When you’re feeling anxious, it can be tough to focus and be in the moment. Your heart starts racing. Your palms moisten, glistening with sweat. Your mind spins around the root of your discomfort.
Often, these feelings are natural reactions to the world around us. Maybe you’re stressing about an upcoming job interview or a party with people you don’t know. But sometimes, anxiety rears its head for no reason.
No matter the reason for your occasional anxiety, you may be able to ease those feelings with natural supplements. Two options—kava kava and L-theanine—are frequently used by people seeking temporary relief.
Which one is right for you? Let’s find out together in this L-theanine vs kava comparison.
What is L-Theanine?
L-theanine is a naturally occurring amino acid found in green and black teas, as well as certain mushrooms.[1]
Amino acids are, to put it simply, “the building blocks of our life.”[2] These molecules are used by living things—including us humans—to make the proteins that sustain us.[3]
Although L-theanine isn’t one of the 20 amino acids your body needs to function properly, it’s still said to contribute to your overall health. People who take L-theanine dietary supplements do so for a variety of reasons, such as easing occasional anxiety, lowering stress levels, and aiding restfulness.[1]
What is Kava?
While L-theanine is a molecule found inside some plants, kava is a whole plant. Kava kava (piper methysiticum) is a leafy green plant native to the islands of the South Pacific, such as Fiji and Vanuatu.[4]
In the South Pacific islands, kava has a long history as a natural remedy. For generations, the root of the kava plant has been ground into a paste, mixed with liquid, and consumed as a beverage. In most cases, Pacific Islanders use this kava tea as part of ceremonies or rituals, as it is known to elevate mood and increase sociability.[4]
Beyond the shores of these islands, kava has become a popular herbal supplement for people looking to relax without the use of synthetic drugs. Fans of kava consume the powdered root in capsule or tonic forms to help relieve feelings of occasional anxiety, stress, sleeplessness, and more.[5]
Those interested in maximizing the benefits of kava may wonder if it can be taken with other herbal supplements, like ashwagandha. If you’re wondering can you take kava and ashwagandha together, we’ve gone into detail in our guide about mixing the two remedies.
Comparing Effects on Relaxation and Occasional Anxiety
Both L-theanine and kava have supporters who claim they remove obstacles to well-being, including occasional anxiety. But do these claims hold water? Are kava and L-theanine effective remedies when you’re feeling anxious and stressed?
To answer these questions, we’re turning to science.
The Effects of L-Theanine
As with many natural remedies, few conclusive studies have been done on L-theanine. There’s still a lot to learn about this potential powerhouse.
However, some promising research has found that the amino acid may do exactly what its supporters say. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study from 2019 found that L-theanine intake does have a positive effect on occasional anxiety.[6]
The same study found that L-theanine helped with other stress-related symptoms, including depression and trouble sleeping—all of which can worsen feelings of anxiety.[6]
In 2016, a separate review of four different studies found similar results: L-theanine seems to have the power to reduce feelings of occasional anxiety.[7] How? Scientists aren’t entirely sure, but some theorize that the amino acid may affect certain brain chemicals like GABA, serotonin, and dopamine.[8]
In addition to its relaxing properties, L-theanine may also help support memory, focus, and cognitive function, though more research is needed.[8]
The Effects of Kava
Kava would also benefit from more research, but the studies that have been completed show promise. One 2013 study of 75 participants with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) found that kava use can significantly reduce occasional anxiety.[9]
Other reports suggest that taking kava supplements by mouth for at least five weeks can reduce feelings of occasional anxiety—and may even work as well as taking anti-anxiety medications.[5] The ingredient behind these benefits is the kavalactones that occur naturally in the kava plant. [10]
Along with relief from occasional anxiety, other reported effects of kava on the mind include:[4]
- Feelings of happiness
- General relaxation
- Mild sleepiness
Side Effects and Safety Concerns
Although L-theanine and kava seem to come with a world of benefits, those benefits aren’t without their minor drawbacks. Both supplements offer a slight tradeoff: relief from occasional anxiety in exchange for mild side effects.
Here’s what you might experience when taking L-theanine or kava.
Potential L-Theanine Side Effects
L-theanine has generally been deemed a safe, harmless supplement. That’s especially true for short-term usage.
However, most studies on L-theanine have been short, so it’s unclear if long-term usage is completely safe. For now, there’s evidence that taking L-theanine can give you mild headaches and promote excessive sleepiness.[8] Other reported side effects include:[2]
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Jitteriness
- Irritability
- Diarrhea
With that said, these side effects may not be coming from L-theanine at all. All of these effects are also telltale signs of caffeine overconsumption.[13] Because caffeine often accompanies L-theanine in tea, people trying to get a full dose of the amino acid from tea may accidentally take too much caffeine.
With that in mind, if you’re trying to treat occasional anxiety, it may be worth seeking out L-theanine supplements that don’t contain caffeine—rather than drinking several cups of tea each day. Be extra careful if you’re sensitive to caffeine.
Potential Kava Side Effects
Kava is also recognized as a relatively safe supplement and when taken by mouth, kava may be safe for up to six months.[5]
However, there are a few things to keep in mind with kava. First, because the plant puts you into a relaxed state, you should never take kava before driving or operating heavy machinery.[5]
The other potential issue to watch out for is liver-related. Some researchers are concerned that consuming kava may affect your liver.[10] Although there’s no conclusive evidence linking kava to liver damage, consult with your healthcare provider to decide if consuming kava is right for you.
Recommended Servings and Consumption Tips
If you’ve weighed the benefits and potential side effects and decided that kava or L-theanine may be for you, the next step is to determine the safe and correct serving size for you. Below are some general serving guidelines, but keep in mind that individual health needs vary, and be sure to pay attention to the instructions on the packaging of your individual product.
Before you take any new herbal supplements, you should always consult with your doctor. Based on your health history, they’ll be able to tell you how much of a supplement you should take—if any—and for how long.
How Much L-Theanine Should I Consume?
According to the experts, the recommended dosage of L-theanine (when taken orally as an isolated supplement) is 200–400 mg per day.[8]
If you’re trying to get all your L-theanine through drinking tea and eating mushrooms, you’re unlikely to hit this limit. However, if you are drinking tea for L-theanine, there’s another dosage limitation to consider: caffeine.
The FDA suggests that you drink no more than 400 mg of caffeine per day.[14] Considering that’s equal to four to eight cups of black tea,[15] you should be okay, but we all know how easy it is to finish a few delicious cups in the morning.
The bottom line? Supplements can provide a more direct and accurate dose of L-theanine, unlocking its benefits.
How Much Kava Should I Consume?
The recommended daily serving of kava is between 150 and 400 mg.[5] How much you should take will depend on your desired effects and your body type, so you may need to experiment with the proper dosage. When in doubt, talk to a healthcare professional for guidance.
Conveniently, most kava you come across will probably be separated into correct dosages (unless you’re on vacation in the South Pacific). For example, our feel free kava tonics and capsules make it easy to incorporate the proper serving into your lifestyle if consuming kava is right for you.
Tackle Your Occasional Anxious Feelings with Kava Tonics
When those feelings of occasional anxiety start to creep up on you, you can turn to either L-theanine or kava. Both supplements have been shown to relieve symptoms of occasional anxiety, and they come with other potential health benefits to boot.
If you’re looking to try kava in a safe, convenient, easy-to-use way, we recommend our feel free kava capsules and tonics.
So what are you waiting for? Try kava for yourself and experience the natural mood boost today.
Sources:
- Healthline. What You Should Know About L-Theanine. https://www.healthline.com/health/l-theanine
- Cleveland Clinic. Here’s What You Need To Know About L-Theanine. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/l-theanine
- Cleveland Clinic. Amino Acids. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22243-amino-acids
- Botanic Tonics. What is Kava? https://botanictonics.com/pages/kava-101
- WebMD. Kava - Uses, Side Effects, and More. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-872/kava
- National Center for Biotechnology Information. Effects of L-Theanine Administration on Stress-Related Symptoms and Cognitive Functions in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6836118/
- ScienceDirect. Theanine consumption, stress and anxiety in human clinical trials: A systematic review. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352385915003138
- WebMD. Theanine - Uses, Side Effects, And More. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1053/theanine
- National Center for Biotechnology Information. Kava in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23635869/
- Mount Sinai. Kava kava. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/kava-kava
- Healthline. Kava Kava: Benefits, Side Effects and Dosage. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/kava-kava
- National Center for Biotechnology Information. Kava for generalised anxiety disorder: A 16-week double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31813230/
- WebMD. Caffeine - Uses, Side Effects, and More. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-979/caffeine
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine is Too Much? https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much
- 15. Healthline. How Much Caffeine Does Tea Have Compared with Coffee? https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/caffeine-in-tea-vs-coffee
About The Author
Jamal Bouie is an accomplished professional with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from Lemoyne-Owen College in Memphis. Currently, he is pursuing his PhD in Biomedicine at Salus University. Jamal has worked in several industries; he began his career in pharmaceutical manufacturing and transitioned to the cannabis industry, where he specialized in analytical testing and manufacturing, playing a vital role in ensuring product safety and compliance. Now, Jamal has turned his attention to the dietary supplement field, combining his scientific acumen with his passion for health and wellness.
