If you are a normal, healthy, skeptical adult you may be questioning L-theanine’s ability to treat depression. You may have heard many individuals promoting the supplement as one of the newest and greatest natural treatments for your blues. But is there any evidence that L-theanine can treat depression naturally?
The Ancient L-Theanine Depression Remedy
L-Theanine depression remedy is known to be present in tea leaves. It is a completely natural organic compound. Most leaves contain copious amounts of L-Theanine until they are fermented. Green tea is one of the few teas that does not use fermentation as a crucial component in the tea making process.
The unique and distinct flavor provided by green tea is actually caused by the high levels of L-Theanine found in the leaves. While we place our faith in science to prove whether or not something is “true” there are several ways your body can help indicate this.
For instance, if you are suffering from a vitamin c deficiency you may crave oranges. You will find them particularly tasty. Green tea is found to be incredibly tasty by most individuals, and once they become accustomed to having it in their diet they may actually begin to crave it when they’re feeling blue. This is an indication that L-Theanine is a naturally occurring depression remedy. Green tea has long been a part of many Asian cultures, including China and Japan.
Herbal Supplements for Depression
In 1964 the Japanese government approved the use of L-theanine supplements in many shelf-ready foods, including tea, chocolate, and many more. It was found to be effective in treating anxiety and a boost in serotonin from many clinical studies.
Many anti-anxiety drugs are also known to help with treating depression. While correlation is not causation, there is too much of a connection there to ignore.
Herbal supplements for depression come and go. L-theanine has been with us for thousands of years, helping boost our moods long before we even had a word for the state known as “depression.”
So, Can L-Theanine Treat Depression
If you ask anyone who has been taking L-Theanine supplements regularly they will answer with an emphatic “Yes!” If you were to consult many major clinical studies, though, you would find the results are inconclusive. But this isn’t because of a lack of data – it has more to do with the subjective nature of emotions such as happiness and sadness.
While there exists an ability to measure serotonin levels (and other organic chemicals required for basic cognitive functions) the only person who will ever know if the supplement is effective is the person experiencing the effects. Studies are frequently incapable of indicating whether or not a substance is clearly able to alter mood. This is the reason why there is no conclusive scientific evidence answering the question “Can L-Theanine treat depression?”
Thousands of years of evidence exists, though, and the Japanese government has approved L-Theanine supplements for foods and beverages sold on shelves throughout the country. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence that says, yes, L-Theanine can treat depression.