14 replies to this topic

[Daniel Cooper]

One reads that l-theanine increases GABA production AND upregulates GABA receptor density.

 

I find evidence for the former but can't find evidence for the latter, even though it is widely claimed.

 

Does anyone know what the truth is here?

 

 

 

[Believer]

It upregulates gaba-b receptors, I know this for a fact.

Any NMDA receptor agonist is bound to upregulate gaba-b receptors because they are so strongly tied to each other.

[Daniel Cooper]

At least that's a proposal for a mechanism for how that might work.  But it would be nice to see at least a mouse study to that effect.

 

And I'm really looking for GABA-A upregulation.  I wonder if some GABA-A upregulation would "ride along" with GABA-B upregulation.

 

 

 

[Nate-2004]

This is difficult to achieve really. Alcohol obviously does this well and xanax will sensitize the receptors and also upregulate GABA, but to do it without unwanted side effects, l-theanine and taurine are your best bet. Also I'm not entirely sure but you might try Ashwaganda. Whether it has an effect on GABA I don't know but it is anxiolytic and lowers cortisol.

[Daniel Cooper]

This is difficult to achieve really. Alcohol obviously does this well and xanax will sensitize the receptors and also upregulate GABA, but to do it without unwanted side effects, l-theanine and taurine are your best bet. Also I'm not entirely sure but you might try Ashwaganda. Whether it has an effect on GABA I don't know but it is anxiolytic and lowers cortisol.

 

Well, neither alcohol nor any benzo will upregulate GABA receptor density.  Quite the opposite.  Both are positive allosteric modulators of GABA receptors and regular use over time will normally build tolerance through GABA receptor internalization or uncoupling.  That's what I'm trying to reverse as a result of long term use of benzo's idiot cousin the z-drugs. 

 

I've just seen this claim that "l-theanine upregulates GABA receptors and I'm trying to understand where it comes from.  T'would be great if it were true.

[Believer]

Fasoracetam is another one that should upregulate gaba-b.

[Daniel Cooper]

You keep giving me GABA B up regulators .... I need GABA A. 

 

BTW, I've always wondered if up regulating GABA B receptors is useful if you have an issue with down regulated GABA A receptors.

 

 

[Believer]

You keep giving me GABA B up regulators .... I need GABA A. 

 

BTW, I've always wondered if up regulating GABA B receptors is useful if you have an issue with down regulated GABA A receptors.

Hmm sorry didn't read that. It seems that both gaba-a and gaba-b improve sleep quality and possess sedative, anxiolytic and pro-social effects but studies indicate that gaba-b is not useful for seizure control as gaba-a is.
 

[Daniel Cooper]

Ah, good to know.  Not having seizures so maybe GABA B receptor up regulation is useful.

 

I like your mechanism proposal for l-theanine up regulating GABA B, but I am wondering if you've ever seen any experimental data back that up?

 

 

 

[Believer]

Ah, good to know.  Not having seizures so maybe GABA B receptor up regulation is useful.

 

I like your mechanism proposal for l-theanine up regulating GABA B, but I am wondering if you've ever seen any experimental data back that up?

No but gaba-b underactivity is implicated in a specific issue I have which, after days of using l-theanine even after ceasing to take it (up to maybe a week or less) this specific issue is resolved. Fasoracetam does the same.

[Daniel Cooper]

How much l-theanine do you take?

 

I'm doing 200mg and so far it has some positive effect, but I do feel a bit "odd".  A little spaced out.

 

 

 

Edited by Daniel Cooper, 04 March 2018 - 04:32 AM.

[Believer]

Yes it makes me spaced out, can cause me to feel hot and burning, etc. Some pretty annoying side effects.

I have tried several grams. After about a few hundred milligrams, maybe 200 or so, increasing the dosage doesn't seem to make a difference at all probably because all the receptors are saturated.

 

For me all I need to do is dip my finger in my bag of l-theanine bulk powder. This equates to under 50mg. Although I get side-effects at all dosages, even the smallest of dosages you could imagine.

After a few days I can stop taking it and gaba-b receptors will be slightly upregulated for half a week to at most a week. The gaba-b upregulation is only noticeable for the one specific issue I have, not anything else I would say.

[airplanepeanuts]

According to this abstract :https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/23324588 theanine decreases Gaba in the frontal context.

 

Maybe this leads to receptor upregulation(?)

[Rocket]

How much l-theanine do you take?

I'm doing 200mg and so far it has some positive effect, but I do feel a bit "odd". A little spaced out.

Wow. I take a couple grams and feel nothing.

What does that say???

I take it for sleep. Seems to help me stay asleep a little bit. That's it.

[normalizing]

i take grams of theanine too and i dont feel anything close to "spaced out" or "better sleep". what i get out of it is hornyness perhaps has something to do with its effect on dopamine. it definitely excites me though, not sure how it helps anyone for sleep really.

 

daniel cooper, why are you so hung up on theanine anyway? if you want something to help with GABAA receptors, why not search for other drugs/herbs out there instead of keep getting stuck with the same thing over and over again? i perosnally would greatly benefit from anything to do with GABAA too, as i have abused benzos AND alcohol. theanine definately didnt help in that department, so i think you and I should try different things out there hopefully someone has the answer but it sure isnt theanine