Best Caffeine and L-Theanine Combination

Beginner’s Nootropic Stack: Caffeine and L-Theanine Combination

“The formula of happiness and success is just being actually yourself, in the most vivid possible way you can.”
— Meryl Streep

What better way to begin your exploration of nootropics than with the best coffee and L-theanine combination?

After all, even if you’re unfamiliar with the notion of nootropics, you’re probably familiar with coffee. You’re already aware of caffeine’s stimulatory effects, how caffeine feels, how much caffeine you can drink, and so on.

As you read this, there is a good chance that a large quantity of caffeine is rushing through your body. You’ve almost certainly also encountered the post-caffeine fall. This brain-dead period immediately follows the feel-good high… and you’re wondering, “Isn’t there a better way to go about this caffeine business?”

And the answer is a resounding “yes” when supplemented with L-theanine. It is not enough to know the best caffeine and L-theanine combination. Getting a fair knowledge of the individual elements and what they provide will give us a heads-up. 

But What Is L-Theanine?

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”
— Thomas Edison

L-theanine is a common amino acid found in Camellia sinensis (green tea) leaves.

L-theanine, as one of the primary bioactive elements of green tea, is responsible for the soothing effects associated with drinking a cup of green tea – or white tea – or black tea. Or, more precisely, any tea made from Camellia sinensis leaves.

L-theanine is an anxiolytic, which means that it aids in the reduction of anxiety. Unlike other potent anxiolytics, L-theanine is not sedative. This is ultimately what distinguishes L-theanine.

L-theanine promotes alpha brainwaves, not sedation, which helps the mind rest yet focus relentlessly.

The alpha brainwave frequency (8-14 Hz) is a kind of electrical neuronal activity that is frequently connected with calm, contemplative thought or “wakeful relaxation.” This is best defined as a “flow” condition, similar to being “in the zone,” in which one foot is firmly planted in creative invention and the other in vigilant orderliness.

When combined with caffeine, the anxiolytic theanine’s properties help maintain caffeine’s focus and energy advantages while alleviating the jittery adverse effects associated with caffeine alone. This is why this article discusses the intriguing properties of the best caffeine and L-theanine combination.

Is Caffeine a Nootropic?

“I raise my voice not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard. We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.”
— Malala Yousafzai

In a nutshell, no and yes. The short answer is that caffeine is not a real nootropic; nevertheless, when used in moderation and in conjunction with other nootropics, caffeine does exhibit strong nootropic potential and may dependably boost your acute cognitive function.

Caffeine does not qualify as a real nootropic simply because it is officially categorized as a stimulant, and stimulants have a tendency to function in ways that are detrimental to the long-term brain health properties of true nootropics.

The fact that caffeine is naturally not a nootropic brings us to the concord of understanding the best caffeine and L-Theanine combination, which happens to be a stack that gives caffeine a nootropic-like effect.

What’s the Difference: Stimulants vs. Nootropics?

“Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.”
— Napoleon Hill

While stimulants and other so-called smart drugs are frequently referred to as “nootropics,” they do not meet the criteria established by the man who coined the term: Dr. Corneliu E. Giurgea.

To be sure, like with all words, our usage of the term “nootropic” has evolved and diverged from some definitions contained in Dr. Giurgea’s original definition. However, one fundamental criterion of nootropics from research in Neuro-Psychopharmacology remains: stimulants, including coffee, do, to variable degrees, improve cognitive performance. They do, however, pose a risk to brain health that is not present in other nootropics.

In other words: while stimulants improve cognitive performance at the expense of long-term brain health, nootropics improve cognitive performance while simultaneously improving long-term brain health.

Caffeine, without a doubt, is a weak stimulant in comparison to the more potent synthetic cognitive enhancers that circulate in the halls of higher education and performance at all costs.

And, without a doubt, a small quantity of caffeine appears to boost the function of some beneficial metabolic pathways. However, there is no dispute about caffeine’s jittery adverse effects. Caffeine, when used in excess, may decrease cognitive ability.

This is why stacking caffeine with L-theanine, a compound that helps smoothen out caffeine’s rough edges is such a popular and effective nootropic technique.

Read more about coffee vs nootropics in this post if the heart moves you.

Benefits of the Best Caffeine and L-Theanine Combination

“Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four-hour days.”
― Zig Ziglar

If coffee increases cognitive energy and L-theanine increases cognitive relaxation, wouldn’t these two chemicals’ effects balance out? Nope, it appears not! Indeed, the reverse is true.

Caffeine and L-theanine may work synergistically to improve various aspects of cognition, as discussed in more depth below.

Mood and Attention

Two pieces of research stand out in this regard for the cognitive advantages of mood and attention:

One placebo-controlled trial in Nutritional Neuroscience investigated the effects of 50mg caffeine with and without 100mg L-theanine on cognition and mood, concluding that “combining L-theanine with caffeine improves performance on cognitively demanding activities.” [2]

Another placebo-controlled trial in Nutritional Neuroscience indicated that “theanine and caffeine appear to have synergistic effects on attention at high dosages.” [3]

Taken together, these studies imply that caffeine and L-theanine may have a stronger synergy of beneficial effects on mood and attention when ingested together than when ingested alone.

Performance on Demanding Cognitive Tasks

By assessing cognitive performance, self-reported mood, blood pressure, and heart rate before and after taking L-theanine (97 mg) and caffeine (40 mg), a group of researchers observed significant improvements in task-switching accuracy and self-reported alertness, as well as decreased self-reported tiredness, when the best caffeine and L-theanine combination was used.

The same trial in Nutritional Neuroscience investigated that “97 mg of L-theanine in conjunction with 40 mg of caffeine assists in focusing attention during a difficult cognitive test.” [4]

Elimination of Caffeine’s Vasoconstrictive Effect

One of the primary reasons savvy exercisers avoid caffeine-containing pre-workout supplements is because caffeine promotes vasoconstriction—the narrowing of blood vessels, which reduces blood flow.

For instance, sportsmen and bodybuilders pursuing the fabled “muscle pump” should rationally avoid vasoconstrictors to preserve enough circulation.

Similarly, nootropics users seeking enhanced nutrition and oxygen supply to the brain may be experiencing detrimental effects due to vasoconstriction.

However, one double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found in Psychopharmacology indicates that “Combining L-theanine with caffeine at concentrations and ratios comparable to one to two cups of tea abolished caffeine’s vasoconstrictive effects.” [5]

This is excellent news for individuals who avoid coffee reluctantly due to its harmful effect on circulation and blood flow.

How to Stack Caffeine With L-Theanine

“If people are doubting how far you can go, go so far that you can’t hear them anymore.”
– Michele Ruiz

When constructing your first caffeine and L-theanine combination, keep in mind that the ratio is critical.

Though the combination is likely to work as long as you stack more L-theanine than caffeine, the majority of studies indicate that a 2:1 theanine-to-caffeine ratio is optimal.

In other words, if an average cup of coffee contains around 100mg caffeine, 200mg L-theanine is required to achieve the 2:1 ratio. Of course, mixing caffeine with L-theanine via a “cup of coffee” is not necessarily the most convenient method.

If you choose to do so, bear in mind that you’d want a standard cup of coffee per serving of Maximum Mind.

After all, the amount of caffeine in your coffee is merely an estimate. This is why it appears as though consuming a readymade caffeine and  L-theanine combination “mini-stack” is the recommended course of action.

In an ideal world, this would be a mini-stack that contains only a small quantity of caffeine (50mg) rather than forcing you to consume an extreme dosage of caffeine each serving. After all, with a lesser dose, you may always double or quadruple the serving amount as needed.

Once you’ve mastered the coffee and L-theanine combination, you may add more nootropics to this mini-stack to boost your cognitive performance even further.

Maximum Mind Nootropics to Combine With Caffeine

“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”
– Walt Disney

Apart from Maximum Mind L-Theanine, which is an enhanced version of L-Theanine extracted from organic tea leaves only compared to the more common synthetic versions in the market, additional Maximum Mind ingredients work well with caffeine.

Below are some of those.

Organic Bacopa Monnieri Leaf Extract

Bacopa monnieri, commonly referred to as Brahmi, water hyssop, thyme-leaved Gratiola, or herb of grace, is a well-known Ayurvedic plant.

According to studies published in Alternative and Complementary Medicine, it thrives in moist, tropical environments and is well-known for aquarium use due to its capacity to grow underwater [6].

According to a study published in Phytomedicine, bacopa monnieri has been utilized by Ayurvedic physicians for millennia for a number of purposes, including memory enhancement, anxiety reduction, and epilepsy treatment [7].

Indeed, there is evidence that it may improve cognitive performance and reduce anxiety and stress. These advantages are attributed to a family of potent chemicals called bacosides found in bacopa monnieri.

Bacopa also contains several antioxidants. Antioxidants are chemicals that aid in the protection of cells from potentially harmful molecules called free radicals.

According to a study published in the journal Inflammation & Allergy Drug Discovery, free radical damage appears to be associated with various chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and some forms of cancer. [8]

For its cortisol managing effect, as long as it’s calming yet non-sedative effect, bacopa makes it to the list of ingredients that would enhance the best caffeine and L-theanine combination.

Note: there’s an effective dose of organic bacopa monnieri leaf extract at 50% minimum bacosides, in each dose of Maximum Mind.

Read more on bacopa on the Marco’s Grounds Deep Dive or find out more about the benefits of bacopa here.

N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine

N-acetyl L-tyrosine is a catecholamine precursor amino acid utilized to generate and restore catecholamine neurotransmitters depleted by caffeine’s stimulant effects.

Catecholamine neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and norepinephrine, are critical brain chemicals that enable individuals to retain a high degree of attention, attentiveness, and a pleasant mood in the face of adversity.

L-tyrosine, as a precursor to catecholamines, is a pro-catecholamine amino acid that acts as a stimulant substitute as well as a stimulant recovery agent.

Researchers in Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance asserts that stress and lack of sleep deplete your body’s natural L-tyrosine stores, which are required to maintain catecholamine activity [9].

While caffeine is a stimulant that improves wakefulness, it also raises tension and cortisol. Stress, sleep deprivation, and coffee, which many of us encounter on a daily basis, combine to create a catecholaminergic nightmare.

Once the catecholamines have been depleted, the post-caffeine crash occurs. Caffeine combined with L-tyrosine may considerably aid in replenishing and nourishing the brain during the caffeine crash, hence extending the duration of attention and mood.

For its neurotransmitter replenishing effect, L-tyrosine makes it to the top of the list of ingredients to add to the best caffeine and L-theanine combination.

Note: there’s an effective dose of L-tyrosine as N-acetyl L-tyrosine in in each dose of Maximum Mind.

Read more about tyrosine on the Marco’s Grounds Deep Dive or dig deeper into the benefits of tyrosine here.