Caffeine + L-theanine stack

The canonical entry-level nootropic combination — combines caffeine’s alertness with L-theanine’s calming modulation.

Why it matters

The pairing is well-studied: studies of 50mg caffeine + 100mg L-theanine show better sustained attention and less subjective jitter than caffeine alone. The mechanisms complement each other — caffeine pushes alertness up; theanine smooths the edge.

In practice

Typical practical doses are 80–100mg caffeine + 200mg L-theanine, taken together once or twice daily. Many commercial “focus” supplements are this stack with marketing.

Common confusion

“L-theanine cancels caffeine” is wrong — it modulates the experience without reducing the alertness effect.

This glossary entry is editorial content reviewed against primary sources. It is not medical advice. See our Editorial Policy.