[trickykid]

I started taking L-Theanine about 3 months ago. It's great as a relaxant, however after a few shots of tequila I'd usually black out. My friends would drop me off at home and ask me the next day how bad my hangover was, because I'd usually be stumbling to the wrong apartment door. I'd wake up feeling great with zero hangover.

I did some googling and discovered L-Theanine breaks down alcohol 2x as fast in your body (hence the blackouts).

From the following article: http://heavencanwaitcardsandgifts.blogsp...anine.html

Quote:

Japanese researchers have found that L-theanine minimizes the harmful effect of alcohol in the liver where alcohol is converted to extremely toxic chemical known as acetaldehyde. L-theanine seem to accelerate the digestion of acetaldehyde and to block the harmful free radicals. It increases the levels of glutathione that is normally depleted by the consumption of alcohol and restores the detoxifying capacity of the liver.

Nowadays I'll take one pill in the morning and one pill after I go out drinking before I go sleep.

[Therapsid]

Very interesting. My bottle is almost finished and I was questioning the need to buy another, but now I will.

I had always assumed that somehow L-theanine would exacerbate the bad health effects of alcohol.

[aphelion]

Sorry, didn't mean to rate the thread 1 star.

So, if I'm reading this correctly, L-Theanine makes you more susceptible to the intoxication effect of alcohol but reduces your susceptibility to the bad health effects on your liver? More of this magic drug please. If only it could minimize the caloric load as well.

Last night I was hopped up on 400mg of L-Theanine and 2500mg of Phenibut and got to a .081 on accident (didn't drive, don't worry, I own a personal breathalyzer). I was pretty trashed and fell asleep pretty promptly in my girl's bed after laying down. I wasn't stumbling around, but slurred a bit and felt ready to crash.

[aphelion]

Although, I would like to see the actual study and not these bullshit blogs

[CPG]

Interesting find...after experimenting with l-theanine after reading the RoK article about it I've been using it regularly on nights out, and you got me curious enough to do some digging.

Here are a few studies on PubMed that backup the blog post that the OP quoted: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22019691 (2012) and http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16141543 (2005), and there are other studies. It looks like there's real evidence of it protecting against liver damage.

Personally I'm still evaluating using theanine on nights out, though after reading the studies I might keep taking it just for health reasons.

On the pro side, the theanine takes away the beginning of the night jitters and I stay noticeably more coherent even after heavy drinking...I've definitely noticed more tolerance on it than without. I seem more hangover resistant on it too.

On the con side, removing those jitters may actually slow me down...when I start the night a little on edge I'm more motivated to get started approaching, and I've had nights on theanine where I've been way too passive and chilled until something's happened instead of taking the initiative.

[Staros]

I can testify to this, haven't read something of the sort - but had a strong suspicion. My alcohol tolerance is at least axed in two.

[bojangles]

(12-08-2013 10:58 PM)Staros Wrote:  

I can testify to this, haven't read something of the sort - but had a strong suspicion. My alcohol tolerance is at least axed in two.

Yep, I'm pretty sure of this, I get drunk way faster than I used, I'd say tolerance is half as strong, it's a good thing as I'm drinking less and banking more

[rottenapple]

Interesting stuff this, have to try it out soon. Anything that can reduce hangovers and money spending on alcohol is a bliss.

[HungWeiLo]

Very interesting. L-theanine is also a key component in a caffeine nootropic stack as it tempers the effects of caffeine (jitters, etc.) while giving you the focus benefits of caffeine.