Magnesium, L-Theanine, & Cortisol
Magnesium, L-Theanine and Cortisol – What’s the Connection? Simple – here’s two minerals that can derail the stress-related, catabolic effects of cortisol! Dealing with stress, especially in today’s economy and with today’s problems, has become a big concern for a lot of people – and it negatively impacts your gains. So what can you do about it? Read on and find out!
A Quick Review
| Cortisol | Magnesium | L-Theanine |
| Catabolic Stress Hormone | Essential mineral | An amino acid |
| Peak Secretion Time:Around early morning (7am) | Needed for muscularcontractions | Does not create protein |
| Depletes magnesium | Helps ease stress | Promotes relaxation |
| Disrupts protein synthesis | Supports sleep | Eases anxiety & stress |
| Breaks down muscle tissue | Supports bone health | Does not cause drowsiness |
| 2 tabs per day with food | 1 tab in the morning without food |
What Is Cortisol?
First, let’s take a look at cortisol. Commonly thought of as a destructive catabolic hormone, cortisol can be defined as a hormone that is made by your body in response to stress, and that includes the physical stress of working out.. It helps you respond to dangerous or life-threatening situations, yet it is, as noted, considered to be a catabolic hormone, which is a crisis for any serious lifter. The problem is not so much cortisol itself – when levels are normal, it has its benefits – but rather the effects of too much cortisol. You see, in today’s world, cortisol levels tend to elevate more often than they should. This elevation can lead to both short and long-term negative effects.
When Is Cortisol Secreted?
Generally speaking, cortisol secretion is low at night, specifically 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. But it increases dramatically around dawn and peaks around 7 a.m. From there, it typically stays low during the day unless you experience stress that causes it to increase. (1, 2)
What Are Its Effects?
For starters, cortisol breaks down macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat) for energy. The reason it does this is in response to the release of adrenaline, which helps you stay ready for any perceived stress. In addition, it helps maintain normal levels of blood sugar through the by process called gluconeogenesis, which takes place in the liver. The problem with that is gluconeogenesis will use amino acids to manufacture glucose.
For the serious lifter, this is not an ideal situation because it pulls aminos away from other functions, such as muscle growth. That’s because those same amino acids are used to stimulate protein synthesis. In fact, research has indicated that cortisol has the catabolic effect of inhibiting protein synthesis, and extended exposure to higher than normal levels of cortisol will lead to muscle protein breakdown – that’s a crisis for any lifter! Excess cortisol also causes fat gain, anxiety, sleep disruptions, and muscle weakness. (2, 3)
Now that we’ve taken a look at cortisol, let’s look at magnesium and l-theanine.
What Is Magnesium?
Magnesium is an essential mineral found in foods like green leafy vegetables, seeds, and nuts. In supplement form you can find it as a stand alone product or in vitamin/mineral and other specialized formulas.
Magnesium is important for a number of reasons. Here are some of its benefits.
- Regulates Muscle Function – Important for effective muscular contractions.
- Regulates Nerve Function
- Helps Ease Anxiety
- Supports A Good Night’s Sleep
- Important For Bone Health
What Is L-Theanine?
Common in pre-workouts, l-theanine is an amino acid that promotes a relaxed feeling without causing drowsiness. It’s often used in combination with stimulants to even out their effects. It is not a proteinogenic amino acid, instead it is involved in the production of GABA, serotonin, and dopamine in the brain. They are neurotransmitters that are involved in calming nerves and easing anxiety, promoting a stable mood, and helping users feel a sense of wellbeing.
Cortisol and Magnesium
One of the problems with cortisol is that it directly drives magnesium into the bloodstream, where it is ultimately excreted from the body. In fact, generally speaking stress responses tend to deplete magnesium, causing you to become deficient.
Or put another way, stress depletes magnesium, and low magnesium makes you more at risk of stress. It becomes a cycle, and if this problem is not dealt with, this cycle becomes the daily life for a number of individuals, lifters included. This situation produces poor concentration, sleep problems, extreme anxiety, emotional problems, and physical tension that never really resolves.
Cortisol and L-Theanine
The primary connection here is that l-theanine helps block stress-induced cortisol release thanks to its calming effect. In fact, L-Theanine is an effective anti-stress tool. (4, 5)
Supplement Suggestions – How To Counteract This Problem
So we can see the problem of excess cortisol. The need created by high amounts of cortisol is basically two-fold: you need to replace magnesium lost due to stress, and you need to attack stress head on with l-theanine, thereby reducing cortisol back to normal levels. To that end, I suggest the following:
NOW Magnesium Glycinate – A popular version of magnesium known for its excellent absorption. This product provides 200mg of magnesium per 2 tablets. You can take up to 2 tablets per day. I suggest taking it with food.
Hi-Tech L-Theanine – This product provides 200 mg of theanine per tablet. The suggested use of this product is 1 tablet per day on an empty stomach. I suggest taking it first thing in the morning to help offset the morning increase in cortisol.
If you prefer a multivitamin to get your magnesium, I suggest Myogenix Myo Vite, with 204mg of Albion® Magnesium Glycinate Chelate per serving. Albion is the “pioneer” of chelated minerals, which means they are bound to an amino acid for superior absorption. (6)
Summary
As you can see, cortisol is a hormone you should take seriously. Your goal is to keep it under control. This article will help get started – and your muscles will thank you! All that’s left to do is stop by illpumpyouup.com for the supplements suggested above – and you can stock up on all your supplements while you’re there!
References:
- Braun, T. P., & Marks, D. L. (2015). The regulation of muscle mass by endogenous glucocorticoids. Frontiers in physiology, 6, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2015.00012
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22187-cortisol
- Wise, J. K., Hendler, R., & Felig, P. (1973). Influence of glucocorticoids on glucagon secretion and plasma amino acid concentrations in man. The Journal of Clinical Investigation, 52(11), 2774–2782. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI107473
- White, D. J., de Klerk, S., Woods, W., Gondalia, S., Noonan, C., & Scholey, A. B. (2016). Anti-Stress, Behavioural and Magnetoencephalography Effects of an L-Theanine-Based Nutrient Drink: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Trial. Nutrients, 8(1), 53. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8010053
- https://www.talkspace.com/mental-health/conditions/articles/l-theanine-for-anxiety/
- https://balchem.com/hnh/mn/albion-minerals