L-Theanine and Adderall: Synergy or Senseless?
The Big Picture
Adderall and Ritalin are highly effective for focus but come with side effects like anxiety, physical tension, and a 'crash.' L-theanine is frequently used with other stimulants, such as caffeine, to smooth out the stimulant experience. There are some proven and unproven benefits to this low-risk intervention.
In Depth
L-theanine is an amino acid found in green tea that boosts calming alpha waves in the brain and increases GABA. This can reduce stimulant jitters, improve sleep, and hone focus without causing drowsiness. The three main benefits relate to sleep, stress, and focus. Sleep — L-theanine significantly reduced sleep disturbances and improved sleep efficiency scores. This is important because low sleep quality can exacerbate ADHD symptoms and make medication less effective. Stress — In a placebo-controlled trial, daily L-theanine demonstrated notable reductions in self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety. Focus — Participants were required to complete a set of cognitive tasks with caffeine and then with both caffeine and L-theanine. Results were highest with the combination. Even though caffeine and Adderall/Ritalin are stimulants that work in different ways, many on ADHD medications find this effect translates and works well.
The Science
L-theanine has been shown to reduce stress and improve cognitive function in those with high-stress lifestyles.
Combining L-theanine with stimulants like caffeine (and potentially others) improves focus and reduces distractibility.
L-theanine improves objective sleep quality in both medicated and unmedicated children with ADHD.
