What are the effects of theanine and caffeine together?
Pro Research Analysisby 
Searched over 200M research papers
Consensus Meter
Effects of Theanine and Caffeine Together
Introduction to Theanine and Caffeine Combination
Theanine and caffeine are two compounds commonly found in tea. Theanine is an amino acid known for its relaxing properties, while caffeine is a stimulant that enhances alertness. When consumed together, these compounds have been shown to influence various cognitive and physiological functions.
Cognitive Performance and Attention
Improved Cognitive Performance
Several studies have demonstrated that the combination of theanine and caffeine can enhance cognitive performance. For instance, the combination has been shown to improve accuracy during task switching and increase self-reported alertness while reducing tiredness. Additionally, it has been found to improve total cognition composite scores and target discriminability in attention tasks .
Enhanced Attention and Reduced Mind Wandering
Theanine and caffeine together have been shown to improve sustained attention and reduce mind wandering. This combination decreases task-related reactivity in brain networks associated with mind wandering, such as the default mode network, thereby enhancing focus on tasks . The combination also leads to faster reaction times and improved accuracy in visual attention tasks .
Mood and Emotional Arousal
Mood Enhancement
The combination of theanine and caffeine has been found to positively affect mood. It reduces self-reported mental fatigue and increases feelings of alertness. Moreover, theanine can counteract the jitteriness and increased blood pressure caused by caffeine, leading to a more balanced mood state .
Effects Under Emotional Arousal
Under conditions of emotional arousal, theanine and caffeine exert opposite effects on attention. Caffeine enhances global processing of visual attention, while theanine enhances local processing. When combined, these effects neutralize each other, resulting in no significant difference from placebo.
Physiological Effects
Blood Pressure and Heart Rate
Theanine has been shown to mitigate the increase in blood pressure caused by caffeine. This interaction suggests that theanine can help reduce the physiological stress responses typically associated with caffeine consumption .
Neural Resource Allocation
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies indicate that theanine and caffeine together decrease neural resource allocation to distractors, allowing for more efficient attention to target stimuli. This effect is likely due to the synergistic action of the two compounds in reducing mind wandering and enhancing focus.
Conclusion
The combination of theanine and caffeine offers a unique blend of cognitive and physiological benefits. It enhances cognitive performance, improves attention, and positively affects mood while mitigating some of the adverse effects of caffeine, such as increased blood pressure and jitteriness. These findings suggest that theanine and caffeine together may be a beneficial supplement for improving cognitive function and managing stress.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic
Effects of l-theanine–caffeine combination on sustained attention and inhibitory control among children with ADHD: a proof-of-concept neuroimaging RCT
The effects of l-theanine, caffeine and their combination on cognition and mood
L-theanine and caffeine in combination affect human cognition as evidenced by oscillatory alpha-band activity and attention task performance.
L-theanine and Caffeine Improve Sustained Attention, Impulsivity and Cognition in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders by Decreasing Mind Wandering (OR29-04-19).
Acute effects of theanine, caffeine and theanine–caffeine combination on attention
Time for tea: mood, blood pressure and cognitive performance effects of caffeine and theanine administered alone and together
Caffeine and theanine exert opposite effects on attention under emotional arousal.
A double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the effects of caffeine and L-theanine both alone and in combination on cerebral blood flow, cognition and mood
The combination of L-theanine and caffeine improves cognitive performance and increases subjective alertness
l-Theanine and caffeine improve target-specific attention to visual stimuli by decreasing mind wandering: a human functional magnetic resonance imaging study.
Try another search
What are the distance measures that can be compared to the Mahalanobis distance?
What are the latest findings on preventing Alzheimer's disease?
What are the health impacts of air pollution?
Phenolic content of finger Millet
What are the benefits of psychedelics on mental health?
What are the implications of Kuhn's theory of paradigm shifts for scientific progress?