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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> L-Theanine for Stress and Anxiety
        
(Message started by: Ob1kanobee on Jan 26^th, 2007, 1:14am)

Title: L-Theanine for Stress and Anxiety
Post by Ob1kanobee on Jan 26^th, 2007, 1:14am

L-theanine may be old news for some here but I found it interesting and I'm just starting it for my anxiety. I am using specific Suntheanine. If you Google it, this stuff seems like a dead ringer these conditions.

It apparently has no side effects and no interactions with any medications. Check it out for those who are interested.

If anyone has had any success with it, I would like to know. In japan, they put this in softdrinks and all sorts of things as a feel good type of substance.

I have loads of benzos in my medicine cabinet that I am hoping to be able to discontinue eventually.

Title: Re: L-Theanine for Stress and Anxiety
Post by floridian on Jan 26^th, 2007, 8:38am

It reduces NMDA/glutamate activity, which is part of the CH pain mechanism. It doesn't abort or prevent clusters in my experience, but may bring the pain down a notch or two, and helps with anxiety.

Quote:

J Herb Pharmacother. 2006;6(2):21-30.
The neuropharmacology of L-theanine(N-ethyl-L-glutamine): a possible neuroprotective and cognitive enhancing agent.

* Nathan PJ,
* Lu K,
* Gray M,
* Oliver C.

Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Monash Center for Brain and Behaviour, Monash University, Australia. Nathan@med.monash.edu.au

L-theanine (N-ethyl-L-glutamine) or theanine is a major amino acid uniquely found in green tea. L-theanine has been historically reported as a relaxing agent, prompting scientific research on its pharmacology. Animal neurochemistry studies suggest that L-theanine increases brain serotonin, dopamine, GABA levels and has micromolar affinities for AMPA, Kainate and NMDA receptors. In addition has been shown to exert neuroprotective effects in animal models possibly through its antagonistic effects on group 1 metabotrophic glutamate receptors. Behavioural studies in animals suggest improvement in learning and memory. Overall, L-theanine displays a neuropharmacology suggestive of a possible neuroprotective and cognitive enhancing agent and warrants further investigation in animals and humans.

PMID: 17182482 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]