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L-Theanine (r-glutamylethylamide) is a non-dietary amino acid found in green tea (camellia sinensis), and the mushroom Xerocomus badius. Structurally, L-Theanine is similar to the neurotransmitters l-glutamate and l-glutamine.
L-Theanine easily crosses the blood-brain barrier. And taken as a supplement or by drinking green tea, reaches your brain within 30-45 minutes.
L-Theanine can lower blood pressure, rejuvenate and relax you, boost your ability to think, improve focus and change your mood. L-Theanine balances brain chemistry and improves cognitive health.
L-Theanine helps:
- Brain Waves. L-Theanine boosts alpha brain waves (8-12Hz) promoting alert relaxation.[i] And theta brain waves associated with creativity and relief from trauma.
- Neurotransmitters. L-Theanine increases GABA, serotonin and dopamine levels in your brain. Producing an energizing and calming effect. And improving cognition and memory.
- Neuroprotection. L-Theanine is an agonist of NMDA receptors and can inhibit synaptic release of glutamate. Protecting your brain from over-stimulation caused by glutamate, and possible glutamate toxicity.
Overview
L-Theanine (r-glutamylethylamide) is a non-dietary amino acid found in tea. And especially high levels in green tea (camellia sinensis). L-Theanine was first isolated from green tea in Japan by Sakato in 1949.
As an analogue of glutamate and glutamine, it’s hydrolyzed in your intestine and liver into l-glutamate and ethylamine. And easily crosses your blood-brain barrier.
L-Theanine is one of the very few nootropics known to modulate brain waves. It affects alpha brain waves which are associated with relaxation. Providing an alert calmness, L-Theanine helps in promoting super-learning, flow states and joy.
L-Theanine boosts the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine and GABA in your brain. As well as increasing Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Nerve Growth Factor (NGF).[ii]
L-Theanine is known for helping to relieve stress, improve cognition, boost mood and cognitive function.
How does L-Theanine work in the Brain?
L-Theanine boosts brain health and function in several ways. But two in particular stand out.
- L-Theanine reduces physical and mental stress. L- Theanine helps increase alpha brain waves which are associated with mental relaxation and concentration.
One study in South Korea worked with 20 healthy male volunteers aged 18 – 30 years. One group was given L-Theanine tablets, and the other group a placebo daily for 7 days.
Brain waves were measured 40 minutes after administration of the tablets. The researchers analyzed alpha wave power values. And concluded that L-Theanine tablets promoted the release of alpha brain waves related to mental relaxation and concentration.[iii]
In May 2016, researchers at Simon Fraser University in Canada developed a technology to clinically measure brain wave patterns. With this technology, we’re now able to detect cognitive dysfunction before it happens. Imagine the implications of this new technology when applied to the nootropics world.[iv]
- L-Theanine increases neurotransmitters. Research shows that L-Theanine increases dopamine, serotonin, and GABA in your brain.[v] And it reduces the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate which is associated with stress, tension and agitation.[vi]
A study done in Japan worked with 12 people who underwent 4 separate trials. One in which they took L-Theanine at the start of the experiment. One in which they took it half-way through. And two control trials in which they took either a placebo or nothing.
The results showed that L-Theanine resulted in a reduction in heart rate and s-IgA associated with acute stress. The researchers concluded that L-Theanine could cause anti-stress effects via the inhibition of cortical neuron excitation.[vii]
How things go bad:
As we get older, our brain chemistry and energy metabolism changes.
↓ Neurotransmitter levels decline
↑ Glutamate levels increase
↑ Stress levels increase
↓ Long-term memory and mood decline
↓ Quality of sleep declines
All of these changes can happen at any age once we reach adulthood. And are contributing factors to the neurodegenerative diseases of aging, and quality of life.
L-Theanine benefits
L-Theanine energizes without draining, calms without putting you to sleep, and motivates without causing a jagged edge.
Tea (as a source of L-Theanine) can have as much caffeine as some coffees. And yet doesn’t exert the same “speedy” effect. And the reason is the ingredient L-Theanine.
You can actually see L-Theanine’s effect in your brain using an EEG. Brain waves are smoothed out rather than flattened out.[viii] So your body is relaxed, your mind is calmed, but you don’t get sleepy. And L-Theanine, once it crosses the blood-brain barrier, raises levels of serotonin and dopamine.[ix]
L-Theanine even improves your quality of sleep. Researchers in Japan gave volunteers 200 mg of L-Theanine daily and recorded their sleep patterns. Sleep quality, recovery from exhaustion, and feeling refreshed were all enhanced by L-Theanine.[x]
And L-Theanine puts you in a better mood. Once it crosses your blood-brain barrier, L-Theanine changes levels of amino acids affecting serotonin, dopamine, and GABA. Having a modulating effect on mood.[xi]
How does L-Theanine feel?
Your unique neurochemistry including neurotransmitters, brain waves, brain structure and even regional brain activity will influence your response to L-Theanine.
Most neurohackers report a calming effect within 30 – 45 minutes of taking L-Theanine. Cognition gets a boost, and energy levels rise without the jitteriness caused by stimulants like caffeine.
Some report L-Theanine has stopped their anxiety and panic attacks. Just don’t combine it with anti-anxiety meds like Xanax.
Most report an overall improvement in the sense of well-being and quality of life. And nearly all remark on better quality sleep.
L-Theanine Clinical Research
Green Tea reduces incidence of stroke
Research has found that if L-Theanine is present in the body at the time stroke occurs, brain damage will be significantly reduced.
In this monster study done in China, researchers selected 14,212 subjects from 12 provinces. Ages ranged from 35 – 60 years old. The study looked at tea drinking status, dose and type of teas.
This study concluded there was a 40% decreased risk of stroke in those who drank green, black or jasmine teas.[xii]
L-Theanine improves memory
In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, the effect of L-Theanine on memory and attention was investigated.
91 subjects with mild cognitive impairment were enrolled in this study. One group received 1,680 mg of L-Theanine daily for 16 weeks. And the control group received a placebo.
The study concluded that L-Theanine increased brain Theta waves associated with cognitive alertness and creativity. And there were improvements in memory. The results of this study suggested that L-Theanine has potential as an intervention for cognitive improvement.[xiii]
And that is an understatement by any stretch. People spend years meditating. With the goal of reaching consistent access to brain wave states like Theta. In this trial, they did it with a dose of L-Theanine. The same type of dose you could get with a few cups of quality green tea.
L-Theanine reduces stress
Considerable research has been dedicated to L-Theanine and its benefits to stress reduction in both animal and human studies. And we have ample documentation that corticosterone and stress exert negative effects on memory.[xiv]
Corticosteroids which are secreted after stress, have a profound impact on long-term potentiation and memory formation.[xv]
In this animal study, rats were fed water containing L-Theanine for 3 weeks and put through some stress inducing exercise. The researchers found that corticosterone levels were lower in the rats who used L-Theanine compared to those who had none.
In fact, stress had no effect on the animals who were fed L-Theanine. Memory was not affected. The researchers concluded that L-Theanine modified corticosterone secretion. And L-Theanine is a strong preventive measure in preventing memory loss otherwise induced by stress.[xvi]
L-Theanine Recommended Dosage
Recommended dosage of L-Theanine is 100 – 400 mg once or twice per day. With a maximum of 1,200 mg per day according to the Cleveland Clinic.[xvii]
L-Theanine is water soluble so you can take it with water.
Labels on quality green tea often only display the amount of green tea leaf available in each bag in milligrams (mg). But not its L-Theanine content. Green tea that’s steeped correctly will offer 1-2% L-Theanine per cup. So 1,500 mg of green tea leaf would be about 30 mg. of L-Theanine (at 2%).
We often say that YMMV, and this is especially applicable to L-Theanine. Find out what works best for you. Start at a lower dose like 100 mg. And work your way up until you achieve the effects you’re looking for.
L-Theanine Side Effects
L-Theanine is a naturally occurring amino acid found in plants like tea or one species of mushroom. So it’s considered non-toxic and very safe.
Theanine seems to decrease blood pressure. So if you’re on meds for high blood pressure, use L-Theanine with caution. Your blood pressure could go too low.
Type of L-Theanine to Buy
L-Theanine is available in green, black and white teas. Green tea contains the most L-Theanine.
A great side benefit for neurohackers is green tea also contains caffeine. A cup of good quality green tea has less caffeine than a cup of coffee. About 10 mg less.
L-Theanine + Caffeine stack
One study done at Unilever in the UK looked at the combined effects of L-Theanine and caffeine on cognitive performance and mood. They compared 50 mg of caffeine with and without 100 mg of L-Theanine.
The research team had 27 volunteers participate. And based measurements on word recognition, rapid visual information processing, critical flicker fusion threshold, attentions switching and mood.
Performance was measured at the beginning, and again 60 minutes and 90 minutes after consumption. Separated by a 7-day washout period.
Caffeine improved alertness at 60 mins. And accuracy on attention-switching at 90 mins. The L-Theanine and caffeine combination improved both speed and accuracy, and reduced susceptibility to distracting information on the memory task.
The research team concluded that, “L-Theanine and caffeine in combination are beneficial for improving performance on cognitively demanding tasks”.[xviii]
And for an added bonus, L-Theanine takes the jittery-edge off of caffeine consumption.
The best pre-formulated caffeine + L-Theanine stack I’ve tried, and use is the new Performance Lab® Caffeine 2. It contains Natural Caffeine (from Coffea Robusta seeds) 50 mg, L-Theanine 100 mg, L-Tyrosine 250 mg, with a balanced NutriGenesis® B-Complex. For alert clean energy without the jitters.
L-Theanine from green tea
Extracting the optimal amount of L-Theanine from green tea is both art and science.
Researchers at the University of Newcastle in Australia set out to determine optimal conditions for water extraction of L-Theanine from green tea. They examined 4 different extraction methods. And learned that temperature, extraction time, ratio of water-to-tea and tea particle size had significant impacts on extraction yield of L-Theanine from green tea.
They concluded, “The optimal conditions for extracting theanine from green tea using water were found to be extraction at 80 °C for 30 min with a water-to-tea ratio of 20:1 mL/g and a tea particle size of 0.5-1 mm.” [xix]
So to get the most nootropic value when using green tea as your L-Theanine source – follow the directions. Just sayin’…
L-Theanine Supplements
L-Theanine is available in capsule or tablet form from several supplement manufacturers. Japanese company Taiyo is the oldest and most established company in the green tea supplement industry. Taiyo developed and patented a method for L-Theanine extraction from green tea called ‘Suntheanine®’.
Suntheanine can be found in some of higher quality pre-formulated nootropic stacks. For example, Mind Lab Pro® contains 11 brain enhancing nootropic compounds including Suntheanine.
Research has shown that some supplement makers using their own extraction method for L-Theanine, contain more than just the “L” form of Theanine. Turns out if it’s not done exactly right, you end up with a “D” form of Theanine.
D-Theanine may have a very different action in your body than L-Theanine. We’re not saying it’s dangerous. You just may not get all the benefit of pure L-Theanine.
So read the labels and reviews by people who have tried the product.
I recommend Mind Lab Pro because it uses Suntheanine. And addresses all aspects of anxiety resistance, memory and cognitive enhancement, stabilizes mood, brain repair, and maintenance.
This premium nootropic stack is designed to affect neurotransmitters, cognitive energy, brain waves, neuroprotection, and regeneration. See my Mind Lab Pro review for a detailed report.
You will also find Suntheanine® in the new Performance Lab® Caffeine 2. It contains Natural Caffeine (from Coffea Robusta seeds) 50 mg, L-Theanine 100 mg, L-Tyrosine 250 mg, with a balanced NutriGenesis® B-Complex.
Nootropics Expert Recommendation
L-Theanine 100 – 500 mg per day
I recommend using L-Theanine as a nootropic supplement.
Your body cannot make L-Theanine on its own. It’s a non-dietary amino acid only available from tea (and one little-known mushroom).
L-Theanine affects Alpha and Theta brain waves. This alone will help calm your mind, reduce stress, and help you stay alert. You’ll get even more cognitive benefit by stacking L-Theanine with caffeine.
L-Theanine helps boosts the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, and GABA. Improving alertness and attention. And boosting cognition and memory.
And it reduces the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate which is associated with stress, tension and agitation.
L-Theanine helps to prevent strokes, and even reduces the damaging effects if you’ve had a stroke.
And L-Theanine has been shown to improve sleep quality.
I suggest starting with a dose of 100 – 250 mg of L-Theanine daily for nootropic use. Using either a quality supplement, or high quality green tea.
Mind Lab Pro contains a synergistic blend of 11 brain enhancing nootropics covering all aspects of cognition and brain health. See my full Mind Lab Pro review for more.
Or for a smooth energy boost I recommend the new Performance Lab® Caffeine 2. For alert clean energy without the jitters.
Join The Discussion - 315 comments
Helena
March 25, 2018
I will ! By the way, as I told you before, Modalert is great for me. The problem is the quality of sleep at night. In any case I will continue to explore which is in itself very interesting and your site is a great source of information!
🙂
Helena
March 22, 2018
Hi,
Very interesting site and very interesting information. Thank you !
I would like to ask about a stack for motivation and focus/learning. I have tried Modafinil . I am good with it at 50 mgs but I don’t sleep well at night. Mucuna pruriens plain seed powder I teaspoon a day ( Indigo Herbs)let’s me sleep very well at night but I don’t get the drive I get with Modafinil. I tried Noopept but it did nothing or that’s what I think. I take a multivitamin with minerals daily and B-12 Methycobalamine apart because I am vegan. I also take L glutamine. Any ideas about how I could improve motivation and focus?
David Tomen
March 22, 2018
Helena, check out this post I wrote on hacking motivation with nootropics here > https://nootropicsexpert.com/hacking-motivation-with-nootropics/. It will help you understand where motivation comes from in your brain. And how to boost it with the right supplements.
Chances are Noopept didn’t work for you because you didn’t stack it with a choline supplement like Alpha GPC or CDP-Choline. Whenever you take something that increases or makes acetylcholine more effective in your brain, you need to supply your brain with the choline it needs to make acetylcholine. More here > https://nootropicsexpert.com/noopept/. I find that I’m much more productive on the days I use Noopept.
And scroll through the list of posts on this page for more ideas here > https://nootropicsexpert.com/blog/
One last thing … use the search function top right of Nootropic Expert and search for the keywords “vegetarian”. Your search will provide a list of nootropics most helpful to someone who is vegetarian or vegan.
Helena
March 23, 2018
Thank you so much for the response !! I will search what you told me to. About Noopept, I took it with Alpha GPC. I also tried it with soy lecithin. Yesterday I also drank a whole lot of tea… which I hate 🙂 But nothing happened. 🙁
David Tomen
March 23, 2018
Helena, we have a saying in the nootropics community. And it is YMMV. Which stands for “Your Mileage May Vary”. Maybe Noopept just isn’t for you. The key to success with nootropics is experimenting until you find out exactly what works for you. So keep reading and trying things out. It may take a little awhile but I think you’ll be surprised. Stay with it.
Teresa
February 12, 2018
I am trying to taper off 1mg of Xanax per day. I am also on 20mg. Celexa. I noticed in your video on L-Theanine that you said don’t use it with Xanax. Will you please explain more on that.
David Tomen
February 12, 2018
Teresa, L-Theanine increases dopamine, serotonin, and GABA in your brain. Xanax affects GABA in your brain and how it works. And Celexa is a SSRI which means it increases serotonin. The problem here is L-Theanine is doing similar things in your brain. Combining all of them could result in problems.
This issue of drug interactions with many nootropic supplements is mentioned throughout Nootropics Expert. It is a dangerous thing to do. And in some cases can be deadly. So please be careful and consult a knowledgeable doctor if you can before combining any nootropic with your current meds.
Arj
July 28, 2019
Hi David,
Great site! I really appreciate how you are helping others with your long experience in Nootropics.
I had a related question to L-Theanine contra-indications. Would you say that it will be a similar case with Pristiq as Xanax?
David Tomen
July 29, 2019
Arj, I don’t understand your question. Pristiq is a SNRI and Xanax is a benzo. Neither has the same mechanism of action as L-Theanine.
Arj
July 29, 2019
Oh. I meant to ask if I can take Pristiq with L-Theanine as Pristiq also increases Serotonin. Sorry for the choice of words.
Thank you for the quick reply.
David Tomen
July 30, 2019
Arj, you should be OK because L-Theanine doesn’t directly boost serotonin or norepinephrine like their precursors do. But I’d still use caution. Try the lowest recommended dosage at first and see how you feel.
Irene
February 8, 2018
Your video on L-theanine on YouTube was great! Thank you.
Would you happen to know if the thyroid supplement, Amour and L-theanine can be taken safely together? And would L-theanine alter thyroid blood results?
I take L-Glutamine in powder form mixed in water once a day as well, is that ok to take along side L-theanine?
David Tomen
February 8, 2018
Thank you Irene. I use NP Thyroid and drink 4 cups of green tea per day. And it hasn’t had any affect on my thyroid labs.
Looking at the mechanism of action of L-Glutamine and L-Theanine doesn’t raise any red flags either. We are all unique in so many ways so your experience may be different. But both are non-toxic used in reasonable doses so it should be safe to try. And see how you feel.
Scott Hausmann
January 20, 2018
My son, Is a 33 year old male. Deals with anxiety and sleeplessness. Some nights he doesnt sleep at all. In desperate need of quality sleep. Would taking L’Theanine help him get the sleep he needs. Probably have too much beta brain waves and not enough alpha. Scott
David Tomen
January 20, 2018
Scott, L-Theanine should help your son but it will likely take more than one supplement to get anxiety and insomnia under control.
Please see my post on sleep here > https://nootropicsexpert.com/best-nootropics-for-sleep/
And my post on dealing with anxiety here > https://nootropicsexpert.com/best-nootropics-for-social-anxiety/
The key to using nootropic supplements for healing or optimizing anything is experimentation. And undoing the Western conditioning that there is a “one pill” solution for just about anything. It will very likely take a ‘stack’ of at least 4 – 6 supplements to get insomnia and anxiety under control.
Kayleigh Emerson
October 1, 2017
Hi there,
Thank for the informative post. For the past year or so, I have been slowly recovering from the effects of my childhood traumas.
The effects of which led to about 4 or more years of heavy drug abuse, impulsive behavior, ADHD, symptoms of bipolar disorder, high levels of stress, anxiety, insomnia, and long periods of depression.
Until about two years ago, I totally refused to see any therapists, or take any prescribed medication, and somehow managed to survive and even get to almost live a “normal life.”
I must mention, that throughout my childhood and teenage years I suffered from anxiety, panic attacks, showed signs of OCD, went through periods of total mania, followed by periods of depression.
I have also always been interested in holistic therapies, in spirituality, and have always been one for natural medicine over pharmaceuticals.
I had my first epileptic seizure at the age of 15 after I had been using methamphetamine for 4 days and staring at a computer screen for 12 hours. I did not recall having the experience and only felt my jaw was very sore and my body felt extremely tense. Since that was not unusual for me really, I and nobody even properly explained to me what epilepsy is at the time, I would not have even known that I had a seizure, had my mother not told me later on that evening.
After that, I changed my life, moved in with my gran and started to live a more healthy lifestyle. I even wrote music, poetry, and taught myself to do web design and digital marketing all on my own. I felt healthy and had no psychological problems, and was able to learn and process new information quicker than most people, for about 2 years.
Anyway, to cut a very long story short, when I was 17, just after my mother was arrested for drug-dealing, I had to move in with my father and step-siblings, where I felt misunderstood and then started to rebel.
I did my best to tolerate the situation but not even a year passed, and I simply ran away from home, convinced that I would find a way to achieve my then very unrealistic dreams.
Unfortunately, despite my desire to succeed, more negative events kept re-occurring and so I began using drugs myself, making it easier to become even more isolated from the world, causing even more horrific events I won’t mention.
The strange thing though is that it was only after 8 years, that I had another seizure. This one was more severe though and I actually felt the impact on my memory, my ability to work, and my anxiety worsened.
That was around the same time that I took on a daily meditation practice, and also started doing yoga. Just last year, I had 4 seizures in total, each worse than the last, and the last one was about a month ago.
I have just turned 26 years old, and am very lucky to be in the position I am in. Until about 6 months ago, and for the past few years I was a total wreck, I honestly dreaded waking up every single morning, could barely get myself through the day and was on the verge of giving up completely, but then I decided to pick myself up. The yoga, meditation and probably a spark of ambition that I still carried on me from my childhood, helped me more than anything.
Although I still use cannabis, I have been almost completely clean from other hard drugs for almost a month now. I began to take various supplements every day, including Gabba, Folic acid, Gingko Bonobo, sceletium extract, multivitamins, and zeolite. I still felt exhausted and found it very hard to maintain any focus or inspiration to follow through.
Two weeks ago, I started taking Noopept every morning, and Phenibut in the evenings. The effects have been amazing and I finally feel like I have some sort of control over my own mental state.
In the past, I used GHB, Serepax or other benzodiazepines to try to deal with my insomnia and social anxiety problems, and also hoping that this would help reduce the likelihood of another seizure. I realize now that this was not the right way, but I also realize that the Phenibut cannot be a good alternative.
I have been taking Noopept twice a day, 30mgs once in the morning, and another 30mgs in the afternoon and it has helped so much. I also have been taking 250mgs of Phenibut once or twice during the day mainly during social interventions to reduce anxiety, and some nights I have been taking 500 – 750mgs to sleep.
I have never felt better, but I realize that the Phenibut might not be substantial for me, since I do at times feel a slight tinge of withdrawal, and I worry that this might bring on another siezure.
I am considering getting L-thylamine to use instead, or at least to alternate between times when I am not using the Phenibut to reduce the chance of withdrawal, since it also contains gabba and might help me get to sleep.
I cannot seem to find any real information about how to stack Nootropics if you have epilepsy, so I just wanted to ask if this is a good idea?
Thank you and sorry for the long post.
David Tomen
October 2, 2017
Kayleigh, thank you for sharing your story. I am certainly not an expert on epilepsy and can’t provide much advice in treating it. The first thing I’d say is be very cautious about using Phenibut and anything else that messes with GABA in your brain. Particularly since you’re experiencing symptoms of epilepsy. You may also want to consider changing from cannabis to CBD Oil. Please read this review I just published on CBD Oil and you may understand why > https://nootropicsexpert.com/cbd-oil/.
Next, please see this post I did on treating Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) here > https://nootropicsexpert.com/best-nootropics-for-traumatic-brain-injury/. Your life story so far points to brain injury of some kind. And for lasting relief you’ll need to do some repair. That post has a proposed nootropic stack for treating this type of injury. The rest of the post explains why it works.
One other suggestion… the childhood you describe and your life since sounds a lot like you’re dealing with PTSD. TBI and PTSD have a lot in common. I just published a post on dealing with PTSD that may also provide you with some ideas here > https://nootropicsexpert.com/treating-post-hurricane-ptsd-with-nootropic-supplements/.
No one to my knowledge has done much research on treating epilepsy with nootropic supplements. Mostly because scientists are still trying to pinpoint exactly why it happens. That article on CBD Oil is my first real exposure to this condition. One final suggestion is do a search on Nootropics Expert using the keyword “epilepsy” and seen what turns up.
I truly hope this gives you some ideas. If anyone else reading this comment has experience with epilepsy and nootropic supplements please share.
Barb W.
September 5, 2017
Hi David, Barb here. I like the idea of l-theanine, but not sure
when to take it & what dose.?. I do have some anxiety & stress,
but sleep well. Also, I drink 3/5 cups of coffee in a.m. (50/50
blend caff./decaff.)What do you think? Barb
David Tomen
September 5, 2017
Hi Barb, Yes, L-Theanine should help you. I do 3 – 4 cups of regular coffee before 1 PM. During the day I drink about 4 cups of organic green tea. Works great together. No jitters or anything else from the caffeine consumption. Alert with no anxiety all day long. I suggest following the dosage instructions in this review. Even better would be get the benefit of drinking organic green tea during the day because it provides much more than just L-Theanine. But short of that, a high quality L-Theanine like Suntheanine. But follow the dosage suggestions in this article. Not necessarily what it says on the label.
John
November 23, 2016
Hello,
i’m a 30 years old and student (yes,i decited it a little bit late) and i am very new to nootropics supplements and also very excisted about this supps.
I need a very good stack to help me in my very demanding schedule.
As far as now i am getting when i wake up with empty stomach an Acetyl L Carnitine(500mg)+Alpha Lipoic Ocid(500mg). After about 45minutes i have my breakfast and with it i swallow a Ginkgo Biloba extract (stand. 24% etc 120mg) and a ginseng panax (concetrate equall to 1500mg root).
I also use curcumin (novasol-solgar),omega 3,and a vitamin b super complex through the day.
My next purchase/addendum will be L-Theanine (powder) and N- Acetyl – L – Tyrosine (aslo powder).
Is a good idea? What time of the day can i use them? Are a good combo? Are too much? Can L-Theanine plus N- Acetyl -L -Tyrosine be used in the morning with empty stomach combined with ALCAR+ALA?
I will extremelly appreciate your advices!! :)) I need a serius boost with my difficult studies.
David Tomen
November 23, 2016
John, you’ve put together a good stack for someone just getting started with nootropics. L-Theanine and NALT can be taken at the same time. Just be careful of dosage for each. Because both boost dopamine. If you feel yourself starting to get irritable or amped-up you likely have too much dopamine.
And make sure that your B-Vitamin complex is using folate instead of folic acid, and methylcobalamin instead of cobalamin. I recommend you check out these two posts as well. They may give you some other ideas on how to tweak your stack.
https://nootropicsexpert.com/beginners-guide-to-nootropic-stacks/
https://nootropicsexpert.com/how-to-create-the-best-nootropic-stack/
Edward
August 2, 2019
Hello. Is an American company “Now Foods” – a good one?
David Tomen
August 2, 2019
Edward, yes, I like NOW Foods because they test every batch of every product they manufacture. But like any manufacturer you need to make sure the supplement you are considering doesn’t have any or minimal “other ingredients”.