Everyone has experienced feelings of anxiety from time to time in their lives. For some it can be a crippling disorder that prevents us from living a happy and meaningful life, inducing panic attacks and intense bouts of worrying and fear. For others it may only be a fleeting feeling of tenseness or being on edge that won’t seem to go away no matter what you do. If you think you have tried it all I urge you to read on and discover the anxiety curbing effects that the combination of theanine and inositol can produce.
What is Theanine?
Theanine is an amino acid that is commonly found in tea and to be more specific it can be found in high amounts in green tea. It is also available as an oral dietary supplement. It is commonly used as a nootropic in combination with caffeine as it produces a synergistic effect. In a number of double blind placebo controlled studies research has shown that supplementing theanine can have a direct influence on brain activity, reducing stress and relaxing the mind without causing drowsiness. In other studies, theanine benefits include improved memory and cognitive function as well as (ding ding!) reducing anxiety. To top it all off there are little to no side-effects that have been discovered from the result of supplementing theanine; even at the highest doses recorded. Therefore we can conclude the use of theanine is a viable option as a standalone anti-anxiety supplement, but we aren’t stopping there.
Inositol for Anxiety
So, what is inositol? Inositol is a chemical compound that is found in many foods; in particular fruit, especially cantaloupe and oranges. Inositol is created in your body when the phytic acid that is found naturally in foods such as seeds, nuts, legumes and whole grains interact with the bacteria in your digestive system. With its own mountain of research behind it inositol has been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of disorders that may stem from high levels of anxiety including panic attacks and mood disorders. In one double blind placebo controlled study researchers looked at subjects with lower than normal levels of inositol and administered doses accordingly, the results concluded that inositol supplementation was synonymous with lowered levels of depression and ultimately anxiety. Through the combination of these two supplements we can see the potential for a lowered overall state of anxiety.
Theanine and Inositol Dosage for Anxiety
As with all supplements it is important to find the correct dosage and to implement the supplement safely into your routine. Dosage amounts for theanine should be based on personal response but as always refer to your packaging for more information, a safe bet would to be stay under the 1000mg mark. As for inositol dosage, research has shown that 18g per day is safe but when combining with other supplements dosage should always be based off your personal response, as always refer to your products label for more information.
Sources
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7726322
- Kimura K, Ozeki M, Juneja LR, et al. l-Theanine reduces psychological and physiological stress responses. Biol Psychol. 2006 Aug 21
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7416064
