Caffeine
The accelerator
A stimulant that blocks adenosine, the molecule that builds up through the day and makes you feel tired.
- Alertness and energy
- Faster reactions
- For some: jitters, a racing mind or a crash later
The L-Theanine & Coffee Guide
Keep the coffee.
Lose the jitters.
L-Theanine and caffeine are one of the most studied pairings in nutrition science. Here's how they work together, what the research found, and how to pair ALYVA with your daily cup.
Why pair them?
Your coffee's missing half.
Caffeine and L-Theanine have been enjoyed together for thousands of years, in every cup of tea. Tea leaves naturally contain both. Coffee only brings the caffeine. ALYVA brings back the other half.
L-Theanine
The steady hand
A natural amino acid from tea leaves, studied for its link to relaxed, alpha-wave brain activity.
- A calm, settled feeling
- Not a sedative, so no drowsiness
- Zero caffeine, zero nicotine
Together
Calm, alert focus
In controlled studies, the pair has been linked to sharper attention and fewer distractions than caffeine alone.
- Alert, without feeling wired
- Better task switching in studies
- Steady, focused energy
The difference
Your coffee, upgraded.
Coffee on its own
- Alert and energised
- Can feel wired or jittery
- Easier to get pulled off task
- Blood pressure can rise
- Your usual ritual
Coffee + ALYVA
- Alert and energised
- Calm and clear-headed
- Less easily distracted
- Smaller blood pressure rise in one study
- Same ritual, no extra caffeine
What the research says
Studied together for over 15 years.
A selection of peer-reviewed human studies on L-Theanine taken with caffeine. Doses vary between studies, and so do individual results.
People were more accurate when switching between tasks and less distracted by irrelevant information.
Owen et al., 2008Nutritional Neuroscience ↗Faster reactions and better accuracy on several tasks, with people rating themselves less tired.
Haskell et al., 2008Biological Psychology ↗Better accuracy when switching between tasks, and people felt more alert and less tired.
Giesbrecht et al., 2010Nutritional Neuroscience ↗L-Theanine reduced the rise in blood pressure that followed caffeine in this study.
Rogers et al., 2008Psychopharmacology ↗Taken together, they improved performance on visual attention tasks compared with a placebo.
Kahathuduwa et al., 2017Nutritional Neuroscience ↗Find your pairing
What are you drinking?
Pick your drink to see how an ALYVA pouch balances it out.
Your pairing
Filter coffee + 1 pouch
Caffeine ~140mg
L-Theanine 150mg
You keep the full kick of your coffee, with L-Theanine there to smooth out the jittery edge.
Typical UK caffeine amounts. ALYVA itself contains no caffeine.
Pairing made simple
Enjoy it your way.
There's no right or wrong way to do it. ALYVA fits around the coffee routine you already love.
-
1
Grab your coffee
Espresso, flat white, instant or a cup of tea. Whatever you usually reach for.
-
2
Pop in a pouch
Before, during or after your coffee, whenever suits you. Enjoy it for up to 30 minutes.
-
3
Enjoy the balance
Keep the lift from your coffee, with a calmer, clearer head to go with it.
Good questions
L-Theanine & caffeine FAQs
Does ALYVA contain caffeine?
No. ALYVA is completely caffeine-free, nicotine-free and sugar-free. It contains 150mg of L-Theanine per pouch, so you stay in control of how much caffeine you have.
Do I need coffee to use ALYVA?
Not at all. Many people use ALYVA on its own for a calm, clear-headed moment. Pairing it with coffee is simply one popular way to use it.
Is it the same as drinking green tea?
Tea naturally contains both caffeine and L-Theanine, but a typical cup has only around 8 to 30mg of L-Theanine. One ALYVA pouch has 150mg.
How much caffeine is too much?
The European Food Safety Authority considers up to 400mg a day safe for most healthy adults, and up to 200mg a day during pregnancy. Our pairing guide above shows typical amounts in common drinks.
Will L-Theanine make me sleepy?
L-Theanine is generally described as relaxing without being sedating at typical amounts. As with anything new, see how it suits you before driving or operating machinery.
Who should not use it?
ALYVA is not suitable for children. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a medical condition, speak to your GP or pharmacist first.
Keep the coffee. Lose the jitters.
Make every cup a calmer one.
150mg of L-Theanine in every pouch. Zero caffeine, zero nicotine, zero sugar. 20 pouches per tin.
Sources & notes
- Owen GN, Parnell H, De Bruin EA, Rycroft JA. The combined effects of L-theanine and caffeine on cognitive performance and mood. Nutritional Neuroscience. 2008;11(4):193–198.
- Haskell CF, Kennedy DO, Milne AL, Wesnes KA, Scholey AB. The effects of L-theanine, caffeine and their combination on cognition and mood. Biological Psychology. 2008;77(2):113–122.
- Giesbrecht T, Rycroft JA, Rowson MJ, De Bruin EA. The combination of L-theanine and caffeine improves cognitive performance and increases subjective alertness. Nutritional Neuroscience. 2010;13(6):283–290.
- Rogers PJ, Smith JE, Heatherley SV, Pleydell-Pearce CW. Time for tea: mood, blood pressure and cognitive performance effects of caffeine and theanine administered alone and together. Psychopharmacology. 2008;195(4):569–577.
- Kahathuduwa CN, Dassanayake TL, Amarakoon AMT, Weerasinghe VS. Acute effects of theanine, caffeine and theanine–caffeine combination on attention. Nutritional Neuroscience. 2017;20(6):369–377.
- EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine. EFSA Journal. 2015;13(5):4102.
- Typical caffeine amounts based on NHS and Food Standards Agency guidance; actual amounts vary by product and serving.
ALYVA is a food supplement. The research summarised on this page is provided for information only and is not a claim that ALYVA prevents, treats or cures any condition. Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.