With a little theanine, a small caffeine dose may not cost you sleep
In one small trial of young women, 30mg of caffeine kept them awake longer after they first fell asleep; 50mg of theanine taken with it brought that wake time back to placebo.
What the study found
50mg of theanine cancelled a small caffeine dose's sleep cost
In healthy young women, 30mg of caffeine kept them awake longer after falling asleep. Adding 50mg of L-theanine to that caffeine brought the wake time back to placebo. Falling asleep and wakings did not differ, so the only sleep cost this caffeine carried was the one theanine cancelled.
The caveat · 30 mg, well under a cup of coffee
One small crossover trial in young women only, so nothing here covers men, older adults or anyone especially sensitive to caffeine. The 30mg of caffeine is well under a standard cup of coffee at roughly 95mg, which leaves the everyday dose untested. The lead author is affiliated with a commercial tea company.
What we don't know
One small crossover trial in young women only, so nothing here covers men, older adults or anyone especially sensitive to caffeine. The 30mg of caffeine is well under a standard cup of coffee at roughly 95mg, which leaves the everyday dose untested. The lead author is affiliated with a commercial tea company.