Outcome
    Limited

    L-Theanine for Shift Work Adaptation

    Theanine may ease the wired-but-tired state after a night shift without causing grogginess.

    Overview

    Theanine may ease the wired-but-tired state after a night shift without causing grogginess.

    Verdict

    Insufficient evidence

    How It Works

    Increases alpha wave activity and reduces sympathetic arousal.

    Dosing & Protocol

    Typical dose

    Recommended dose
    200mg before daytime sleep
    Expected timeframe
    1-2 weeks

    Protocol

    form
    Not applicable
    duration
    Not applicable
    co factor
    Evidence is insufficient. Shift work adaptation is fundamentally a circadian problem: the internal clock must be shifted, or the person must function while misaligned. The interventions with evidence are timed bright light exposure, strategically timed melatonin, planned napping, and caffeine used deliberately during the shift - and for shift work disorder, prescribed wakefulness-promoting agents. L-theanine does none of this. It has no chronobiotic activity, no trial in shift workers, and no evidence of promoting daytime sleep in a misaligned circadian phase, which is the hardest part of shift work. Its documented effects - reduced stress reactivity, modest improvement in sleep quality, better attention when combined with caffeine - might offer marginal help, but none has been tested in this population.
    titration
    Not applicable
    starting dose
    Not applicable as an established treatment for shift work adaptation

    Evidence

    What the studies say

    Small trials report improved sleep quality and reduced stress without sedation. Shift work populations have not been specifically studied.

    No studies are yet linked to both L-Theanine and Shift Work Adaptation.

    Safety

    Caveats

    Mild effect. No circadian phase-shifting action.

    Less likely to help if

    Everyone: no shift work data exist, and theanine does not shift circadian phase.

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    Individual results may vary. The statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products and information are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.