It’s time for the third ingredient in the “Less Stress for Poker Success” formula. After this, there are only two more ingredients left before you have the perfect formula for a stress-free life. Ah, you can almost feel the relief already.
Before I dive into the third ingredient, I just want to give you a quick rundown of the first two ingredients.
Personally, I use Rhodiola rosea only in times of intense stress. I usually start using it 2-3 days before the expected stress and continue using it 3-5 days after it’s over. It probably has one of the largest amounts of clinical evidence supporting its benefits in terms of nutraceuticals. In my opinion, it is an excellent and well-studied nutraceutical.
Bacopa is considered my go-to long-term stress supplement. I use it 365 days a year. Helps neutralize the stress of everyday life. On top of that, he also has some cognitive enhancement abilities. What it lacks in clinical evidence, it makes up for in real-world feedback. You can’t argue with a supplement that has been used for hundreds of years in Ayurvedic medicine.
L-theanine
I think it’s blindingly obvious that we live in a world addicted to energy today. We can’t seem to get enough power. We have Red Bull, which quickly became a billion dollar drink. Then there was 5 Hour Energy, for those who were thirsty for energy but wanted to avoid caffeine. There are now countless different energy drinks along with hundreds of different energy pills. We are definitely a society with an overdose of energy. Come on people, relax a bit.
That’s exactly what the dietary supplement industry is predicting for the next two years: a sea change. Now we will look for more energy, but we NEED relaxation. Therefore, they predict that supplements that affect GABA, a relaxing neurotransmitter, will be the next big thing. What caffeine is to energy, GABA is to relaxation. Ativan, Xanax, Restoril, etc all work through GABA receptors in the body. God knows, those prescription drugs are already a hot topic.
This is why you will probably be hearing a lot more about L-theanine in the years to come. In fact, don’t be surprised if one of the leading energy drinks starts adding l-theanine to their mix. Get used to seeing “enriched with l-theanine for relaxed energy.”
Background
L-theanine is an amino acid that is most commonly found in tea. In fact, the relaxing effect of tea is mainly due to l-theanine.
Mechanism of action
It works through a variety of mechanisms. However, the 4 that are most important to us are:
Its ability to increase activity levels of serotonin, dopamine and GABA. These three neurotransmitters are extremely important for relaxation, mood, and energy.
Its ability to increase alpha brain wave activity. Alpha brain waves are thought to correlate with a relaxed yet alert state in humans.
Its ability to counteract some of the negative stimulant effects of caffeine. In fact, a couple of studies have shown that a combination of l-theanine and caffeine is superior to caffeine alone when it comes to mental performance.
Its ability to block the harmful effects of excitatory neurotransmitters that can destroy brain cells.
Dose
The typical dose is 200 mg taken 1 to 3 times a day. I have found this to be almost exactly what I need. You may need a slightly higher dose if you have taken a lot of stimulants during the day. However, always titrate to a dose that works for you. It’s extremely safe, so you won’t have to worry about overdosing.
Because I like
It is extremely safe and well tolerated. That is always of the utmost importance.
Like Rhodiola rosea, I don’t use this every day. I usually only use it in times of intense stress or when I’ve been on a lot of stimulants. I discovered that it is one of the few supplements that counteracts the negative effects of stimulants. Works.
Also, even though there have only been one or two studies to prove this, it supposedly has some cognition-enhancing abilities. As we can all agree, this is a benefit we are looking for.
Why for poker players?
Compared to all the nutraceuticals I’ve talked about so far, l-theanine is probably the most beneficial for poker players. Why? I have noticed that poker players are addicted to energy. Caffeine, Red Bull, Ritalin, etc. are in common use, especially by online gamers. Energy. Energy. Energy. Take an l-theanine capsule and you’ll not only block the negative effects associated with stimulants, but you’ll also improve your cognitive abilities. That is called synergy.
Poker players should remember that being overstimulated is just as bad as being mentally fatigued. Both can cause mental errors. Playing with energy and enthusiasm is inferior to playing relaxed and focused. Relaxation is the missing ingredient in the endless amounts of energy products available today. Remember, energy drinks and products on the market today are designed for physical energy (working out or waking up after a long night) and not mental energy. It’s like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.
In addition, the typical energy supplement further increases your response to stress. The goal behind these products is to put you in that fight or flight mode, also known as stress. Therefore, you are putting an additional amount of stress on your mind. Not good. Remember, stress kills brain cells.
Relax little man. It may be the answer you were looking for. Balancing relaxation with stimulation is the key to success in anything that requires mental performance.
As always, I will publish the studies in the next few days.