My 3 Favorite Supplements Series: Theanine (Blog Classic, Jan. 20, 2009)
We've heard a lot over the past couple of years about the health benefits of green and black tea, and as a regular tea drinker I was glad to hear it! I'd been doing something good for myself without even knowing it. (It also helps me rationalize my caffeine addiction.) But it wasn't until I developed a new symptom that I started looking at tea as part of my treatment regimen.
That symptom was a tremor in my hands. I eventually got in to see a neurologist and was diagnosed with "essential tremor" (medical-speak for, "You have a tremor. We don't know why.") Before the appointment, though, I'd read that some tremors are linked to low dopamine levels. I also knew that theanine -- an amino acid in black and green tea -- can boost dopamine (also norepinephrine, and possibly serotonin). I started drinking at least 3 servings of tea a day, and the tremor went away. When I drank less, it came back.
Several other people in my forum had previously mentioned they also had essential tremor, so I asked the doctor if it was possibly an unrecognized fibromyalgia symptom in a subset of us that has lower dopamine. His response was, "It's entirely possible."
In addition to its effect on neurotransmitters, theanine's scientifically proven effects include:
- Boosting mental alertness and vigor
- Lowering blood pressure and bad cholesterol
- Regulating the sleep/wake cycle
- Relaxation and lowering anxiety
- Boosting energy
- Increasing anti-tumor activity
- Improving memory and slowing brain shrinkage due to aging or illness
- Protecting the body and brain from toxins
This is all backed by scientific studies, and what's more -- you can get a beneficial effect from just a few servings of tea a day. Research also suggests that the decaffeination process doesn't take out the theanine. (It has to be decaf green or black tea, though - not herbal teas!)
Because I don't want to rely on remembering to drink a certain amount of tea everyday, I switched to theanine supplements. At the time, I felt a distinct increase in my energy and mental alertness, my blood pressure became better controlled that it was with just medication, and my moods improved. My productivity around the house just about tripled as well. Since then, theanine has become a little less effective for me (which happens to us with a lot of treatments) and my tremor has begun to surface again. Fortunately, it's okay for me to increase my theanine levels because there's no known side effects, toxicity level or negative drug interactions.
Have you used tea or theanine supplements to improve your health? What was your experience? Leave your comments below!
Also See: Sublingual B Complex
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It’s nice to know that theanine — an amino acid in black and green tea — can boost dopamine (also norepinephrine, and possibly serotonin) and there’s no known side effects, toxicity level or negative drug interactions.
I wish I would have known this a month ago… You wouldn’t believe the confusing mess I just dealt with! My hands were shaking, sometimes my whole body would tremble. I saw my rheumatologist for my regular 6-8 month check-up and mentioned it. I also mentioned an update to my records, one uncle had MS and my other uncle was just DX’d with ALS. (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Well that concerned my doc and he set me up for an EMG test where they stick needles in you, make a mild shock and then measure how well your nerves are reacting. He said it will be an “unpleasant” test. That means TERRIBLE, I’m sure! HA! Well a few days before the test, I figured out my shaking was caused by Darvocet withdrawal! I only take it if I am in particularly bad pain for a couple days straight. Stopping makes me shake. I drink iced green tea ALL day long and have for years. I did not know that not drinking it could make me shake too! There have been days where I just didn’t feel up to making the tea and just drank water. That explains the times I have trembled when it had nothing to do with the Darvocet! Good to know, and doubly happy that I cancelled that nasty sounding EMG test! Adrienne, I cannot thank you enough for your work here!
Although I don’t know in this case, an alternative to increasing levels of something is to take it _less_ frequently (or in lesser amounts). I’ve noticed with vitamin B6 for example, that if I take too much it, I’ll actually get worse working memory out of it. Unless there is reason to believe your condition is getting worse (or it is an addictive substance), I would think decreasing the frequency/amount could be a better solution if it had a positive effect the first time (though I am not a doctor).
I dread to think about what condition I’d been in if I hadn’t drank all that tea! My husband says I walk out of the bedroom in the morning with my hand out and my pointing finger crooked saying “tea….tea….tea”!
Seriously, my slight tremor got much worse about 2 1/2 years ago. After doing the round with tests and Doctors they said “essential tremor”. Very recently I discovered I was suffering from Serotonin Syndrome. About the time the tremor got worse (and a lot of other problems appeared or starting getting worse they had put me on the third SSRI. (100mg Zoloft, 50 mg Deseryl and 300 mg Ultram ER being the third) I’m not trying to play doctor here but if you develop a tremor or if one you have gets much worse with the increase of SSRI’s you are taking you need to discuss it with your doctor. They are really starting to discover that more is not always better with us and SSRI. On a side note though, do not try do decrease or stop taking SSRI’s without the supervision of a doctor. They can do a number on you.
Ha! Essential tremor. I’ll say. When I first got what some of you call the fall down flu ten years ago, I was sicker than I have been in my whole life. One of the most astonishing symptoms I had was the way I was shaking. I thought I was going to shake myself apart. Over the next year the symtoms of the virus would reoccur, though with less and less frequency and strength. I find that if I am taking care of myself and am happy, I don’t shake at all. If I get sick, or just don’t feel well, combined with stress, I have the tremors. I am so glad that the National Instute of Health has identified that a retrovirus is involved for some of us. Perhaps the end(other than death) is in sight for us.
Does it matter if the tea is decaffeinated or not?
I have ME/CFS and I’ve had the best results with Organic Royal Matcha Green Tea. I don’t know if it’s because it’s stone ground into a powder so it’s more easily absorbed by the body or because it’s considered a superior tea or what it is but I feel really good after a cup of it. I feel Relaxed and Alert which is a hard combination to attain with CFS’s usual state of Wired and Tired.
I second the Matcha suggestion. I recently started drinking Match and it is amazing how it gives energy and calmness at the same time. Also very high in antioxidants. Recommend using Organic Matcha.
As with many Fibromalgia suffers, getting a good night’s sleep and more so, waking up refreshed, is hard to come by. I started drinking green tea about a month ago, after I noticed it was one of the main ingredients in a Xango supplement for energy and calmness. Almost immediately I was getting more restful nights. It has also help me with for facial and shoulder pain. I hope I will not develop an immunity to it, as stated in the initial article, as I am already wondering how I could live without it. God bless and Cheers!