Is it OK to take L-Theanine every day?

L-Theanine is one of the best natural supplements in the world, full stop. Theanine has a diverse array of beneficial effects in the human body which make it unusually suitable for use in a broad range of supplements, from nootropics and caffeine pills to sleep aids and natural anxiety supplements.

Today L-Theanine is often a central ingredient in the best nootropics and the most potent energy supplements. Gone are the days when L-Theanine is thought of as a weak natural supplement you take by drinking tea. Thanks to a trove of research conducted on theanine, we now know that it is an effective, potent, and fast-acting nootropic and energy supplement in its own right.

But lately there has been a growing concern among users regarding the safety of daily theanine use. After all, a supplement that is so effective at reducing anxiety, suppressing blood pressure and relaxing the body most probably has at least some side effects when taken every day.

So, is Theanine safe to take every single day?

What are the side effects of taking L-Theanine every day?

Let’s take a closer look at what L-Theanine does and how it affects the body to see what the dangers of daily L-Theanine use are for most users.

Is it bad to take L-Theanine everyday?

Taking theanie every day is not a bad idea if you are struggling with any of the conditions that theanine is known to help. If you sufer with anxiety, high blood pressure, jitters, poor sleep quality or insomnia, theanine can be enormously helpful.

Theanine is also not a bad idea if you tend to consume a lot of caffeine on a daily basis.Theanine enhances the beneficial effects of caffeine while minimizing its side effects.

If any of this applis to you, then supplementing with theanine every day is a very good idea, especially given L-Theanine’s excellent side effect and safety profile.

What are the benefits of taking L-Theanine daily?

There are many benefits to taking L-Theanine daily. L-Theanine may help reduce stress, and a reduction in stress and anxiety can lower the heart rate. In turn, this may help lower blood pressure. Studies show a major benefit of taking L-Theanine daily is lower blood pressure and reduced anxiety.

Contrary to what some people may think, taking theanine daily is potentially better than taking it now and again. Most studies looking at daily theanine use find that the benefits of the amino acid become more pronounced with long-term, consistent, daily use. The studies showing themost marked improvements in stress, anxiety, sleep and cognitive performance all use a twice-daily dosing schedule for L-Theanine and tend to last for at least 6 weeks.

The main benefits of taking L-Theanine daily as observed in clinical trials include:

• Reduced stress and anxiety
• Increased focus and mental clarity
• Improved sleep quality and duration
• Elevated mood
• Promotes weight loss and blood sugar control
• Attenuates the side effects of caffeine and other stiulants
• Makes stimulants and nootropics more effective

With such a varied list of benefits, it is no wonder that so many supplements contain L-Theanine.

However, this is not to say that Theanine is completely safe in all circumstances. As with all supplements – even natural nootropics and energy boosters – the amount you take dictates how safe a substance is in practice. So what happens if you take too much L-Theanine?

What happens when you take too much L-Theanine?

Theanine is generally safe and side effect-free when taken in reasonable doses. Even daily, long-term use of L-Theanine is not normally associated with side effects.

But sometimes L-Theanine does cause side effects. Normally, this happens either when someone reacts in a highly unusual way to theanine, or if theanine is used alongside other substances which make side effects much more likely (i.e. stimulants like caffeine and theobromine). It is also a lot more likely that you’ll experience side effects when mixing Theanine and alcohol.

You may see reports that Theanine can make anxiety worse. However, this is an incredibly rare side effect of theanine and is typically the result of theanine negatively interacting with other drugs, particularly anti-anxiety medications, antidepressants and sleeping pills.

More rarely, people experience side effects when they take very large doses of theanine. This is, of course, not advisable; any substance will cause side effects when consumed in very large quantities, especially when said substance influences neurotransmitter levels!

The side effects of taking too much L-Theanine every day include:

1. Dizziness
2. Shortness of breath
3. Low blood pressure
4. Nausea
5. Headaches
6. Irritability
7. Heart palpitations

You can reliably avoid side effects from L-Theanine by no taking too much in one serving or in any one day. Taking too much theanine is pointless; above doses of about 200mg at a time, you will not experience any extra benefits by taking more L-Theanine.

How to take L-Theanine daily for best results

The best way to take L-Theanine is to consume dosages of 50 to 200mg 1-2 times daily. The effects of L-theanine start immediately and can last 6-8 hours, so one dose of L-Theanine in the morning and one at night is optimal for reducing stress and promoting sleep.

For the best possible results, we recommend stacking theanine with other substances which help you achieve the same goals. Combining theanine with other natual nootropics, energy supplements and sleep aids is always moe effective than taking theanine daily alone.

Of course, how you use Theanine depends on what you are looking to get out of the nootropic. Theanine has some of the broadest benefits of any natural nootropic substance. It is one of the best nootropics for energy, it is an effctive nootropic for depression, and as a companion to caffeine pills. That said, we strongly recommend using theanine on a consistent basis. Taking it daily is optimal if you want maximum benefits with minimal side effects.

Combining Theanine with other nootropics like Tyrosine, Citicoline and Caffeine is the best way to enhance overall cognitive performance. 

Brian Johnson, PhD

Brian Johnson is current Editor of Vagarights.com and a long-time writer for VAGA. A former psychologist, Brian is passionate about improving mental health and finding ways to stave off cognitive decline. He is an expert on nootropics, cognitive enhancement and biohacking more broadly. You can see his work on Google scholar.