I’ve posted all the research I’ve seen about this supplement / amino acid and schizophrenia. It seems that if it does increase dopamine it must only do it at a very low level, and any impacts are more than made up for by its other effects that seems to lower anxiety and stress.
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wow looks so promising cute face
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Well what can I say, it’s really very relaxing. I feel calm and at peace with stress. It feels like benzos but a lot cleaner. I really like L-theanine!!!
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Also I took valerian along side the L-theanine and I’m feeling very good. I would recommend definitely!
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It makes sense to me that L-Theanine would help lessen positive symptoms of schizophrenia (SZ). Excessive dopaminergic activity (often re-uptake dysfunction at dopamine [DA] neurons) is often hypothesised (and sometimes accepted) as underpinning at least a component of what causes SZic positive symptoms. Certainly, excessive DA could theoretically (neuroscience) potentiate the onset of hallucinations.
Furthermore, excessive DA (particularly when chronic) can have an impact on the activity of other Monoamines, particularly the Catecholamines and in this case, most importantly Norepinephrine (NE). More DA will typically result in the production of more NE, which can increase adrenal/sympathetic tone, which describes the body’s subconscious circuitry that tunes and balances the “fight or flight” and “rest and digest” conditions. These circuits are summarised in medical science as the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) and Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS).
It stands to reason that a person with pervasive positive SZ symptoms has likely had chronically elevated DA levels and it is thereby rational to conclude that such a person may also be SNS dominant; meaning a chronic and constant state of excessive adrenal activity.
Assuming the person’s adrenals were still functioning adequately, then it would also stand to reason that a nuero-inhibitory supplement such as L-Theanine would help reduce the impact of SNS induced anxiety, thus having a flow-on effect onto paranoia and finally, delusions.
L-Theanine is widely accepted (particularly anecdotally) to be a highly effacious adjunct complimenting stimulant medication treatment for ADHD diagnoses. In other words, nervous system stimulant drugs raise adrenal function (especially NE activity) and L-Theanine helps offset some of the jitters and anxious thinking that can result.
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Necro-reply: please request liver function diagnostics from your GP periodically if you are continuing this regime. The metabolic processes involved with daily supplementation of sarcosine can put the detoxifying organs under a lot of stress - all of the other drugs will be taking a toll as well.
Adding Milk Thistle Extract (MTE) to your stack alone could really help, but I’d still get liver function screening done every few months or as advised by your GP after the results of the first diagnostics become available.
Cheers
I’m going to try to look for this again. I’m home from school now so maybe the grocery store here will have it.
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Hi,
Are you and other people who have tried L-theanine still taking it?
Do you still like the benefits if offers? Are you still seeing the benefits?
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@everhopeful are you still taking l-theanine and if so how is it working?
I still take 400mg twice a day (800 in total). I’ve become tolerant to it, so it doesn’t work as well as it used to. But it still seems to make the anxiety bearable.
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Have you tried stopping it for awhile and then trying the lower dose again. I read through the posts and you did that before.
No I didn’t, someone suggested I do that though.
I am thinking about trying it while I am off meds. I can’t drink green tea though cuz I have had kidney failure before and the green tea causes problems with my kidneys. I am hoping this isn’t what is in green tea that causes it. I researched and haven’t found any know contraindictions or issues. So fingers crossed.
Do you start at the 250 or work up to it?
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I started with 300mg twice a day(600mg) , then went to 400mg twice a day(800mg).
wow you are way higher dose than where you started. I’ll try the 100mg a day and up to the 250mg.
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Hi,
I’ve been on 400 mg l-theanin a day. For about three weeks. No other (relevant) meds. I had very little hope in this (was just done testing l-lysine for four weeks, it did absolutely nothing, tasted awful). I wanted to give this a try before having to start antipsychotics (because my partner was suffering a lot from my delusions).
I am basically not suffering anymore. Pretty much cured. Was suffering from SZ for 1,5 years
I am going to list some symptoms and how they changed -
-paranoia - gone.
-suspicion of my partner - gone.
-panic when plans are changed - gone.
-voices (did not realize i had voices until they were - yes -gone) gone.
-excessive anger - gone
-fear of others stealing/reading my thoughts (until writing this i had forgotten i felt like others could steal my thoughts) gone.
-need for silence while thinking -gone.
-delusions -mostly gone
-general feeling that i am set up to fail -supergone. I am patient and calm now.
-complete social isolation - gone - or at least lessened.
-visual hallusinations - STILL THERE (i have no problems with them though)
-pain from overstimulation (light, sound) -STILL THERE.
I am healthy. I can choose how I want to interact with the world. It feels really good and very different. I am so glad my partner stayed with me through this and that I am able to enjoy her and our relationship again.
Other relevant things: I have one or more first degree relatives with SZ, I have had an episode of vitamin b12 deficancy some years ago, I have lymes disease and most likely toxplasmosis.
Will update.
Is 400 mg a day risky at all for healthy people? Should I try pregnelonone when I already have such success? Should I be on this the rest of my life? Should I lower the dose? I know I should ask a doctor but this is not a prescription-drug.
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The research studies suggest that L-theanine is “remarkably safe” - but there have been no long term (over 6 month) studies that I am aware of. Always a good idea to talk with the doctor about the supplements you and other medications you take because sometimes they interact in ways that only specialists understand.
Details here:
and more here:
I just ordered this tonight. After reading all the comments on this topic I’m really excited to try it out. I will let you guys know what happens when I do!
This is probably a stupid question. But if my body is tolerant to opiates will that effect how my body reacts to the theanine?
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I might try this!
I have lingering paranoia about surveillance, police brutality, and spies.
I also have a ton of fear and anxiety.
Also, I panic when plans change (or when I made a plan and have to follow through).
I usually don’t address my positive symptoms, the major audio and visual hallucinations having passed thanks to abilify, but I now think that there is room for improvement.
Also, I think maybe my experiences with torturous visual hallucinations jaded me to paranoia and fear. I probably don’t remember what it was like to have a “normal” internal environment, and thus I think I don’t have positive symptoms.
If something can help with the racing heart, sweating, and general all-consuming fear whenever I see a police officer or start thinking that someone who approached me to chat is actually a spy or undercover agent, that would be great.
Yes, I think next time I get some cash in my bank account, I’ll order some off smart powders (inventory blowout at 12 bucks for the powder form).
How is it working for you?