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What Is L-Theanine?L-Theanine is an amino acid that impacts nerve impulses in the brain and the release of neurotransmitters, including GABA. It's known as a natural anxiolytic because it can have a calming, sedative effect on the body and mind without making you feel drowsy - which is why it’s often used to reduce over thinking, hyperactivity and sleep related problems.How Does L-Theanine Work?L-Theanine supports many critical processes that are happening in your body. Research suggests that it affects the production and release of dopamine, serotonin, and GABA. These brain chemicals have a profound effect on your stress responses and overall mood. They can also affect how well you sleep.L-Theanine can bond to the same receptors as glutamate, which is one of the brain’s most important excitatory chemicals, which is responsible for many of our internal stress responses. But, since L-Theanine is inhibitory, it actually reduces the stress response of these receptors, which translates to a feeling of reduced stress.Since L-Theanine can bond to the same receptors that are affected by glutamate, they reduce the brain’s ability to respond to stress. L-Theanine also appears to increase alpha brain waves, which are tied to our ability to relax. The effect is dose dependent, with higher doses leading to greater increases in alpha brain waves.Because L-Theanine is almost exclusively found in tea leaves, it can be hard to get enough from foods and drinks alone to notice its positive effects. This is why people turn to L-Theanine in supplement form. Theanine supplements generally come in the form of L-Theanine, which is the bioavailable supplement form of the amino acid theanine.