One of the most popular and simple nootropic stacks is Caffeine stacked with L-Theanine. But first of all, what is a nootropic stack?

When shopping for nootropics, you will often find them in ‘stacks’. Think of a ‘stack’ as something similar to a multivitamin. It is much more efficient to take a multivitamin than a singular vitamin at a time, and you will see the most health benefits that way. The same goes for a nootropic stack. Instead of taking one single nootropic, you can take multiple nootropics, since these have been carefully combined in order to maximize their benefits.

L-Theanine Notroopic Consumption

A Caffeine and L-Theanine stack is a prime example of this process. You probably consume caffeine daily, whether it be in the form of coffee, tea or soda. However, you are missing out on some of the best benefits by consuming caffeine alone, without combining it with any L-Theanine, you could achieve better results. You will find out more about the interaction of these two powerful substances later on in this article.

Benefits of L-Theanine

We’ll kick off by researching them separately vs L-Theanine with Caffeine as a single supplement.

L-Theanine – an amino acid found in green tea increases GABA, serotonin, and dopamine levels in your brain. Producing an energizing and calming effect while improving learning and memory. L-Theanine also boosts alpha and theta brain waves. Promoting alert relaxation and relief from the trauma of exams. You get calm, relaxed thinking without sedation.

L-Theanine is responsible for tea’s relaxing, anti-stress effects. In this concentrated form, it creates a focusing anti-anxiety effect that is valued in itself and is also used to take the edge off other nootropic compounds.

Benefits of Caffeine

Caffeine is the most widely used psychoactive drug in the world. Used in moderation is a great nootropic for studying because it helps improve reaction time, alertness, memory, and mood. Caffeine may increase wakefulness: instead of becoming sleepy, you are more alert.

Moreover, caffeine helps improve reaction time, memory, and mood. Studies show chronic Caffeine consumption may protect against developing neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Caffeine improves mood within an hour of consumption. This is because it increases the density of GABA receptors, potentiates dopamine, and causes some serotonin receptors to be more responsive. [1]

Mixing L-Theanine & Caffeine for Productivity

Let’s now see more closely the benefits of this powerful stack: Caffeine + L-Theanine.

This great natural stimulant nootropic stack allows for a synergistic effect to promote cognition, motivation and attention. Often taken with an early morning coffee, L-Theanine reduces the jitters and anxiety of caffeine whilst amplifying the cognitive benefits, creating clean and lucid energy. It has a similar mellowing and amplifying effect on Piracetam, Phenylpiracetam, and Adrafinil.

Therefore, when L-Theanine and Caffeine are combined there is a significant improvement in alertness and attention-switching task performance. More so than with caffeine alone.

L-Theanine and Caffeine have clear beneficial effects on sustained attention, memory, and suppression of distraction. Moreover, L-Theanine was found to lead to relaxation by reducing caffeine-induced arousal. [2]

References

Tomen, David (2020). Secrets of the Optimized Brain: 92 Nootropics to Unlock your True Brain Potential. Nootropics Expert (3rd Edition).

L-Theanine

Examine Article

Wikipedia Entry

The acute effects of L-theanine in comparison with alprazolam on anticipatory anxiety in humans

L-theanine relieves positive, activation, and anxiety symptoms in patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder: an 8-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2-center study

L-theanine, a natural constituent in tea, and its effect on the mental state

L-Theanine, an amino acid in green tea, attenuates beta-amyloid-induced cognitive dysfunction and neurotoxicity: reduction in oxidative damage and inactivation of ERK/p38 kinase and NF-kappaB pathways

L-theanine administration results in neuroprotection and prevents glutamate receptor agonist-mediated injury in the rat model of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion

The effects of L-theanine (Suntheanine) on objective sleep quality in boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

How much theanine in a cup of tea? Effects of tea type and method of preparation

L-Theanine prevents alcoholic liver injury by enhancing the antioxidant capability of hepatocytes

Effects of theanine on alcohol metabolism and hepatic toxicity

[1] Caffeine: Cognitive and Physical Performance Enhancer or Psychoactive Drug?

Credit: NootrpicExpert