[Ray Carlton]

Hello together

Inspired by this blog post on ROK I am thinking about trying L-Theanine.

In case L-Theanine is really working, I think it could be an nice boost for social situations were being calm is an advantage. Of course, for a night out a few drinks are getting the job down, however other sources recommended L-Theanine for situations like a presentation or starting a new job.

Actually, I am reluctant to L-Theanine, although it seems like a harmless "drug", I prefer to improve myself without some helpers. What are your experiences with L-Theanine?

I am going to order Now Foods, L-Theanine, Double Strength, 200 mg with my next fish oil order. Can someone comment on that product?

Thanks
Mike

[bojangles]

I've only just started to test it. But i'm waiting for scales as it's 200mg doses and I have the powder form.

[thebassist]

(04-22-2013 06:23 AM)Mike OBrien Wrote:  

Actually, I am reluctant to L-Theanine, although it seems like a harmless "drug", I prefer to improve myself without some helpers. What are your experiences with L-Theanine?


Thanks
Mike

I've been thinking this dilemma through myself, and it brought up a whole host of interesting questions.

At what point do you distinguish between who you are naturally and who you are with 'help'?

Eating a cleaner diet and cutting down on my snacking/consumption of soda has done a lot for my mental clarity, and essentially, all I'm doing is changing the chemicals and nutrients that I use to fuel my body and mind.

While this improved state is still dependent on what I put into my body, why would I go back to my previous diet and grind it out to just to prove to myself that I can still 'function' without it?

However I do have to say that I feel much more comfortable optimizing my body and mental state naturally instead of relying on chemicals manufactured in a lab, but sometimes I ask myself if there is really a difference?

Anyway, it's a little off topic, but I just found myself full of questions while I was doing similar research on nootropics, and I would be very curious to see what kind of opinions everyone has on this.

[thebassist]

(04-22-2013 06:29 AM)bojangles Wrote:  

I've only just started to test it. But i'm waiting for scales as it's 200mg doses and I have the powder form.

Are you planning on manually capping the doses?

Apparently some of the more hardcore dudes out there end up buying capping machines so they don't have to weigh out and fill the capsules themselves, seeing as they're most likely consuming a crazy amount of supplements per day.

[bojangles]

(04-22-2013 07:11 AM)thebassist Wrote:  

(04-22-2013 06:29 AM)bojangles Wrote:  

I've only just started to test it. But i'm waiting for scales as it's 200mg doses and I have the powder form.

Are you planning on manually capping the doses?

Apparently some of the more hardcore dudes out there end up buying capping machines so they don't have to weigh out and fill the capsules themselves, seeing as they're most likely consuming a crazy amount of supplements per day.

I'm using a few supplements in powdered form which I've been guessing, the scales will help me get an eye gauge of how much is enough for each one. Densities vary in these powders which makes the scoops you get useless to know what amount you are actually taking.

[Therapsid]

I tried it last night. I only took 100 mg, however, to test my body's reaction.

It's hard to parse out the placebo effect from a small dose, but my sense was that I felt happier and more relaxed after taking it. I didn't do a lot of approaches but I did feel less approach anxiety. However, after a few hours I developed a headache and felt nauseous. This morning I feel perfectly fine, so there's no lingering effect.

I bought a bottle of pills of Suntheanine from GNC. The stuff is a bit expensive: $26.00 for a small container of 60 pills.

[Harvey Specter]

I have take Theanine for about a month mainly because I have been putting in brutally long hours and the Theanine + Caffeine combination was recommended by a colleague and I don't like the dependence on adderall. It does make you a bit sharper during those long days. I have never taken it for the exclusive purpose of running game, but I could see it helping. I wouldn't say it is a miracle drug like in the article, but definitely worth a try. It supposed has a lot of health benefit too.

[kinjutsu]

I started taking this last week.
Twice a day.

Before i go on there are a few things you should know about me:
I'm taking several supplements right now: Omega-3, DHEA, Vitamin D-3, Coenzyme Q-10, Resveratrol, Zinc, Calcium and magnesium.
I eat extremely clean, lift 3x a week and get enough sleep per night.
I'm already mentally sharp and have been before i cleaned up my diet. I got good grades in high school graduated top of my class and sit with a 3.99 GPA in university.

1. During conversations i didn't have trouble finding the right words but with Theanine they just came quicker. My jokes and one liners during conversations were more on point than usual.

2. I'm already a relaxed individual...that being said when deciding to approach or not i would factor if i was in a hurry to get some place. After taking theanine my decisions on whether or not approach boil down to if she passed the boner test or she has some physical feature i like (big boobs, night ass, pretty face). I felt like i was calculating mathematically on whether or not she was worth my time.

3. During the 7 days I've been taking theanine i have felt no negative side effects. I always take my supplements with meals.

I don't think I'll continue taking it after this bottle is finished. The minimal benefit i get isn't worth the money ($23 a bottle with 60 capsules, 200 mg per pill).

[bojangles]

(04-22-2013 09:12 AM)kinjutsu Wrote:  

I started talking this last week.
Twice a day.

Before i go on there are a few things you should know about me:
I'm taking several supplements right now: Omega-3, DHEA, Vitamin D-3, Coenzyme Q-10, Resveratrol, Zinc, Calcium and magnesium.
I eat extremely clean, lift 3x a week and get enough sleep per night.
I'm already mentally sharp and have been before i cleaned up my diet. I got good grades in school graduated top of my school in high school and sit with a 3.99 GPA in university.

1. During conversations i didn't have trouble finding the right words but with Theanine they just came quicker. My jokes and one liners during conversations were more on point than usual.

2. I'm already a relaxed individual...that being said when deciding to approach or not i would factor if i was in a hurry to get some place. After taking theanine my decisions on whether or not approach boil down to if she passed the boner test or she has some physical feature i like (big boobs, night ass, pretty face). I felt like i was calculating mathematically on whether or not she was worth my time.

3. During the 7 days I've been taking theanine i have felt no negative side effects. I always take my supplements with meals.

I don't think I'll continue taking it after this bottle is finished. The minimal benefit i get isn't worth the money ($23 a bottle with 60 capsules, 200 mg per pill).

Cheers for that breakdown lad, I'm going to see what effect it has on me but I need the right measures first.

[bodmon]

2 years ago there was this pill marketed within the pua community for approach anxiety. i did not buy the pill from the marketers - instead i looked into its ingredients and bought those separately at a health food store. the 3 major ingredients were ashwagandha, l-theanine, and passionflower extract, with vitamin b6, magnesium, and calcium thrown in the mix.

taking those did not make a difference. if anything they were relaxing to the point of drowsiness and apathy. the equation for me is, happy + energetic = approaching. my $0.02.

[Bad Hussar]

Never taken L-Theanine, but have taken 5-HTP and GABA, which are supposed to have similar effects if I read the literature correctly.

In my experience 5-HTP does work i.e. It makes you "happier", more contented, positive etc. Not sure about social anxiety. I don't suffer from high social anxiety. I'm middle of the road there. I would cycle 5-HTP since the effect wears off after a while. Or maybe your new state becomes your "new normal", difficult to say.

GABA doesn't have any effect on "happiness". Just causes shortness of breath and "hot flushes" a minute or two after taking it. No other effect I can discern.

[bojangles]

my scales arrived and I took some this morning, I can't feel any difference as such, I'm relaxed I must say.

[Ray Carlton]

According to this source and others Theanine should be combined with caffeine.

Quote:

In a 2007 study in "Biological Psychology" by the division of psychology at Northumbria University, the authors compared the effects of L-theanine and caffeine on cognition, both alone and in combination. Alone, L-theanine diminished mathematical performance and increased the incidence of headaches, while caffeine increased mathematical speed and performance. Caffeine also decreased feelings of tiredness. When the two were combined, performance improvements were more dramatic, feelings of alertness were higher and the incidence of headaches was lower. The authors concluded that the combination of caffeine and L-theanine had positive effects on mental performance.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/471917...z2RHUerSDq

[bojangles]

I've taken caffeine completely out of my diet, dunno why but i found it made me more anxious

[Thomas the Rhymer]

(04-23-2013 07:31 AM)bojangles Wrote:  

I've taken caffeine completely out of my diet, dunno why but i found it made me more anxious

How did you manage the caffeine withdrawal symptoms?

[bojangles]

(04-23-2013 08:34 AM)Thomas the Rhymer Wrote:  

(04-23-2013 07:31 AM)bojangles Wrote:  

I've taken caffeine completely out of my diet, dunno why but i found it made me more anxious

How did you manage the caffeine withdrawal symptoms?

Hot chocolate.

[DriftWood]

Just took 600mg and two cups of coffee. Feeling very chilled.

[Enigma]

(04-23-2013 08:34 AM)Thomas the Rhymer Wrote:  

(04-23-2013 07:31 AM)bojangles Wrote:  

I've taken caffeine completely out of my diet, dunno why but i found it made me more anxious

How did you manage the caffeine withdrawal symptoms?

I just pushed through mine. I stopped drinking caffeine for a period of a couple months because I used to drink entirely too much coffee. I got a few bad headaches but nothing too serious. Granted, I'm usually not prone to getting many headaches in general so maybe this would differ for someone who were.

I do drink a glass of green tea most mornings now but I still don't drink coffee.

[Chewbacon]

Here is my review of the experience:

I ordered the theanine from Liftmode (http://www.amazon.com/L-Theanine-Grams-1...liftmode). It's in powder form, but they give you a 250 to 300 mg scooper.

I took approx 250-300 mg last night. It's hard to get a good exact measurement because the scoop is not that accurate. But I don't think the exact dosage is all that important. It tastes like nothing, so i just mixed it with water.

Effects: I felt relaxed mentally. I couldn't find myself getting too anxious about anything, even if I tried to think about approaching girls. Granted, I was alone at home, so i didn't actually approach any girls or talk to any girls. Interestingly, it really relaxes your muscles. It felt like a mild body high, but no strong mental effects.

I took 500 mgs today (two doses) and talked to a girl. I felt like I just cared less/was less invested in the interaction. I'm not sure it really does much for approach anxiety, but it did make all my movements, subtle nuances, and reactions a bit slower. Not necessarily in the bad sense - more like a non-reactive sense. It felt like I could take my time and was very patient in the interaction - no desire to jump the gun on results, just let everything flow. That's about it.

Another effect was that the theanine made me sleep very well last night. It felt like 9 hours of blissful uninterrupted sleep. I have yet to try it with caffeine though.

Overall, a net plus for the product.

[RouteBackwards]

(04-23-2013 05:27 PM)SHANbangs Wrote:  

Here is my review of the experience:

I ordered the theanine from Liftmode (http://www.amazon.com/L-Theanine-Grams-1...liftmode). It's in powder form, but they give you a 250 to 300 mg scooper.

I took approx 250-300 mg last night. It's hard to get a good exact measurement because the scoop is not that accurate. But I don't think the exact dosage is all that important. It tastes like nothing, so i just mixed it with water.

Effects: I felt relaxed mentally. I couldn't find myself getting too anxious about anything, even if I tried to think about approaching girls. Granted, I was alone at home, so i didn't actually approach any girls or talk to any girls. Interestingly, it really relaxes your muscles. It felt like a mild body high, but no strong mental effects.

I took 500 mgs today (two doses) and talked to a girl. I felt like I just cared less/was less invested in the interaction. I'm not sure it really does much for approach anxiety, but it did make all my movements, subtle nuances, and reactions a bit slower. Not necessarily in the bad sense - more like a non-reactive sense. It felt like I could take my time and was very patient in the interaction - no desire to jump the gun on results, just let everything flow. That's about it.

Another effect was that the theanine made me sleep very well last night. It felt like 9 hours of blissful uninterrupted sleep. I have yet to try it with caffeine though.

Overall, a net plus for the product.

I'm curious if the powdered shit differers from the capsules. I can only seem to find capsules sold in my city of theanine.

[Moma]

(04-23-2013 05:27 PM)SHANbangs Wrote:  

Here is my review of the experience:

I ordered the theanine from Liftmode (http://www.amazon.com/L-Theanine-Grams-1...liftmode). It's in powder form, but they give you a 250 to 300 mg scooper.

I took approx 250-300 mg last night. It's hard to get a good exact measurement because the scoop is not that accurate. But I don't think the exact dosage is all that important. It tastes like nothing, so i just mixed it with water.

Effects: I felt relaxed mentally. I couldn't find myself getting too anxious about anything, even if I tried to think about approaching girls. Granted, I was alone at home, so i didn't actually approach any girls or talk to any girls. Interestingly, it really relaxes your muscles. It felt like a mild body high, but no strong mental effects.

I took 500 mgs today (two doses) and talked to a girl. I felt like I just cared less/was less invested in the interaction. I'm not sure it really does much for approach anxiety, but it did make all my movements, subtle nuances, and reactions a bit slower. Not necessarily in the bad sense - more like a non-reactive sense. It felt like I could take my time and was very patient in the interaction - no desire to jump the gun on results, just let everything flow. That's about it.

Another effect was that the theanine made me sleep very well last night. It felt like 9 hours of blissful uninterrupted sleep. I have yet to try it with caffeine though.

Overall, a net plus for the product.

Shan, any possibility that it's placebo on the approach? Snake oil?

[DriftWood]

(04-24-2013 12:11 PM)Moma Wrote:  

(04-23-2013 05:27 PM)SHANbangs Wrote:  

Here is my review of the experience:

I ordered the theanine from Liftmode (http://www.amazon.com/L-Theanine-Grams-1...liftmode). It's in powder form, but they give you a 250 to 300 mg scooper.

I took approx 250-300 mg last night. It's hard to get a good exact measurement because the scoop is not that accurate. But I don't think the exact dosage is all that important. It tastes like nothing, so i just mixed it with water.

Effects: I felt relaxed mentally. I couldn't find myself getting too anxious about anything, even if I tried to think about approaching girls. Granted, I was alone at home, so i didn't actually approach any girls or talk to any girls. Interestingly, it really relaxes your muscles. It felt like a mild body high, but no strong mental effects.

I took 500 mgs today (two doses) and talked to a girl. I felt like I just cared less/was less invested in the interaction. I'm not sure it really does much for approach anxiety, but it did make all my movements, subtle nuances, and reactions a bit slower. Not necessarily in the bad sense - more like a non-reactive sense. It felt like I could take my time and was very patient in the interaction - no desire to jump the gun on results, just let everything flow. That's about it.

Another effect was that the theanine made me sleep very well last night. It felt like 9 hours of blissful uninterrupted sleep. I have yet to try it with caffeine though.

Overall, a net plus for the product.

Shan, any possibility that it's placebo on the approach? Snake oil?

Animal studies have shown that L-Theanine crosses the blood brain barrier, increasing dopamine uptake and GABA levels. While studies on humans have shown emissions of alpha brain waves associated with relaxation. We all have unique brain chemistry so your mileage may vary.

[Spider]

I purchased the same product ShanBang has, and have been using it for about a week.

I couldn't feel much from a single dose of 200mg, but taking 600mg of the powder on an empty stomach definitely had an effect on me.

I felt extremely chilled out, and overall pretty content with the day/happy with what was going on around me. I didn't feel the urge to go talk to girls, but when I bumped into girls around my college (that I knew), I was happy to chat with them, joke around, be a little playful, all without any feeling of self-consciousness.

Overall, at higher doses I think L-Theanine provides a very calm stress-free feeling that helps lubricate social encounters and in addition simply makes you feel nice. It lacks the slight euphoria Phenibut provides, but I will definitely continue to experiment with it.

[bojangles]

I've been taking it every morning for a week and a half now, I'm really fucking relaxed all the time, no stress at all and I'm going to highly recommend it. I'm going to go for a week off, week on, with the stuff I've got, not sure if it's addictive or if has effects like other drugs where you have a come off period.

[Ray Carlton]

Thank you for the feedback so far. I haven't got the chance to order it so far, however I will try it after reading your feedback.