Coffee has long been a staple in American life.
It’s what we get up to in the morning, and when we need a pick-me-up in the afternoon. It is a tasty, toasted vehicle for delivering the caffeine we need, the extra boost that gets us through the day. But just how much coffee do we get through? The average American drinks three cups per day and it is estimated that this totals 146 billion cups of coffee a year consumed in the US.
Every few decades, consumer preferences for their coffee experience undergo a profound shift, and recently the world of coffee has been changing again. New companies have come to see that coffee can be more than a just a way to deliver caffeine. A drink that is so widely used for the boost we get from caffeine can also be improved with ingredients that help us stay focused, reduce fatigue and can lead to a real and more relaxing level of energy.
In today’s world of coffee, a wave of consumers are looking for something new, looking for focus, and interested in improving their wellbeing. We have seen a wave of coffee with mushrooms added for their health benefits, and more now includes science-backed AlphaWave® L-Theanine. Why?
Effects of caffeine on beta and alpha brainwave activity
Caffeine is the valued constituent in coffee; apart from our personal experience, scientific research confirms that caffeine has many psychopharmacological effects, including increased energy and alertness, improved mood, and cognitive performance.¹
Research with electroencephalography (EEG) shows that caffeine creates increases beta brainwave activity but also decreases alpha brainwave activity. Beta brainwave activity is associated with logical thinking and has a stimulating effect, but can also cause anxiety, stress, and an inability to relax. The benefits are limited and have some inherent drawbacks, but these can be mitigated by boosting the alpha brainwave activity.
Alpha brainwaves are associated with a state of relaxed wakefulness, typically observed when a person is awake but in a relaxed state, such as during meditation.² Research has also shown that alpha brainwaves play a role in a variety of cognitive processes, including attention, memory, and creativity.³ Higher levels of frontal region and whole scalp alpha power have also been linked to reduced anxiety and stress.
Seeking the alpha wave balance
Just as caffeine increases beta brainwave activity, there are key compounds that are proven to increase alpha wave activity, resulting in a relaxed and focused state of mind. A leader in this field is AlphaWave L-Theanine.
L-Theanine was originally discovered in 1949 as a component of green tea and is considered to account for its relaxing effect. But today, AlphaWave L-Theanine is produced by a proprietary process of fermentation and purification that results in a 98% pure L-Theanine.
AlphaWave L-Theanine: An ideal coffee enhancer
- AlphaWave is 100% water-soluble with no flavor or color
- Excellent stability at different temperatures and pH levels
- Supports and enhances the benefits of nootropic mushroom ingredients such as Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Chaga, among others
- GRAS affirmed
- Significant experiential benefits confirmed in clinical studies show that AlphaWave promotes mental clarity, reduces nervous tension and helps relaxation without drowsiness
- Economic dosage of 100mg-200mg
- The quality factor: tested and supplied through Ethical Naturals (ENI) NSF Certified laboratory and distribution facility
The clinical studies
The benefits and effectiveness of AlphaWave L-Theanine have been confirmed in three clinical studies. The first of these, conducted at the Wellington Sleep Investigation Center, University of Otago, New Zealand, clearly established that a 200mg dose of AlphaWave showed a positive effect over time on the tonic alpha power that measures relaxed wakefulness, whereas the placebo had negative effects.
A second study published Neurology and Therapy September 21, concluded that:
‘A single dose of AlphaWave L-Theanine improved physiological indicators of stress compared to placebo, including frontal alpha power and salivary cortisol, in moderately stressed but otherwise healthy adults. This is significant, as increases in brainwave alpha power are considered to reflect relaxation in the brain, suggesting a calming effect of AlphaWave L-Theanine. AlphaWave L-Theanine was found to be safe and well tolerated and should be considered as a nutraceutical supplement to manage acute stress.’⁴
The third study, also published Neurology and Therapy, was over a longer time period, designed to show the safety of longer-term use on AlphaWave L-Theanine. The study concluded that: ‘AlphaWave L-Theanine supplementation for 28 days was safe and significantly decreased perceived stress and light sleep, improved sleep quality and enhanced cognitive attention in the studied population.’⁵
The benefits of L-Theanine with caffeine
A number of studies have also investigated the effects of L-Theanine and caffeine in combination; these show its ability to diminish some of the less desirable effects of caffeine. For example, L-theanine has been shown to blunt both caffeine’s blood-pressure-increasing effects and its sleep-disrupting effects.⁶
L-Theanine also does not blunt the beneficial effects of caffeine on cognitive performance. Instead, some aspects of cognitive function, such as attention, have been found to be enhanced when caffeine is ingested with L-Theanine.⁷
AlphaWave L-Theanine: The quality factor
To assure consumers have access to the benefits they expect, AlphaWave is custom manufactured to meet a higher internal specification than is used for generic materials. All AlphaWave is produced at one facility that is GMP, ISO22000, FSSC and HACCP certified by SGS and inspected by FDA; it is also tested and distributed through ENI’s NSF/ANSI 455-2 Certification that includes FSMA and cGMP (21 CFR 111), (21 CFR 117). The supply chain for AlphaWave is thus certified from production to delivery.
Cal Bewicke, CEO of Ethical Naturals concludes: “It’s great to see today’s new wave in coffee choices, adding nootropic balance to this staple American lifeline drink, and we’re very pleased that AlphaWave is contributing and adding to this new, beneficial approach”.
References
1. Smith, A.P.; et al. Investigation of the effects of coffee on alertness and performance during the day and night. Neuropsychobiology. 1993;27(4):217-23.
2. Lee, D.J.; et al. Review of the Neural Oscillations Underlying Meditation. Front Neurosci. 2018 Mar 26;12:178.
3. Lustenberger, C.; et al. Functional role of frontal alpha oscillations in creativity. Cortex. 2015 Jun;67:74-82.
4. Evans, M.; et al. ® L-Theanine on Stress in a Healthy Adult Population.A Randomized, Triple-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study to Investigate the Efficacy of a Single Dose of AlphaWave Neurol Ther. 2021 Dec;10(2):1061-1078.
5. Moulin, M.; et al. ® L-Theanine Supplementation for 28 Days in Healthy Adults with Moderate Stress: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.Safety and Efficacy of AlphaWave Neurol Ther. 2024 Aug;13(4):1135-1153.
6. Rogers, P.J.; et al. Time for tea: mood, blood pressure and cognitive performance effects of caffeine and theanine administered alone and together. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2008 Jan;195(4):569-77. doi: 10.1007/s00213-007-0938-1. Epub 2007 Sep 23. PMID: 17891480.
7. Kahathuduwa, C.N.; et al. Acute effects of theanine, caffeine and theanine-caffeine combination on attention. Nutr Neurosci. 2017 Jul;20(6):369-377.
