What is L-Theanine?
L-Theanine is an amino acid that’s found in green tea, black tea and some kinds of mushrooms, known for its calming properties and ability to alleviate anxiety in humans and also our four-legged friends.
What does L-Theanine do?
L-Theanine is similar to glutamate, our nervous system’s major excitatory neurotransmitter. The calming benefits of L-Theanine are thought to be created in three ways:
- Binding to and blocking glutamate receptors, which decreases both excitatory impulses and glutamate’s stimulatory effects
- Increasing levels of serotonin (the happy hormone!) and dopamine in our brain
- Stimulating production of alpha brain waves. These brain waves cause deep relaxation, while also creating mental alertness.
Benefits of L-Theanine for dogs
The benefits of L-Theanine for dogs go beyond just a calming effect.
L-Theanine for calming dog anxiety
Dogs experience stress and anxiety, too. While for us stress might be caused by a trip to the dentist or a job interview, for our best friends a vet visit, a trip to the dog park with unfamiliar dogs or being left home alone can cause them similar feelings of nervousness and unease. With adequate levels of L-Theanine, it can help your dog to maintain the right levels of serotonin and dopamine, keeping them calmer to better adapt to situations where they feel uneasy.
This can be helpful in situations where anxiety might arise for them, like:
- Helping reduce separation anxiety in dogs when they’re left on their own at home
- During times that are frightening for them, like thunderstorms or fireworks
- When at the vet or groomer
- Travelling in the car
- Adapting to changing routines, like spending more time home alone if you’re at the office
- Being around unfamiliar people or dogs
- The loss of a loved one in the household, either human or furry friend.
L-Theanine for better sleep in dogs
With L-Theanine promoting an overall more relaxed state, this can help your dog drift off to sleep more quickly and by being more relaxed before bedtime, this also promotes a deeper, more refreshing sleep.
For anyone who’s had a bad night’s sleep and felt the effects even mild sleep deprivation, when a stressful event presents itself, it can be so much harder to work through. So, with adequate, restful sleep, handling stressful events can feel much easier.
L-Theanine for a relaxed, happy dog
By being calmer and more relaxed overall, this can support other health benefits, like overall happier mood and reduced blood pressure.
Will L-Theanine make my dog drowsy?
The main goal when helping relieve symptoms of stress or anxiety is not to sedate your pet. The great news is that L-Theanine will not make your dog drowsy – instead, it promotes an alert state of relaxation without drowsiness, so you’ll still have your best friend around, albeit a happier and calmer one.
How can I give my dog L-Theanine?
The dosage of L-Theanine for dogs will vary depending on the size of your dog, so it’s best to stick to a supplement specially formulated for dogs, so that the dosage is effective and safe.
ZamiPet Relax & Calm
ZamiPet Relax & Calm is a great tasting, breakable chew containing four calming ingredients to support a healthy nervous system and reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety in dogs: L-Tryptophan, Valerian Root, Chamomile and L-Theanine.
This premium health supplement is specially formulated with high levels of four calming active ingredients to support a calm pup, to be given to your dog once a day.
The information in this article was checked by ZamiPet Veterinarian and General Manager Dr Andrew McKay, BVSc, University of Melbourne, 2000. Vet Registration No: V3985
Disclaimer: This information is general advice only. Before starting any treatment or supplement with your pet, please consult your vet first for the best approach to getting your pet back to their best health.
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