Why We Drink Coffee
When I ask people about their morning coffee, many admit that they don't particularly enjoy it. The main reason for waking up, running to Tim Hortons, turning on their Keurig, or grinding beans for their french press is that coffee makes them feel focused, productive, and alert.
It's a well known fact coffee is a good source of caffeine, a naturally occurring compound found in lesser amounts in cocoa, tea (camellia sinensis, which includes black, green, white, and other teas), yerba mate and other organic sources. It makes us feel productive, helps us focus, and gives us energy which is why the majority of North Americans enjoy at least one cup of coffee every day.
Coffee is, for the most part, an effective, essential tool to kick-start our day. Even as an earlier riser and feeling energized in the morning, I dread the day my work runs out of coffee one random morning. We've become rather dependent on coffee to keep us energized and focused, especially during our busy workdays.
But have you ever had too much coffee and felt anxious or jittery? Unable to sit still, have the shakes, can't focus?
This is just one of the side effects of high caffeine intake. Taking caffeine pills? You'll experience the same thing if you exceed your personal threshold (dependent on your regular coffee intake). There's usually a fine line, and many, due to genetically inherited traits, are more susceptible to the negative effects of caffeine.
So perhaps you avoid caffeine or coffee because of the jitters, the increased heart rate and feelings of anxiety. But what if I told you there was a scientifically proven, cost-effective way to enhance your coffee? Not only can it reduce the jitters and anxiety, but it amplifies the already attractive benefits of caffeine. Too good to be true, right?
Believe it or not, it's true. This compound I'm referring to is called l-theanine.
L-Theanine: The Friendly Amino Acid
L-theanine is an amino acid extracted from the leaves of camellias sinensis — the common tea plant. It's responsible for some of the savoury notes you find in green tea and is a very common relaxant, often mixed with other natural supplements to induce calm. Also known as a nootropic — a cognitive enhancing drug (a 100% legal) — theanine can help improve cognitive function, but it's most well known benefit is it's ability to reduce mental fatigue and stress.
Nootropics like theanine often affect people differently due to a number biological factors. Some feel the stress reliving effect more so than others, while some feel more focused and feel less mental strain throughout the day. It's hard to tell how it will effect you until you try it.
Even by itself, l-theanine is an effective nootropic. When combined with caffeine, there's a pronounced synergistic effect. This means you experience heightened focus, awareness, and energy, as well as reduced stressed and improved mental endurance.
Sounds too good to be true, right? There must be some negative side effects.
Well, lucky for you, l-theanine has been shown to have basically no level of toxicity, dependency, or tolerance, meaning you could theoretically take large doses without any negative side effects. I enjoy l-theanine as a sleeping aid in higher doses, sicne it induces calm and is proven to improve quality of sleep.
L-theanine's mechanisms aren't 100% understood but very well documented. Do some research and see; it's the safest nootropic out there, even more so than the caffeine from your coffee.
Dosing Caffeine and L-Theanine
So how does one take caffeine and l-theanine together?
The easiest method would be to take a caffeine pill and a l-theanine pill half an hour before you want to experience the effects. The ratio of caffeine to theanine is generally 1:2 (100 mg of caffeine with 200 mg of theanine). Most theanine and caffeine pills are available in 100 mg doses, so that would mean taking one 100 mg caffeine pill (generally the same amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee!) and two 100 mg theanine pills. But this is not always the case, so be sure to check.
Realistically, most people are more likely to only have theanine pills or theanine powder with coffee as their caffeine source. In this case, take 200 mg (often times two theanine pills) with a cup of coffee. I usually add my theanine powder straight to my coffee (it doesn't taste like much but you might prefer the pills).
What makes this combination even better is that you can enjoy it on an empty stomach, with or without food, and it's effectiveness won't be inhibited. Unlike many other nootropics, the caffeine-theanine combo is well document, very safe and works great multiple times a day (just don't take caffeine at night, if you can).
My Tips and Tricks
Here are some personal insights from my time using caffeine and l-theanine, all based off my own experiences:
Play around with the ratios. You might need more theanine to feel that calm, collected focus when combined with caffeine. Or, you might need less, and feel tired after 200 mg of theanine. Do what works best for you, don't be afraid to experiment.
Don't fall for premium/extra-strong theanine. By whatever from whatever vendors you can afford and trust (and be sure it's 99% pure l-theanine). You can find l-theanine at your local drug store in many cases and it's often found in it's pure form. Some solid, proven vendors include Liftmode, Purebulk and Nootropic Depot, but check out Amazon for well-rated products. It's not very expensive, especially in powder form.
Although theanine is extremely safe, it can most certainly make you sleepy if you take high doses (which, if you're looking for longer, higher quality sleep, it can help). Be weary of excessive doses (500 mg or more) when you are driving or operating machinery. Like any new health product, do your research and if you have questions, talk to a doctor to see if it's right for you.
Just because theanine synergies with coffee doesn't mean you should take more caffeine that you regularly do. You can indeed overdose on caffeine (very high levels, but regardless, enjoy it in moderation).
Due to how caffeine is absorbed as a liquid in your body (some is absorbed in the mouth, throat, etc.), you may experience more immediate effects than taking caffeine pills. Pills only release their caffeine in the stomach, which may inhibit the total amount of available caffeine. See what works best for you!
I hope you found this article helpful and educational. My goal is to help everyone find real strategies that make getting through the workday just a little easier, one step at a time. If you liked this story, feel free to follow me for more weekly posts.
Let me know if theanine has helped you become more productive!
Thanks again for reading.