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L-theanine for Anxiety

Discussion in 'General Health' started by OntarioSheltie, May 24, 2011.

  1. OntarioSheltie

    OntarioSheltie Forums Celebrity

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    Was just wondering if anyone besides me has tried it for their dog.

    Here's some info on it for those who are interested.

    What is it? How does it work?
    L-Theanine is an amino acid found in tea leaves, and is used to reduce mental and physical stress. It raises dopamine levels, and is believed to raise serotonin levels, although studies are showing mixed results on the latter. It is also being studied to determine its ability to promote greater concentration and alertness, especially when taken in combination with caffeine.

    What are the risks of using it?
    At this time, there are very few known risks to using L-Theanine, with no known drug interactions.

    Availability and dosing considerations.
    L-Theanine is available as Anxitane in 50mg or 100mg tablets, and should be used for at least 60 days. It is marketed as being especially helpful for dogs with fear-related behaviors, especially in the presence of other dogs or people, and their studies have found at 60% reduction in the intensity of anxiety symptoms.

    It is also sold in combination products such as Composure, Pet Naturals Calming Chews, and BioCalm.The amount of l-theanine in these products varies widely.

    Are there any scientific studies supporting its use in canines?
    The materials on the Anxitane website linked above mentions animal specific studies on the efficacy of l-theanine. Also,this study, done on humans, found that l-theanine reduced heart rates during stressful events. This page summarizes a study on humans which found l-theanine promoted relaxation without causing drowsiness. It also summarizes a small study which found that the use of l-theanine suppressed aggressive behavior.

    This info came from this blog.

    http://reactivechampion.blogspot.com/2010/06/supplements-for-reactive-dogs-part-2.html
     
  2. OntarioSheltie

    OntarioSheltie Forums Celebrity

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    I bought some l-theanine capsules at my local health food store last Wednesday or Thursday. I noticed a difference in Toby almost immediately.

    He is MUCH calmer than before and is able to take naps without jumping at every little sound. Outside he is less anxious and better able to deal with scary things. His freak outs are less explosive and he usually doesn't completely lose his mind. He recovers much more quickly too.

    I'd be really interested to hear if anyone else has tried it or heard of someone else who had success.
     
  3. SheltieChe

    SheltieChe Forums Sage

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    sounds like a good plan for Toby. I think it won't hurt to try it. Did you get human version or doggie one?
     
  4. OntarioSheltie

    OntarioSheltie Forums Celebrity

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    I got the Human version, which is much cheaper. I can get a bottle of 90 for $30.

    Toby was a mess last night and I couldn't figure out why. He'd been so good on his walk yesterday. Then I realized I'd forgotten to give him his L-theanine. Within 20 minutes he was acting like a normal dog again.

    The only thing that he completely loses it over every time is the yellow dog eating demon from hell, aka the 'Dickie Dee' ice cream cart (You know, the yellow freezer mounted to bicycle tires with the ringing bells. Scary stuff!). Its so funny, its hard not to just stand there laughing instead of training him. :lol:
     
  5. SheltieChe

    SheltieChe Forums Sage

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    I should try it with Leo but I think his main issue now that his testosterone is dripping from him at ripe age of 10 months... he is the man of the town:lol:
    but it won't hurt to try.
     
  6. take4roll10

    take4roll10 Moderator

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    Sounds interesting...

    How much are you giving him and how many times a day?

    I will look into it and ask my vet.
     
  7. OntarioSheltie

    OntarioSheltie Forums Celebrity

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    No, it couldn't hurt to try. It just seems to calm the nerves and its supposed to help with aggression too. It has no side effects so it doesn't cause drowsiness and its not habit forming.

    I give him 100mg once daily. 50mg twice daily would be ideal but I can't get people capsules (much cheaper) in anything less than 100mg.

    100mg once daily seems to be working fine, I don't notice it wearing off before the 24 hours are up. But I'm in trouble if I wait longer than 24 hours, he quickly gets very anxious again.
     
  8. Lahree

    Lahree Forums Enthusiast

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    Very interesting reading. I will investigate this with my vet. Thanks for the information!
     
  9. k9kreationz

    k9kreationz Forums Celebrity

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    Interesting. I wonder how this would affect Koji for agility. When we're not doing agility it'd be great. But when we are, I don't want him anymore slower. lol. Hmm....I'll keep watching what you guys write.
     
  10. OntarioSheltie

    OntarioSheltie Forums Celebrity

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    It doesn't cause drowsiness. With Toby, all it seems to do is reduce his anxiety. He's still active, playful and loves to race around, but he's also able to relax. He's otherwise 'ON' all the time and pacing around or shifting positions constantly.
     

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