2/136.pdf
http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/bpb/25/12/1513/_pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16493792&query_hl=1&itool=pubmed_docsum

This reference shows anxiolytic activity exceeding that of alprazolam, under controlled conditions:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15378679&query_hl=1&itool=pubmed_docsum

It helps control blood triglycerides, and is an anti-obesity regulator:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15011752&query_hl=1&itool=pubmed_DocSum

If we're anything at all like rats, the ability to degrade theanine to free glutamic acid and the reactive ethylamine moiety only occurs in the kidney. That suggests that the observed activity of theanine is not arising via products of hydrolysis.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12595072&query_hl=1&itool=pubmed_DocSum

L

 

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poster:Larry Hoover thread:640723
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20060428/msgs/640974.html