An L-theanine ingredient marketed by Ethical Naturals, Inc. (ENI) as AlphaWave was associated with improvements in perceived stress and sleep quality, as well as improvements in a test of cognitive performance. The findings, published in Neurology and Therapy, tested a 400 mg daily dose of the L-theanine ingredient versus a matching placebo in a group of 30 subjects between the ages of 18 and 65, for a treatment period spanning 28 days.
 
Stress was assessed with salivary cortisol, Perceived Stress Scale, and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress scale. Sleep was assessed using the Healthy People Sleep Quality Index and an actigraphy device. Finally, cognition was assessed using a computerized mental performance assessment system, and mood was evaluated using the Profile of Mood States. All outcomes were measured at baseline, and again on days 14 and 28.
 
Compared to placebo, significant improvements were achieved by the treatment group in perceived stress, improved sleep quality, and cognitive performance, validating structure/function claims that AlphaWave can help users relax without drowsiness, promotes mental clarity and focus, and reduces nervous tenison, ENI reported.
 
Citing the American Psychological Association’s 2023 report on stress, between 48% and 55% of Americans report experiencing stress that significantly impacts their well-being and health, ENI reported. “Because stress levels are high, and drug treatments for managing stress can result in undesirable side effects, there’s a strong demand today for safe supplement ingredients that reduce stress levels without those potentially negative effects,” the company stated.
 
The present results are consistent with a previous study which linked a single 200 mg dose of AlphaWave with increased alpha brain wave levels in moderately stressed adults. Alpha waves, as measured by electroencephalography (EEG), are associated with a state of relaxed wakefulness.
 
AlphaWave is GRAS-affirmed in the U.S., and is the only L-theanine ingredient approved for use in Australia by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). The ingredient is suitable for beverages as it is fully water-soluble and stable at a wide range of temperatures and pH conditions.
 
“We’ve now been collecting clinical and use data on AlphaWave for about ten years and this has supported its consistent growth in both supplements and beverages. Good clinical studies always involve a lot of time and work, but this new, longer-term study is another step forward in the development of AlphaWave and its contribution to stress relief,” said Cal Bewicke, CEO of ENI.