The substance from the leaves of green tea plants is said to help against anxiety and also stress: This is why pop stars also use L-theanine. But that’s not entirely certain.
When Taylor Swift announced some time ago that she was taking L-theanine, “a natural supplement that helps with stress and anxiety,” it wasn’t just Swifties who took notice. But does the amino acid, which is mainly found in green tea leaves, really do that?
In Germany, too, online retailers in particular offer a number of products in powder or capsule form. They promise that L-theanine has a calming effect, reduces anxiety and stress, and even promotes concentration.
However, advertising with such health-related statements is not permitted for the amino acid, explains the consumer advice center on the website “lebensmittelklarheit.de.”
The European Commission EFSA has rejected claims submitted for L-theanine for improved concentration and relaxation, for example.
Previous studies suggest that L-theanine may help with anxiety and stress – but it would need to be further researched to prove clinical effectiveness.
The good news: There are plenty of other ways to deal with stress and anxiety. This includes special breathing techniques, mindfulness and meditation exercises such as body scans or the method of progressive muscle relaxation.
And sometimes you realize that the fear is unnecessary: when the monsters turn out to be trees, for example, as Swift reports in “Out of the Woods”.
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