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Worried, Adverse Reaction to L-Theanine and Dark Chocolate

dark chocolate theanine

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#1 cjgymrat

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Posted 07 July 2012 - 07:48 PM


Yesterday I had a severe adverse reaction upon consuming 1 85% cocoa chocolate bar. I experienced all of the following

- Hypertensive crisis: systolic blood pressure was 158 - several hours after the incident occurred; normally my blood pressure oscillates between 115 - 125
- Heart palpitations
- Hyper-excitability of thought - eventually translating into ADHD like symptoms
- Severe Restlessness
- Very slight Headache
- Nausea
- Gastro intestinal discomfort

I suspect this reaction implicated in some sort of interaction between theobromine or the MAOI compounds in chocolate when used concurrently with an L-theanine supplement (I take 300 mg every morning, 200 mg in the afternoon, and 200 milligrams at night).
Or perhaps some form of serotonin syndrome? I had considered caffeine toxicity, but I am an avid consumer of black tea, and am not a novice to caffeinated products in general.

Any ideas as to what caused this to occur? I am worried about any potential permanent effects (neurological or cardiovascular) of this acute reaction.

#2 cjgymrat

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Posted 08 July 2012 - 02:48 PM

bump?

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#3 niner

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Posted 08 July 2012 - 10:09 PM

158 is hypertensive, but not exactly a crisis. I think this is all consistent with eating too much chocolate, and isn't a very big deal. I've known people who threw up after eating too much chocolate. I doubt very much that you did any long term damage. Next time, just don't eat so much chocolate, and consider consuming it only after a meal.
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#4 cjgymrat

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Posted 12 July 2012 - 02:16 PM

Thank you niner.

#5 Luminosity

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Posted 13 July 2012 - 02:05 AM

Yes, I think you just ate too much strong chocolate at one time.

The wikipedia entry on this wasn't very enlightening but I included it anyway.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theanine

Edited by Luminosity, 13 July 2012 - 02:07 AM.

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#6 Solipsis

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Posted 19 July 2012 - 01:50 AM

I think MAOI properties of chocolate are a notorious misunderstanding, also serotonin syndrome is very often mis-selfdiagnosed, if you really get that it would really be much more serious and less of a question.
Theanine is quite benign and has sedative effects so I don't see how it would fit in to contribute, rather the opposite.

Agreeing with niner on the rest of it.
Sorry it felt like that, symptoms like that can feel very worrying - I've had panic attacks and never knew how serious it can seem... and also that they can indeed escalate (blood gases >> acidosis once in my case) - but I think you're making more out of it than it was. I wonder if there were other factors involved in your case like psychosomatic effects adding up on top of it once you got worked up already.
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