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L-Theanine: Is Suntheanine the best?

mitragyna

Bluelighter
Joined
Dec 7, 2006
Messages
242
I've been using L-Theanine for a while now with great benefits. When I'm shopping for it, I would always see the "Suntheanine" brand and it's much more expensive than the other L-Theanine products. This made me wonder if it's more expensive just because of the name brand or if there is an actual difference in the makeup of the L-Theanine. Well, I guess it's both.

According to some consumer reviews, regular L-Theanine can lead to side effects such as headaches. While Suntheanine does not. Also I looked this up on the net and came across this article:

Study Reveals Difference Between Suntheanine® and Other Brands

Dr. Daniel Armstrong, a Caldwell Professor of Chemistry at Iowa State University, and his analysis team reviewed a number of commercially available brands that claimed to contain pure L-theanine. Results revealed that a number of brands contained ingredients other than L-theanine.

"We found all of those tested that are made through chemical synthesis or claiming to be extracted from green tea actually have about 50 per cent present as D-theanine," explains Dr. Armstrong, adding that "the only material that proved to be pure L-theanine was the Suntheanine® brand, produced via biofermentation, which had more than 99.95 per cent L-theanine, our current detection limit".

Suntheanine® is the patented form of L-theanine and the trademark of Taiyo International, the company that originally isolated the amino acid into an effective supplement for consumers.
Then there is this article:
L-theanine Must be Pure for Proper Absorption, Study Finds
A new study finds that L-theanine must be administered in its pure form rather than as the mixture of D-theanine and L-theanine found in many nutritional supplements in order to be absorbed by the body.

Researchers from Iowa State University orally administered to rats pure L-theanine, pure D-theanine, and an ingredient commercially marketed as ?L-theanine? that actually was a racemic mixture (a 50:50 split between D- and L-theanine). They then measured blood concentrations, urinary excretion, and a marker of theanine metabolism in the blood.

The results show that the animals? bodies had a preference for pure L-theanine and that the pure form is better absorbed in the gut. The concentration of L-theanine seen in the blood was greater with the pure L-theanine than it was with the racemic mixture. There was also a trend toward greater urinary excretion of L-theanine when consumed as the racemic form.

The majority of clinical and animal studies determining the bioavailability of L-theanine have used Suntheanine, a form of pure L-theanine.

Simple HPLC analysis cannot discriminate between D- and L-theanine yet a number of companies are relying upon this method to assert that they have the pure L-isomer, declared Scott Smith, Vice President of Taiyo Kagaku, the manufacturer of Suntheanine in Minneapolis. The patented enzymatic synthesis method locks in the L-isomer and thus gives us pure L-theanine every batch. Suntheanine is an elegant example of where chemistry dictates biology.?
Reference:
Desai MJ, Gill MS, Hsu WH, Armstrong DW. Pharmacokinetics of theanine enantiomers in rats. Chirality. 2005 Mar;17(3):154-62
Well, according to these articles Suntheanine is better. But I would like to see more studies on this. I'd also like to know which products contain 100% L-Theanine and which ones are a racemic mixture.

Does anyone here have any info on this? Or any studies?

This would be a great help. Thanks!
 
what effects do you get? I don't get any effects whatsoever that I can discern. I'm pretty calm though and don'thave problems with anxiety or anything.

I'm just puzzled that anybody would buy this stuff since it has such little (no) effect on me. Although everybody is different.

I bought it in bulk from a trusted source (so I measure out my own doses).
 
I noticed effects from suntheanine. Unfortunately tolerance was quite rapid.

So, is it purely L-theanine in green tea...?
 
^^
Yes, Green Tea contains "pure" L-Theanine. On average about 20 mg per cup.
 
Gaian Planes said:
what effects do you get? I don't get any effects whatsoever that I can discern. I'm pretty calm though and don'thave problems with anxiety or anything.

I'm just puzzled that anybody would buy this stuff since it has such little (no) effect on me. Although everybody is different.

I bought it in bulk from a trusted source (so I measure out my own doses).
Some people don't feel a thing, but for some people it helps em' out tremendously. Personally, it relieves my anxiety greatly. I also notice an increase in concentration and focus. I always keep some chewable tabs on me just in case I need em'. Also, I always make sure to take it in the morning when I wake up. Kinda just gets me off to the right start for the day. A lot of people try to take a whole bottle to see if they can get a benzo feel. It's NOTHING like benzos IMO. I've never taken excess amounts though because I certainly don't find it recreational. I don't look for a "benzo" feel, because IMO it's very different. When used as needed though, it makes a very useful addition to my daily supplements.

This website contains tons of user reviews from people who use it for Chronic Fatigue, Anxiety, Depression, you name it.

EDIT: Here's a link to a post on Edot that people may find useful.
 
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I would have thought this was hogwash marketing, but those studies are real. I'm surprised that the FDA hasn't cracked down on them for improper labelling. You can't claim something is L- but is actually racemic!
 
That's exactly my thought! I don't think the FDA regulates "dietary supplements" in the US. But regardless, you can't legally sell something on the market claiming it's something when it's not. I'll look a little further into this, see if I can figure anything out.

I just wish I knew which brands other than Suntheanine actual contain 100% of the L isomer. Well, I guess there really isn't a way other emailing the companies, but they prob wouldn't admit it if it wasn't 100% L-Theanine.
 
It sure does something for me, especially when combined with piracetam, it's a very stoney relaxed kind of sensation but for some reason I can't sleep after taking a dose of it (or I'll sleep, but only for an hour or two then wake up). I mixed about 200mg with a mild dose of DXM the other day and it made the DXM feel more subjectively psychedelic and potentiated it (and also made me a bit more anxious, strangely).
 
k gonna try some more now. You take 200mg nuke? I've tried that and got nothing. I'll try 400mg or so. Maybe its just different enzymes we have or something?

na na na I got more enzymes than you! (or less maybe 8()
 
Yeah, 50-75mg is nootropic for me, 100-200mg is active but very stoning. This was when I took it for concentration at class, where I'd also usually consume it with lecithin, piracetam (~1g), cocoa (25g) and green tea. But, yeah, it was active, if I dosed above 100mg and went to class I had difficulty paying attention because of the sedation.

I am a poor 2D6 metabolizer but I don't know if that has much to do with anything.
 
I always figured it would be a good potentiator - DA/5HT/GA/NMDA so essentially you could mix it with ANY kind of drug for great enhancement
 
Gaian Planes said:
k gonna try some more now. You take 200mg nuke? I've tried that and got nothing. I'll try 400mg or so. Maybe its just different enzymes we have or something?

na na na I got more enzymes than you! (or less maybe 8()
400 mg is my typical morning dose. Then throughout the day I'll take 100-150 mg as needed.

(zonk) said:
I always figured it would be a good potentiator - DA/5HT/GA/NMDA so essentially you could mix it with ANY kind of drug for great enhancement
Exactly. It's odd, it seems the only time I can nod on Suboxone is when it's taken with L-Theanine. Also, when dosed with Amphetamines it can really take the edge off and make it a much more comfortable experience.
 
i feel...zero.

nothing comparable to phenibut or piracetam (which quite obviously affects me).
 
Exactly. It's odd, it seems the only time I can nod on Suboxone is when it's taken with L-Theanine. Also, when dosed with Amphetamines it can really take the edge off and make it a much more comfortable experience.

I'll have to try it again. Perhaps this time the memantine I take daily could help offset my rapid tolerance to the stuff.

I'm curious, do you notice much of a tolerance problem?
 
^^
I'm assuming you're referring to L-Theanine and not Amphetamines. Yes I do notice a tolerance, but it's really quite minimal. For example, I used to (about a year ago) take 200 mg every morning. Now I take 300 for adequate benefits. So you can see that tolerance has developed much at all. Although I think reading a few other people's reports and they said they developed tolerance quite rapidly.

Truly, the effects of L-Theanine differ widely from person to person.
 
what if one were to take an excessive dose such as around 1g?
Does it potentiate amphetamines? I figured since it was both a mild DARI and an NMDA antagonist it would to some degree. I figure since it works on both DA+5HT that MDMA would be greatly enhanced
 
^ ^
What if one were to take an excessive dose such as around 1g?
To be honest I don't thing I've ever taken 1g in a single sitting. That's a good question though, I may have to try that soon, once my new shipment of bulk powder arrives
Does it potentiate amphetamines?
I certainly believe so, but it's different than any other amphetamine-potentiator I've used. I definitely increases the euphoria. It kinda takes the edge and any excess tension side-effects away but leaves the euphoria (and adds to it). Which is why Theanine is especially handy when taking large doses of amps, really smooths things out. Theanine + Amps make a great study combo. Theanine + Amps + Buprenorphine is one of my favorite recreational combos. Add some coca leaf in there to chew on and I'm in euphoric heaven.

Being an NMDA Antagonist like you said, it may be effective for keeping tolerances down. And about the MDMA, I can't comment on that since I've never taken them together. It would seem that it would be a good combo though.

I wonder what L-Theanine's affinities are for the receptors it acts upon...anyone know?
 
I'm assuming you're referring to L-Theanine and not Amphetamines. Yes I do notice a tolerance, but it's really quite minimal. For example, I used to (about a year ago) take 200 mg every morning. Now I take 300 for adequate benefits. So you can see that tolerance has developed much at all. Although I think reading a few other people's reports and they said they developed tolerance quite rapidly.

Truly, the effects of L-Theanine differ widely from person to person.

Aye, thanks a lot for the info.

I certainly believe so, but it's different than any other amphetamine-potentiator I've used. I definitely increases the euphoria. It kinda takes the edge and any excess tension side-effects away but leaves the euphoria (and adds to it). Which is why Theanine is especially handy when taking large doses of amps, really smooths things out. Theanine + Amps make a great study combo.

Interesting. In other threads recently I've been talking about guanfacine as an adjunct to my d-amp to reduce both physical/peripheral and certain cognitive side effects (some loss of flexibility, a tendency towards perseveration) which I relate to edgy excess adrenergic stimulation.

If memantine (the other thing I take) can help with my previous rapid-tolerance problem, as it has, tremendously, with my amphetamine, then I bet theanine could work as well as guanfacine. Perhaps with even less chance of weakening the positive amphetamine effects.

Theanine + Amps + Buprenorphine is one of my favorite recreational combos.

Bupe is another thing I wanted to add and experiment with. :)
 
warning guys

i experiment with nootopics/supplements with stimulants.

A)Theanine BLUNTS out psychedelics.


i take 1g of theanine when i cant sleep when i taken lsd or mdma...


only way to "potentiate" stimulants is selective enzyme inhbitors (Quercetin)
or, piracetam.

also if anyone was wondering Selegiline (deprenyl) blunts out a lot of the "positive" effects of d-amphetamine/meth, but potentiates mdma
 
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