The 4 Stimulant Substances Found in Tea

The stimulant substances found in tea you need to know about. In addition, tea contains 4 substances that have stimulating effects on the brain. The best known is caffeine, a potent stimulant that you can also get through coffee and soda.

Tea also contains two caffeine-related substances: theobromine and theophylline. Finally, it provides a very unique amino acid called L-theanine, which has some very interesting effects on the brain. So, below, learn more about The 4 Stimulant Substances Found in Tea :

Tea and coffee provide a different reaction:

The other day, talking to a friend of mine about the psychoactive effects of coffee and tea. Both contain Stimulant Substances like caffeine and therefore have a stimulant-like effect on the brain, but we agree that the nature of these effects is quite different.

My friend used an interesting analogy: the effect of tea is like being kindly encouraged to do something by a loving grandmother, while coffee is like being kicked in the ass by a military officer. After our conversation, I’ve been doing some reading on tea and how it affects the mind.

Don’t get me wrong, I believe that when taken in adequate amounts, coffee is healthy. However, coffee definitely has a downside. While it gives a good, strong energy boost, I believe it sometimes prevents us from doing a lot, because we have a feeling of “connectedness” that can make the brain wander.

This excessive stimulating effect of coffee can make us spend a lot of time on unproductive tasks like checking emails, scrolling through Facebook, reading useless news, etc. It turns out that tea has less caffeine than coffee, but it also contains three Stimulant Substances that can provide some sort of synergistic effect.

Caffeine is undeniably the most widely used psychoactive substance in the world. That sounds like a bad thing, but it doesn’t have to be. Coffee, the biggest source of caffeine, is one of the biggest sources of antioxidants in the Western diet, and its consumption is associated with several benefits.

The second largest source of caffeine worldwide is tea, which tends to provide a moderate amount of caffeine. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, increases alertness and reduces drowsiness.

There are several theories about how this works. Chief among these is that it is believed to block an inhibitory neurotransmitter called adenosine at certain synapses in the brain, leading to a net stimulant effect.

Adenosine is believed to increase in the brain throughout the day, creating a kind of “sleep pressure”. The more adenosine, the greater the tendency to fall asleep. Caffeine partially reverses this effect.

The main difference between the caffeine in coffee and tea is that tea has much less. A cup of strong coffee can provide 100 to 300 mg of caffeine, while a cup of tea can provide 20 to 60 mg.

Theophylline and Theobromine:

Theophylline and theobromine are related to caffeine and belong to a class of organic compounds called xanthines. Both have various physiological effects on the body. Theophylline relaxes the smooth muscles of the airways, making breathing easier and stimulating the force of heart contractions.

Theobromine can also stimulate the heart, but it has a mild diuretic effect and improves blood flow around the body, leading to a reduction in blood pressure. In addition,  cocoa is also a good source of these two substances. The amounts of these substances in a cup of tea are very small, so their effect on the body is negligible.

Some of the caffeine you ingest is metabolized to theophylline and theobromine, so every time you consume caffeine, you will indirectly increase the levels of these two caffeine metabolites.

Theophylline and theobromine are organic compounds related to caffeine and found in small amounts in tea. They stimulate the body in many ways. L-Theanine – a psychoactive amino acid with unique properties

The last substance is by far the most interesting of the four. It’s a unique type of amino acid called L-theanine. It is mainly found in the tea plant (Camellia sinensis). Like caffeine, theophylline and theobromine, it can enter the brain by crossing the blood-brain barrier.

In humans, L-theanine increases the formation of brain waves called alpha waves, which are associated with alert relaxation. This is perhaps the main reason for the different and moderate buzz generated by tea. L-theanine can affect neurotransmitters in the brain such as GABA and dopamine.

Some studies have suggested that L-theanine, especially when combined with caffeine, can improve alertness and brain function. Tea contains an amino acid called L-theanine, which increases the production of alpha waves in the brain. L-theanine, in combination with caffeine, can improve brain function.

More information:

Even though it has Stimulating Substances Found in Tea, it can be a suitable alternative for those who are sensitive to the high amounts of caffeine in coffee. Due to L-theanine and its effect on alpha waves in the brain, it may also be a better choice than coffee for those who need to concentrate for long periods.

I personally feel great when I drink tea (green tea, in my case). I feel relaxed, focused, and I don’t understand the overly connected feeling that coffee tends to give me. However, I don’t get the same strong motivating effects from coffee – the mental kick I get after drinking a strong cup.

However, I believe that both tea and coffee have their pros and cons. But, tea seems to be the best choice when working at the computer or studying, while coffee is more suitable for physical activities like exercising.