The ultimate stress buster: L-theanine

(NaturalHealth365) Honestly, who would have thought that stress can cause heart damage equivalent to smoking five cigarettes?

This is according to a study conducted by Columbia University Medical Center and published in the American Journal of Cardiology.  It’s our hope, here at NaturalHealth365, that this research acts like a wake-up call for all of us.

So, to state the obvious, let’s make stress reduction – by way of diet and lifestyle changes – a top priority.  The fact of the matter is: chronic stress is life-threatening, especially as it relates to the cardiovascular system.

Critical ALERT: Study shows that L-theanine reduces heart rate and other stress markers

The study we’re featuring today reveals how an amino acid known as L-theanine reduces both stress levels and heart rate.  As a way to increase stress levels, scientists asked 12 participants to solve a mentally stressful task in four double blind trials.

L-theanine was given to participants in one of the four trials before dealing with the stressful task.  In the second group, study subjects took L-theanine midway through the work.  In the third and fourth variations, subjects were respectively given a placebo and nothing at all before attempting the task.

In comparison to the placebo group, there was a reduced amount of immunoglobulin (a stress marker in saliva released by the immune system after exposure to viruses, bacteria, and other foreign entities) and a lower heart rate in participants who took L-theanine.

The researchers explained that L-theanine works by suppressing the sympathetic nervous system responsible for the ‘fight or flight’ response during emergency situations.

This is achieved by blocking a chemical known as glutamate (L-glutamic acid) that carries electric signals transmitted from nerve cells to the rest of the body cells. The conclusion was that L-theanine plays a major role in terms of influencing psychology (mind) and physiology (body) function during stressful situation.

Editor’s note: For me, this study illustrates how nutrition influences our ability to handle stress.  It’s really quite simple: nutritional deficiencies should be avoided (for obvious reasons) and proper nutrition can help us deal with stress – in a better way.

Sources of L-theanine: What you need to know

We all understand how diet can affect our physical body.  But, now, it’s just as important to realize its influence over our emotional well-being.

So, you may be wondering, where can we find this mind-relaxing amino acid?  In many cases, supplementation may really be your best choice – especially if you’re really stressed out.

There are also dietary sources of L-theanine like, green tea leaves and mushrooms.  If this works for you, you’ll experience less overall anxiety, better quality sleep and improved brain function.

but, whatever you decide for dealing with stress, be sure to work with a qualified physician that understands your needs and never give up until you get the positive results you deserve.

Sources for this article include:

Ajconline.org
NIH.gov
Psychologytoday.com