Theanine

Patient sheet

Theanine is naturally found in tea and some mushrooms. It is mainly used for its relaxing effects and antioxidant properties. When used for medicinal purposes, theanine is usually taken orally in tablet or capsule form.

Other names

• L-theanine
• Gamma-glutamylethylamide

Common uses

• Cognitive performance (attention and speech fluency)
• Anxiety
• Sleep issues
• High blood pressure
• Increasing the efficacy of certain chemotherapies and reducing their side effects

This non-exhaustive list presents the most frequent applications.

Recommended doses of natural health products may vary depending on several factors, including which part of the plant is used and the product's form. To avoid confusion regarding dosage, read the information on the product's packaging and seek advice from your health care provider.

Side effects

Theanine is generally well tolerated. However, it may cause headaches or digestive issues.

Warnings

Natural health products are not without risk. They may be incompatible with certain health issues or interact with your medications.

Always inform your health care providers of your existing health issues, and make sure to mention any medications that you're taking, either on a regular or irregular basis, including non-prescription drugs, vitamins, and natural health products.

If you're taking a medication for a specific health condition, do not attempt to replace it with a natural health product without first consulting a health care professional, such as your doctor or pharmacist.

General notes

Make sure to inform your health care providers if any of the following applies:

• You have allergies (e.g., medication, food)
• You're pregnant or want to become pregnant, or you're breastfeeding
• You use tobacco, cannabis or cannabis derivatives, or recreational drugs

Keeping a list of your current medications with you at all times is strongly recommended. It may come in handy if you need to see a health care professional or call emergency services.

As with medication, store your natural health products out of reach of children and pets, and return unused or expired products to the pharmacy for safe disposal.