Caffeine & L-theanine: Our dynamic duo

What is caffeine?

It’s common knowledge that caffeine can wake you up, and can give a productive boost to get through the day; but what is caffeine really? Grab a seat and let’s talk all about the world’s most consumed stimulant: caffeine.

Caffeine is most notable for giving people a boost of energy, and making them feel more awake. A central nervous system stimulant, caffeine is able to promote feelings of alertness. It does this by competing with the molecule adenosine, which promotes sleepiness. By acting as an adenosine receptor antagonist, caffeine is able to decrease those sleepy feelings.

Research suggests that caffeine can also assist with keeping the mind more alert, and improving reaction time.

What is L-theanine?

L-theanine is a non-protein amino acid most often found in tea leaves (especially green tea) and some mushrooms. Primarily it has been shown to react with neuroreceptors and increase the production of Gamma Aminobutyric Acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter with many functions; most notably helping to manage stress.

How do they work together?

While caffeine is an absolute lifesaver, it does come with some not so great side effects. Too much caffeine can lead to the jitters, the dreaded “caffeine crash”, and sleep issues.

Enter, the dynamic duo: caffeine paired with L-theanine. L-theanine balances out some of the unwanted effects that caffeine can cause. Studies have also suggested that the combination of caffeine and L-theanine can improve performance on cognitively demanding tasks¹. There is also some evidence to suggest that this combination also offsets some of the increase in blood pressure associated with consuming caffeine alone².

Now that you know the secret behind WakeWater’s combination of 85 mg of caffeine paired with L-theanine, be sure to grab one to combat the afternoon slump!