Green Tea – A Natural Remedy For Anxiety

Anxiety is defined as “a state of uncertainty, apprehension, fear, or uneasiness produced by anticipation of an imagined or real event in which the person feels threatened. Anxiety can cause both physical and psychological problems in the anxiety sufferer’s life. Anxiety is often sub-categorized according to the focus of the area of threat. There is separation anxiety, social anxiety, fear of speaking, fear of falling, etc. Stress often accompanies anxiety and can result in anxiety depression as the individual feels that there is no hope.

There are many treatments available to overcome anxiety. For some, medications are a welcome source of  relief from their anxiety symptoms. Other’s choose to not use any of the anti-anxiety drugs and opt for more natural ways to manage their symptoms. These may include herbs, acupuncture, vitamins, aromatherapy,  and even hypnosis at times.

While it may not provide all the solutions, the use of green tea may provide some relief for people that suffer from anxiety. L-Theanine, naturally occurring in green tea, proves effective in dealing with anxiety symptoms and providing anxiety relief. L-Theanine is a little known amino acid and can be a natural remedy for anxiety.

L-Theanine is a unique free form amino acid found only in the tea plant and in the mushrooms Xerocomus badius and certain species of genus Camellia, C. japonica and C. sasanqua. Often drinkers of green tea report a feeling of calmness after ingesting a cup or two. This is due to the high L-Theanine content.

As a side benefit to relieving symptoms of anxiety, studies have shown L-Theanine may be effective in promoting concentration, supporting the immune system, improving learning performance, lowering blood pressure, and increasing brain dopamine levels. It also has no known negative effects.

Tea is the most consumed beverage worldwide after water, and has been consumed for thousands of years by billions of people. It is estimated that a heavy tea drinker (6-8 cups daily) will consume between 200 to 400 mg of L-Theanine daily.

While dosages for depression and anxiety disorder remain individual, it is recommended to take 100 to 200 mg 1 to 3 times daily for anxiety relief. Based on the results of clinical studies, it has been established that L-Theanine is effective in single dosages in the range of 50-200 mg. It is suggested that subjects with higher levels of anxiety take a dose at the higher end of the effective range (100 – 200 mg) for overcoming anxiety.

You can find more information on overcoming Anxiety & Panic Symptoms here.