Theanine
Also called L-Theanine, L-γ-glutamylethylamide and N5-ethyl-L-glutamine, Suntheanine, delta-glutamylethylamide
Dosage
Oral bands as drawn from PsychonautWiki's ranges below. The table is the source of truth.
When sources disagree, both rows are shown as published. Nothing is averaged or merged.
Oral
| Source | Threshold | Light | Common | Strong | Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PsychonautWiki | 50 mg PW | 75–175 mg PW | 175–300 mg PW | 300–500 mg PW | 500 mg+ PW |
| TripSit | – | – | 100–200 mg. TS | – | – |
TripSit dose text
TripSit's factsheet also states its doses as text.
Common: 100-200mg. TS
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Duration
| Route · source | Onset | Come-up | Peak | Offset | Total | After-effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral · PsychonautWiki | 30–90 minutes[8] PW | – | 1–3 hours PW | – | 3–6 hours[8] PW | 6–12 hours PW |
TripSit factsheet
Mixing
Acute combinations: what happens when these are taken close together. Entries backed by a medical journal or agency are listed first.
Backed by medical journals
Risks and toxicity
Theanine is non-addictive, is not known to cause brain damage, and has an extremely low toxicity relative to dose. There are relatively few physical side effects associated with acute theanine exposure. Various studies have shown that in reasonable doses in a careful context, it presents no negative cognitive, psychiatric or toxic physical consequences. PW⚠ PsychonautWiki itself has flagged this text: citation needed.
It is strongly recommended that one use harm reduction practices when using this substance. PW
Tolerance and addiction potential
Theanine is not habit-forming. PW
Tolerance to the effects of theanine are built up after prolonged and repeated usage. After noticeable tolerance has been built, it takes about 5 days for tolerance to be reduced by half and 10 days return to baseline. Theanine presents cross-tolerance with no other known compounds, meaning that after the consumption of theanine all other psychoactive compounds will not have a reduced effect. PW
Testing
Effects
Overview
L-Theanine (also known as Theanine, L-γ-glutamylethylamide and N5-ethyl-L-glutamine) is an analog of the amino acids of glutamate and glutamine. It was discovered as a constituent of green tea in 1949 and in 1950 was isolated from gyokuro leaves, which have high theanine content.[1] PW
An Amino acid that is structural similar to Glutamine. Most report it as a relaxing agent without much sedation. Most commonly found tea. Usually mixed with Caffeine. TS
Theanine /ˈθiːəniːn/, also known as L-γ-glutamylethylamide, N⁵-ethyl-L-glutamine, or γ-glutamylethylamide, is a bioactive, non-proteinogenic amino acid similar to the proteinogenic amino acids glutamic acid and L-glutamine. It is produced by certain plants such as the tea plant (Camellia sinensis), and by some fungi. Theanine was discovered in 1949 as a constituent of green tea and was isolated in 1950 from gyokuro tea leaves. Theanine constitutes about 1–2% of the dry weight of green tea leaves.[1]
Theanine is sold as a dietary supplement. It is packaged in gelatin capsules, tablets, and as a powder, and may be an ingredient in branded supplements with caffeine. It is also used as an ingredient in food and beverages. Japan approved its unlimited use in all foods (including chocolates, soft drinks, and herb teas) except infant food in 1964, and the US Food and Drug Administration has considered it safe at doses up to 250 milligrams (mg) per serving since 2007.[3]
In 2011, the European Food Safety Authority found there was insufficient evidence for a causal relationship between theanine consumption and improved cognitive function, alleviation of psychological stress, maintenance of normal sleep, or reduction of menstrual discomfort. A 2025 review found that theanine has been poorly studied to date, having inconsistent research quality and unreliable clinical trials.[6]
History
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Chemistry
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References
- Other Components of Gyokuro
- Journal / agency L-Theanine. 13 May 2023
- Other L-Theanine. 20 February 2023
- Other The Japan Food Chemical Research Foundation
- Journal / agency GRAS notice for L-theanine. 5 February 2007
- Journal / agency EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies; European Food Safety Authority. Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to L-theanine from Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze (Tea) and improvement of cognitive function (ID 1104, 1222, 1600, 1601, 1707, 1935, 2004, 2005), alleviation of psychological stress (ID 1598, 1601), maintenance of normal sleep (ID 1222, 1737, 2004) and reduction of menstrual discomfort (ID 1599) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. EFSA Journal. 2011. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2011.2238
- Journal / agency Dashwood R, Visioli F. L-theanine: From tea leaf to trending supplement - does the science match the hype for brain health and relaxation?. Nutrition Research. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2024.12.008 · PMID 39854799 · PMC12892352
- Journal / agency Scheid, L., Ellinger, S., Alteheld, B., Herholz, H., Ellinger, J., Henn, T., Helfrich, H.-P., Stehle, P. Kinetics of L-Theanine Uptake and Metabolism in Healthy Participants Are Comparable after Ingestion of L-Theanine via Capsules and Green Tea. The Journal of Nutrition. 1 December 2012. doi:10.3945/jn.112.166371
Text and values on this page are quoted from PsychonautWiki (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), TripSit factsheets, PubChem (public domain). Each value links to the exact revision it came from.