Tea, Matcha, L-Theanine & Depression

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There is not nearly as much research on the effects of tea on depression compared to coffee. However, there is some evidence that tea can help. One study of almost 10,000 adults in Korea showed that consumption of at least three cups of green tea a week led to a 21% lower prevalence in depression rates. In a meta-analysis of 11 studies with over 4,000 cases of depression, every three cups per day were associated with a 37% decrease in depression risk. Tea drinkers were also found to have lower levels of stress hormones.

Tea Types

There are over 3,000 varieties of tea and all of them come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. There are five main types of tea, with multiple subcategories for each. In addition to harvest date and varietal, the five categories are largely a function of how the tea leaves are processed. One such process is oxidation, when tea producers expose the leaves to the air, which dries and darkens them. Different levels of oxidation will produce different varieties of tea. In general, the longer the oxidation process, the stronger and more caffeinated the tea will be.

White tea is basically unprocessed tea. The leaves are harvested and simply dried. This leads to a delicate flavor and aroma.
Green tea leaves are plucked and very quickly heated (which prevents oxidation) and rolled (which shapes the leaves and wrings out some of the juices).
Oolong tea is often described as half-way between green and black tea; it is oxidized anywhere from 8-80%.
Black tea comes from leaves that are more fully oxidized, which also means it usually has a higher caffeine content.
Pu’erh tea has undergone a fermentation process that lasts anywhere from a few months to several years.

Unfortunately, it is unclear which tea types have the most profound effect on depression, although all teas are known to have various health benefits. Some studies have shown that tea can protect against cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and can help lower cholesterol. Most of these benefits are due to tea’s high antioxidant content, which is also what helps combat depression.

Tea Benefits for Depression

There are several different components of tea that could be helpful. Tea contains polyphenols which are antioxidants that are known to have antidepressant properties. One of the most well-known antioxidants in tea is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is thought to help people feel calmer and improve both memory and attention.

Tea also contains caffeine, which has shown to provide some benefits against depression, although many of the studies on caffeine were done with coffee.

Then there is L-theanine, an amino acid that decreases stress, increases feelings of relaxation, and increases several neurotransmitters. Matcha is a specific kind of green tea that contains the most L-theanine of all the tea types. Besides tea, l-theanine can only be found in any significant amount in a single wild mushroom.

Matcha Tea

Matcha tea is made from tea leaves that are finely ground into a powder and is traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies. Matcha provides far more antioxidants than a typical cup of green tea (3-10 times as many) due to the method in which the tea leaves are grown, and because you actually drink the tea leaves. Matcha also contains a fair amount of caffeine (about 70 mg, whereas a typical 8oz brewed coffee contains about 96mg), which means you are getting the depression benefits that come from both antioxidants and caffeine.

There are two types of matcha tea. Ceremonial matcha is made from the youngest leaves at the top of the plant, which produces a flavor for everyday drinking. Only the youngest most delicate leaves are used for ceremony grade, so it does have a higher cost. Culinary matcha comes from the leaves at the base of the plant which produces a slightly stronger taste and is often used for making lattes and baking. Culinary matcha tends to be cheaper, but both provide similar health benefits.

Matcha is traditionally prepared in a small bowl with a whisk and hot water, although you can also use a hand blender and tall measuring cup. You want to be sure not to burn the tea leaves and use water that is about 175 degrees. You can set water temperature on a kettle like this one.

All plants can absorb toxins and heavy metals from the surrounding environment and soil, so it’s good to look at the source of tea, and this is particularly true for matcha since you are drinking the entire tea leaf. The below companies are organic and test their matcha for heavy metals and contaminants.

Ceremonial

Culinary Grade

While all tea may have benefits for depression, matcha may be the star player amongst the tea varieties due to its higher concentration of antioxidants, caffeine, and l-theanine.

L-Theanine

And that brings us to the specific component of l-theanine. L-theanine is known for inducing relaxation and providing a sense of calm wakefulness. L-theanine in and of itself has shown multiple health benefits related to depression and anxiety and has been shown to be effective for major depressive disorder. It helps in a few different ways:

Cognitive Performance: When combined with caffeine (like with matcha, or when taken in pill form with a cup of coffee), l-theanine boosts cognitive performance, memory, focus, and reaction times. It does induce relaxation, but it only relaxes the areas of the brain that are not needed to perform tasks.
Stress & Neurotransmitters: L-theanine reduces cortisol and stress levels. It also increases GABA (the calming neurotransmitter), which can help with anxiety, and it increases both dopamine and serotonin levels. These calming effects can last 8-10 hours.
Sleep: Because it helps reduce anxiety, increases GABA, and promotes relaxation, L-theanine also helps you fall asleep more quickly and increase sleep quality. It also enhances alpha brain waves. Brain waves simply measure the activity in our brain – it is when neurons communicate with each other. There are five different types of brain waves and L-theanine increases alpha brain waves, which are present during meditation, creative processes, and REM sleep.

These qualities mean it combines well with caffeine for calm, steady alertness, or in the evening to help with sleep and relaxation. You can find l-theanine in capsule form with the following recommended dosages:

For sleep / depression / stress: 100-400 mg
For use with coffee: 12-100 mg with 30-100mg caffeine

These recommended amounts can be a little higher than what is found in a cup of tea:

Green tea – 8 mg
Black tea – 24mg
Matcha – 46mg

L-theanine is generally considered safe, however the following individuals should check with their physician before using:

Pregnant/breastfeeding women
People with low blood pressure or using drugs to treat blood pressure (as it can lower blood pressure)
Kids
Individuals on ADHD medication
Individuals taking stimulant drugs

I like this brand and this brand, which are both 200mg per capsule. This one provides 100mg per capsule.

Bottom Line

The antioxidants found in tea may provide antidepressant benefits. Matcha tea may provide the most benefit due to its higher content of both L-theanine and antioxidants. L-theanine is known by itself to have antidepressant effects due to its impact on cognitive performance, stress, ability to increase neurotransmitters, and ability to improve sleep.