Supplements
L-theanine
Across 1,410 answers, 4% gave the top answer (a 10/10 or “changed my life”) and 56% said it helped a lot or more.
All answers · 1,410 answers
- Life-changing
- Big help
- Slight help
- Did nothing
- Made it worse
Have you tried it?
Only answer if you've tried L-theanine. What did it do for you?
What is it?
L-theanine is an amino acid found in tea and sold in supplements, alone or blended with other ingredients. People buy it hoping for relaxation, sleep or fewer uncomfortable sensations from coffee.
A capsule is different from a cup of tea. Marketing that combines calm and concentration does not guarantee you will experience either, or make it a replacement for care for an anxiety or sleep problem.
All answers
1,410 answers in total: 1,404 from surveys and 6 from this site.
- Life-changing: 4%, 57 votes
- Big help: 52%, 739 votes
- Slight help: 31%, 443 votes
- Did nothing: 12%, 165 votes
- Made it worse: 0.7%, 6 of 873 answers
By questionnaire
On this site · 6 answers
Surveys with all five answers · 867 answers from Nootroflix (2022)
Surveys without “made it worse” · 537 answers from the SlateStarCodex 2016 nootropics survey and the SlateStarCodex 2014 nootropics survey
- Life-changing
- Big help
- Slight help
- Did nothing
- Made it worse
Survey answers are converted to these five answers. Each share above counts only the questionnaires that offered that answer, because not every survey offered all five. In Nootroflix (2022), the SlateStarCodex 2016 nootropics survey, and the SlateStarCodex 2014 nootropics survey, a 10 out of 10 rating counts as “changed my life”.
What does it feel like?
You may notice nothing. Some people describe calm, but there is no fixed experience that predicts how you will feel.
A product containing caffeine or other ingredients makes the source of any sensation harder to identify. Feeling calmer does not show that the blend is safe or that theanine cancels its other risks.
What are the risks?
Long-term safety and interactions in people remain poorly understood. Combining it with sedatives warrants review, although some interaction concerns come from animal research. Pregnancy and breastfeeding lack adequate safety data.
A dependence or withdrawal syndrome is not well established, but limited research is not reassurance. Being sold as a supplement does not mean it has been assessed like a medicine. Other medication needs checking rather than relying on the word natural.
More in Supplements
L-theanine ranks #11 of 31 in Supplements for life-changing.
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- 2Vitamin DVitamin D3 supplements, often taken in winter or with little sun. How people who took it rate it, from no effect at all to life-changing.7%582 votes
- 3Omega-3Fish oil or algae capsules taken for the heart, mood or joints. How people who take omega-3 rate it, from no effect at all to life-changing.6.6%968 votes
- 4CreatineCreatine monohydrate, a daily supplement for strength training and, by some, for focus. How people who took it rate it, from no effect at all to life-changing.5.9%1,238 votes
- 5MelatoninMelatonin pills or gummies taken before bed, for sleep or jet lag. How people who took it rate it, from no effect at all to life-changing.5%1,562 votes
- 11L-theanineThis pageAn amino acid from tea, taken to relax, sleep or smooth out coffee's jitters. How people who took it rate it, from no effect at all to life-changing.3.4%1,410 votes
Know someone who's tried L-theanine?
Every answer makes this page more accurate. Share it with people who've tried L-theanine, whether it changed their life or did nothing for them.
Self-reported experiences, not medical advice. High scores mean people reported strong positive effects. They do not mean something is safe, effective long-term, or appropriate for you. Self-reports can miss delayed harms, dependence, withdrawal, side effects, and selection bias. Don't start or stop a medication because of a chart.
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