2024-01-06 13:56:06
Children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have difficulty concentrating, are impatient and impulsive, and often seem restless. This can cause problems – for example if they cannot sit attentively during school lessons, but often get up and walk around. Not only do many people lack concentration during the day, but they also have trouble sleeping at night [4]. This can cause them to be even less attentive the next day.
Some online shops offer capsules with the dietary supplement L-theanine. The substance comes from green tea. It is advertised as being intended to improve attention and sleep quality in people with ADHD. A reader wanted to know from us whether this is actually true.
Studies on L-theanine without significance
In our research we focused on two studies [1,2] came across that at first glance seemed suitable to verify these claims. The studies compared the effects of L-theanine in children with ADHD with a placebo. However, a closer look shows that the studies are meaningless.
A study [1] wanted to examine the effect on the sleep of affected children for six weeks. However, the study cannot answer whether the participating children slept better with L-theanine than without it. Its results are inconsistent and the study has clear flaws in its implementation (see section “The Studies in Detail”).
The second study [2] wanted to research the effect on concentration and impatience during the day. However, the duration of the study is far too short to be meaningful: the participants only took a single dose of L-theanine; the effects were tested two hours later. Only 5 children took part. These are far too few to be able to generalize the results.
No side effects were noticed in the studies. But they have not been specifically examined.
L-Theanine from green tea
L-Theanine occurs naturally in green tea. It is an amino acid, a building block of proteins.
The L-theanine in dietary supplements usually comes from green tea. The EU food safety authority considers this to be harmless [5]. In the USA, the responsible authority has classified L-theanine as safe up to an intake of 1.2 grams per day [6].
In the EU, manufacturers are not allowed to advertise that L-theanine improves sleep or mental performance, for example. The European Food Safety Authority examined such claims in 2011, but found that the studies submitted by the manufacturers could not support them [7].
ADHD: Not an easy diagnosis
In Germany, around 5 out of 100 children are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is more common in boys than in girls. However, some of these children do not meet all diagnostic criteria. On the other hand, ADHD is not recognized in all those affected. For some people with ADHD, some symptoms may persist into adulthood, but they are often milder [3].
How ADHD manifests itself can vary greatly. Some of those affected are particularly physically restless and overactive. For others, the focus is on a lack of concentration and strong distractibility [3].
ADHD often affects many areas of life such as school and family and can put a strain on the child themselves and those around them. Psychosocial measures such as training and advice for parents and teachers form the basis of the treatment. If that’s not enough, family or behavioral therapies may be useful. In certain situations, medications are also recommended that can relieve ADHD symptoms but also have side effects [3,4].
This is precisely why dietary supplements are advertised as offering “gentler help” for ADHD. This includes not only preparations with L-theanine, but also those with zinc, magnesium or omega-3 fatty acids.
You can find reliable and comprehensive information about ADHD, such as its course and treatment options, on the website of Gesundheitsinformation.de.
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