Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26797633›Full record

Trial reportNutrients2016

Anti-Stress, Behavioural and Magnetoencephalography Effects of an L-Theanine-Based Nutrient Drink: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Trial.

David J White, Suzanne de Klerk, William Woods, Shakuntla Gondalia, Chris Noonan, Andrew B Scholey

Open access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Nutrients, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 33 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
33citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
2.3field-weighted citation impact, top 13% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

33 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 78 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Effects of heat-treatedFrontiers in nutrition · 2026
    Trial
  5. Trial
  6. Trial
  7. Trial
  8. Trial
  9. Review
  10. Article
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  14. Article
  15. Article
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  18. Safety and Efficacy of AlphaWaveNeurology and therapy · 2024
    Article
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  20. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

David J WhiteCentre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn VIC 3122, Australia. dawhite@swin.edu.au.
Suzanne de KlerkDivision of Pharmacology, Utrecht University, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands. suzanne_dk@hotmail.com.
William WoodsBrain and Psychological Sciences Research Centre, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn VIC 3122, Australia. wwoods@swin.edu.au.
Shakuntla GondaliaCentre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn VIC 3122, Australia. sgondalia@swin.edu.au.
Chris NoonanHealthGuidance, Inc., Santa Monica, CA 90403-5104, USA. chris@healthguidance.us.
Andrew B ScholeyCentre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn VIC 3122, Australia. andrew@scholeylab.com.
Swinburne University of Technology · AUUtrecht University · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

L-theanine (γ-glutamylethylamide) is an amino acid found primarily in the green tea plant. This study explored the effects of an L-theanine-based nutrient drink on mood responses to a cognitive stressor. Additional measures included an assessment of cognitive performance and resting state alpha oscillatory activity using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Thirty-four healthy adults aged 18-40 participated in this double-blind, placebo-controlled, balanced crossover study. The primary outcome measure, subjective stress response to a multitasking cognitive stressor, was significantly reduced one hour after administration of the L-theanine drink when compared to placebo. The salivary cortisol response to the stressor was reduced three hours post-dose following active treatment. No treatment-related cognitive performance changes were observed. Resting state alpha oscillatory activity was significantly greater in posterior MEG sensors after active treatment compared to placebo two hours post-dose; however, this effect was only apparent for those higher in trait anxiety. This change in resting state alpha oscillatory activity was not correlated with the change in subjective stress response or the cortisol response, suggesting further research is required to assess the functional relevance of these treatment-related changes in resting alpha activity. These findings further support the anti-stress effects of L-theanine.

Indexed as

BeveragesAdolescentAdultAffectAlpha RhythmAnxietyCognitionCross-Over StudiesDouble-Blind MethodFemaleGlutamatesHealthy VolunteersHumansHydrocortisoneMagnetoencephalographyMaleGlutamatesHydrocortisoneTeatheaninealpha activitycognitioncortisol">l-theaninemoodstress

Identifiers

PMID26797633
PMCPMC4728665
OpenAlexW2254287515

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.