Caffeine is commonly used to temporarily increase alertness and overall performance and efficiency. While it doesn’t technically qualify as a nootropic, caffeine has still been shown in certain studies to improve your brain’s functions and your own mental performance. Unfortunately, caffeine can come with some severe drawbacks, namely jitteriness, sleep problems, and the inevitable crash when its effects wear off.
L-theanine is a natural compound. It is an effective nootropic that can stimulate the production of neurotransmitters while interfacing with other neuroreceptors. In smaller doses, L-theanine has been found to improve mental focus, while higher doses of it may create a significant calming effect.
Stacking L-theanine with caffeine can balance out some of those drawbacks while boosting the effects of both. This combination wasn’t just a manmade discovery either. Caffeine and L-theanine naturally appear together in green tea leaves, which have been brewed and enjoyed for providing relaxation and clear focus all at once.