The Honeymoon Relationship Between Japanese Tea and Happy Hormones

L-theanine, a nutritional ingredient only found in Japanese tea, is contained in higher grade Japanese tea. The effect of theanine, an amino acid, is known for its ability to reduce stress and enhance autoimmunity. Theanine is a glutamic acid derivative, so it has a protective effect on the brain from excessive tension and a reduction effect during short-term stress.  

In addition, recent research has found that it is also related to serotonin, which is also called the happy hormone. Serotonin is one of the neurotransmitters in the brain biosynthesized from the essential amino acids tryptophan and vitamin B6, and it works to stabilize the mind by controlling dopamine (joy and pleasure) and noradrenaline (fear and surprise). , control becomes unstable, aggression increases, mental symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and panic disorder are caused, and it is also related to menopause.

It is also sometimes said that Asians, such as Japanese, are jealous and reluctant to praise the success of others.This is said to be due to the genetic prevalence of serotonin transporter type S. In this type, released serotonin is not recycled and is excreted outside the body, resulting in chronic serotonin deficiency.

Bananas, red fish, red meat, liver, chicken, eggs, nuts, dairy products, avocados, tomatoes, soybean products, and buckwheat contain tryptophan, which is a raw material for serotonin. the balance of the body, it cannot pass through the narrow intrabrain barrier and cannot act on the brain. On the other hand, theanine is a small amino acid that easily crosses the brain barrier to produce serotonin, so drinking high-quality, delicious Japanese tea makes me feel relaxed and happy.

It has been reported that theanine acts on the dynamics of noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin, and that it has the effect of competitively regulating glutamine, the final neurotransmitter in the arousal system, at the receptor part, and also stabilizes sleep.

It may be that the fact that we have prized high-quality Japanese tea since the samurai era was an unconscious action to make up for the lack of serotonin.