L-theanine is a compound found in green tea, which has been found to help some patients with ADHD related insomnia with their sleep. But how good is it, really? And is it safe?
Effectiveness: There has really only been one study of patients with ADHD and L-theanine. In this study, 93 boys with ADHD were given L-theanine or placebo. Their sleep was then compared using actigraphy (electronic monitors of different physiological functions) and parental reports.
L-theanine did not affect patient's ability to fall asleep, nor did it increase the amount of time spent in sleep. However, it did improve the percentage of the night spent in sleep and restless middle of the night behaviors. It did not improve symptoms of ADHD.
Safety:
In the above study, there were no severe side effects noted. One child had to be pulled from the study due to recurrence of tics, but it isn't clear whether the tics were exacerbated by the L-theanine or not.
Although L-theanine has not been extensively studied as a treatment for ADHD, it has been studied for the treatment of other disorders, such as schizophrenia and cancer, so some of its side effects are known and include:
- lower blood pressure
- possible interactions with stimulant medications--may cause the stimulant medication to not work as well in enhancing alertness
- daytime sedation
L-theanine is currently classified by the FDA as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe).
Bottom line:
As yet, L-theanine is not definitely helpful with sleep and but probably relatively safe, especially in adults who are taking lower doses of less than 20mg daily on an intermittent basis. It may be a helpful aid to those who struggle with insomnia and have failed or been unable to tolerate other methods of treatment, such as sleep hygiene, clonidine, and melatonin. However, patients should be aware that L-theanine is not guaranteed to work, nor guaranteed to be safe--the research is still not very clear on all the risks, especially in children and in those taking L-theanine at higher doses on a daily basis.
References:
Lyon, M. R., M. P. Kapoor, and L. R. Juneja. "The Effects of L-theanine (Suntheanine®) on Objective Sleep Quality in Boys with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial." Alternative Medicine Revie 16.4 (2011): 348-54. Web.
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