Comment · Fri, December 14, 2012 · Ceretropic
Can I ignore the negative health risks associated with Caffeine if I supplement it with l-theanine?
What they were answering
timmycook58 · -5 points
you know what I'm asking.
High blood pressure etc
u/MisterYouAreSoDumb · Ceretropic
No I don't know what you are asking, unless you actually ask it. Caffeine has many different side effects, and they are not all linked to the same systems.
Caffeine is an adenosine receptor competitive inhibitor. This antagonism leads to higher levels of many of the brain's neurotransmitters. The jittery feelings and elevated heart rates are due to norepinephrine, and to a some extent, glutamate. Caffeine also decreases the activity of acetylcholinesterase. This increases the levels of ACh in your system, leading to it's slight nootropic effect. Caffeine is also a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, which leads to increased levels of epinephrine in the system. It also increases lipid oxidation and decreases usage of glycogen by muscles. It's actions widespread and varied.
L-theanine increases the levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). This is your body's main inhibitory neurotransmitter, which counteracts some of the stimulant properties found in caffeine. L-theanine also increases dopamine levels. It also has been shown to be a glutamic acid antagonist. This will protect you from excitioxocity, which caffeine can exacerbate due to it's effects on glutamate.
L-Theanine will:
* Help with jittery feelings associated with caffeine's increase in norepinephrine and glutamate.
* Help with a mental calming effect due to it's increase in GABA.
* Boost the immune system by increasing T cells.
L-theanine will NOT:
* Effect caffeine induced increases in acetylcholine.
* Effect caffeine induced increases in epinephrine or lipid oxidation.
* Effect caffeine tolerance.
* Effect caffeine's alteration of sleep cycles.