L-Theanine vs L-Theanine with Caffeine for anxiety
Short answer: For anxiety, more users report improvement with L-Theanine — 91% of 1289 reports, versus 80% of 5 for L-Theanine with Caffeine.
L-Theanine has 18 meta-analyses and 78 randomized trials on PubMed; the other has not been graded.
Based on 3,475 reports about L-Theanine and 17 about L-Theanine with Caffeine. Not medical advice.
| L-Theanine Supplement | L-Theanine with Caffeine Supplement | |
|---|---|---|
| Users say it helped | 65%helped1,807 reports · high confidence | 87%helped8 reports · few reports |
| Verdict | Mostly positive | Mostly positive |
| Research | AResearch: Strong | Not graded |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 18 / 78 | — |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Anxiety % reporting improvement | 91% (1289) | 80% (5) |
| Focus % reporting improvement | 88% (501) | 100% (5) |
| Sleep % reporting improvement | 78% (370) | — |
| Mood % reporting improvement | 77% (223) | — |
| Energy % reporting improvement | 68% (97) | 50% (2) |
| Common side effects | drowsiness, vivid dreams, fatigue, headache | drowsiness, anxiety, palpitations |
| Typical dose reported | 200 mg / bedtime | 100mg / daily |
L-TheanineFull L-Theanine profile →
Latest review conclusion
This meta-analysis provides evidence that theanine plus caffeine, and theanine alone, could be beneficial for cognitive and mood outcomes. More research using tea beverages or tea-equivalent bioactive doses and research in free-living participants is needed.
Nutr Rev, 2025 ↗What a user said
“This morning was my first time taking this combination along with my other daily vitamins and wow, what a difference it has made in my overall mood and anxiety!”
L-Theanine with CaffeineFull L-Theanine with Caffeine profile →
What a user said
“Try L-Theanine with Caffeine, it works really well. I'm sensitive to caffeine and this combination provides focus and sustained energy”
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Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate