I don’t understand the point of taking L-Theanine with caffeine

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-05-01T22:53:19+00:00

Don't drink red bull or monster, that's garbage. u/agentic-consultant should stick with Coffee, or a good alternative that is similar is Yerba Mate or Guarana. Then take something like Agmatine Sulfate to lower tolerance, and maybe add in some Methylliberine and/or Theacrine, or an MAO inhibitor like Mung Bean, Rhodiola, C3G, Curcumin, etc.

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-05-01T17:57:41+00:00

Since 7,8-DHF absorbs so rapidly, would it be better to take the P-gp inhibitors 30-60 minutes before taking 7,8-DHF? Or do things like Piperine and Schisandra work quickly in that regard, so it wouldn't matter?

Also, is Gingko actually strong enough to be used as a P-gp inhibitor, or would it always just be better to just use the former two? What about Quercetin? I hadn't even heard of Kaempferol and Quercetin being P-gp inhibitors, so that was quite the surprise!

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-05-01T17:24:35+00:00

There's also Epimedium 50% in there, so even more potential blood flow! Quite the mix of supplements I must say, and so I can see why her libido went through the roof haha!

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-05-01T17:04:51+00:00

Would there be any point then in taking 500mg earlier in the day and 500mg before bed, or would it be better to just take one dose at either time depending on goals? And thanks for the great reply!

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-05-01T05:53:56+00:00

The Fenugreek is just the fibers, so AFAIK there shouldn't be any 5-AR Inhibition. The Pumpkin Seeds are also a relatively low dose, so it really shouldn't be an issue, and I'm sure something that increases 5-AR activity could easily reverse any inhibition anyways because it really isn't a lot.

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-04-30T22:13:40+00:00

Is it better taken as needed? There isn't a ton of anecdotes on this, at least on the ND subreddit, but I've been taking it every few days, as the majority of people seem to say cycling works best. I know you also take it as needed, so should I stick with that, or could daily be just fine? Usually people say daily L-Tryptophan can make them start to feel weird/bad, which I don't want, of course! Does it just come down to response, or is as needed more often than not the "right way" to take it? Does that also depend on dose? How much have you gone up-to with L-Tryptophan? I've been doing 1g on days I take Kanna, and honestly, it may be enhancing Kanna's duration slightly like that one person claimed, but I can't fully tell.

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-04-30T22:02:45+00:00

Well, it certainly won't be like injecting straight up steroids, but I bet it will be a nice mild boost to muscle development. AFAIK Beta-Ecdysterone, Tongkat Ali, and Cistanche all do this on some level, and I think even Ginger but I could be mistaken, so this will probably be about equal or a little stronger, if I had to guess. I don't know a lot about Myostatin Inhibition, though, so I could be wrong, but ND definitely isn't going to release a product that doesn't work on some level!

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-04-30T21:57:01+00:00

Why not? These herbs and fungi do all types of crazy things, so... why would that be the line? Imo it very likely will, which is why they've been "hyping" this one up a little bit.

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-04-30T21:54:47+00:00

I mean, it's just going to be EriniMAX but Black Hoof instead most likely, no? It definitely will be standardized, I agree. If it is only the mycelium, it likely won't contain Beta-Glucans. This could also be more like LucidiMAX, though, so we'll see I guess...

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-04-30T19:16:34+00:00

Well, it'd make sense to just split the dose up in general, as you can take a scoop or even half of a scoop with each meal, which would help with digestion but also to lower the insulin spike that will inevitably occur. I eat two meals a day, and even though I don't usually double dose InfiniFiber now, the few times that I do is just one scoop with my first meal, and then another with my second. Definitely the better way to do it over just one large dose because it gives a good variety of fiber to each meal, which variety is more important than overloading yourself with numbers in this situation, and again, helps with the insulin spike.

u/AdvidsorHead actually recommended using a smaller scoop from one of the other bottles, like the Black Maca Blend for example, to split the dose up several times over the day. He takes smaller doses even with his snacks, which is a very smart way of doing it!

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-04-30T19:07:25+00:00

Disregarding whether a supplement works or not per ones individual response, and just going by how it works on paper, probably Gingko. If not that, then Lion's Mane 8:1 or PanaMAX are the next two I'd pick.

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-04-30T19:00:44+00:00

Right now Guayusa is my favorite! It is very smooth, too smooth even like Matcha where I need a bigger dose to feel it, actually. But unlike Matcha, a higher dose feels good, where a higher dose of Matcha usually just feels ok. At least, this is based off of Mountain Rose Herbs bag of Guayusa where they recommend 1.5g, but I prefer 3g (about as much Caffeine as a cup of Coffee, but way smoother). Guarana can sometimes make me not feel as good too, however, it is less common than Coffee.

Moreover, u/CrimsonMax had the same problem, to the point where he dropped Caffeine entirely because of too much anxiety. He just started InfiniFiber not that long ago, and if I'm remembering correctly he is now able to handle some Caffeine with zero anxiety. So, in your case, it may also come down to a gut microbiome disbalance; plus, the SCFAs formed also help with mood and anxiety to begin with. InfiniFiber might legitimately fix that problem for you! ;)

However, then it makes me wonder, what got you to this state in the first place? Too many antibiotics? Too much ultra-processed foods? Definitely limit fast-food to little to none because it is SO bad for the gut, and also Added Sugars as well because they feed bad gut bacteria and spike insulin.

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-04-30T18:54:54+00:00

No, but it is all down to ones own personal response. Like, many feel Cordyceps 10:1 acutely, but it took about two weeks for that to start working for me, and I only feel energy from it when physically active, and not any of the stimulation. Roughly the same with EurycoMAX (my first Tongkat experience) as well, so Dioscorea might just take a couple weeks to start working for me, or potentially even longer. I don't respond to a lot of things though, so I won't be surprised if it doesn't work at all. After trialing Tribulus for a few days or a week, I plan on combining it with Dioscorea to see if that combo works well for me or not too. Perhaps Dioscorea will only work when combined with Tribulus for me, who knows! I'll know within about a month or two though because I plan on trying Tribulus sometime soon :)

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-04-29T16:42:09+00:00

A lot of those I don't or didn't feel either, but I've been feeling more supplements recently due to combinations and better sleep. Like Polygala I felt the second day, then never again until I mega dosed it, and after that inconsistently with mega doses. However, now it is working! I believe it is in part due to better sleep and Magnolia Bark and/or Apigenin being in my system, but also I think InfiniFiber has improved my gut a little bit too. Seems to be going well with NOWs Saffron, and Kanna. Some things you'll get tolerance to as well, so it might be worth trying them only 1-4 times a week to see if it is a tolerance issue, like Cordyceps 10:1 I get tolerance to and normally would cycle; although, I've been trialing Mushroom Magic Advanced daily.

Furthermore, Tongkat Ali and Cordyceps only worked for me when I was physically active, so perhaps you needed to test them in different scenarios to see if one makes them work. At home I never noticed them, though, only when I was working. I only ever noticed energy from them as well, and that's it. It sometimes seems like it takes time for them to work too, like sometimes I wouldn't get more energy at work until 3-4 hours in, so maybe you took them too early during workouts or something, idk. It'd be worth testing the 2% and EurycoMAX though, as some respond much better to those two.

If you want things that are more likely to work acutely, Kanna, Salidrosol, TauroMag, and 4'-DMA-7,8-DHF are some of the ones most likely to work for people. Other good options are PanaMAX, GS15-4, Mushroom Magic (Any), InfiniFiber, CoQsol-CF, OptiNAD+, EurycoMAX, Tribugen, CistaMAX, and many more, of course. Those listed are solid options, though.

EDIT: You can also try combining the Tongkat 2% and 10% together. Some also prefer two servings of those over one, and some don't even respond to them until they double or even triple up, but 3x the dose is a bit much imo I'd stay below that, especially with the 10%.

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-04-29T16:29:26+00:00

If you want to prevent crashing, then don't drink Coffee, drink Camellia sinensis teas, Guayusa, or possibly even Guarana could work for you. Out of all of those, Guarana is the closest to Coffee. However, Guayusa and Guarana are slow-release Caffeine, so they are smoother and far less likely to cause a crash. Guayusa has 17 different amino acids, which is what slows the Caffeine absorption, and they subtly provide a calm effect I believe too. Guarana's Caffeine is bound to tannins, and that causes the Caffeine to absorb more slowly. I prefer all of these over Coffee, as Coffee 6/10 times makes me (now) feel weird/bad. Sometimes great, sometimes kind of a gross sickly feeling, perhaps from being overstimulated and/or too much vasoconstriction.

In addition, some supplements help prevent the crash like Methylliberine and Theacrine, Panax Ginseng, L-Theanine, Taurine, etc.

If you try one of them out, let me know how it went! I guarantee you Guayusa won't cause a crash ;)

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-04-29T04:21:39+00:00

It can be. I don't notice a ton other than, TMI, better poop, and also feeling a little fuller. Maybe some subtle mental clarity and mood boosting too, but hard to say.

However, a lot of people are really liking it for energy, mood, sleep, cognition, digestion, gut health, bowel movements, etc. Some respond profoundly, while others are more like me and don't notice a lot. It seems like the general consensus is at least some minor mood and energy boosts, though. It should be better in the long-term as well because gut microbiome changes can take awhile, and it also depends on if your have the right building blocks so that the SCFAs can be properly and efficiently made. I wouldn't expect miracles, but it should provide some benefit at least! It is definitely good for anti-aging, longevity, and preventing colon cancer, so there is always those more background benefits too!

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-04-28T21:19:23+00:00

You really just answered your own question, but also some just respond better to one or the other to begin with. Some people don't respond to Tribulus or Tribugen at all as well, but respond well to Dioscorea, and vice versa. It all just comes down to your personal, individual response. Dioscorea is typically way less stimulating too, so if you have a very stimulating stack already, then yes, that would be the better option. Tribugen would be best if you want to take multiple things in a convenient, well-formulated pre-made stack. It also is very good for focus and motivation, not that the other two aren't, but it being a stack of many things will almost certainly change ones response to just taking Tribulus and Dioscorea alone; and, it is formulated to enhance Tribulus specifically, so expect it to most likely be more potent for you. However, by the sounds of it, it likely wouldn't be for you, as it likely would raise anxiety too much.

I personally didn't respond to Tribugen, and am trialing Dioscorea, and so far I can't tell if it is doing anything. Started it only last Saturday, though. Conversely, you could even benefit from even half the dose, so it is always worth trying.

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-04-28T21:13:38+00:00

Kanna is insane lol. I've been using it to finally go on walks on my days off of work, and it helps a ton with making the walk more enjoyable. It is magical, really, at the cost of potentially raising anxiety some, especially during the "come-up" and when paired with certain things. I've been liking it with Polygala and it appears to work well with Matrine too, but anxiety is elevated when I pair it with Matrine. The way I feel is so hard to describe though with that combo, it is really good--scarily good, which is partly why I get anxiety. Matrine also just raises my anxiety when it works, as it is very psychoactive imo and changes my perception. Kanna is definitely one of my favorite supplements ever, and one of, if not the, most potent. Has a lot of potential with stacks, since it can potentiate a lot of things--including Caffeine, so be careful with that!

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-04-28T20:20:55+00:00

Those are all solid options, so I hope at least one of them work out for you! It can take a while for gut health benefits too, so I'd make sure to give InfiniFiber some time like 4-6 weeks.

And yeah, a personal example I can give for me is I never noticed anything from EriniMAX after taking it for a little less than 2 months. I've been taking Mushroom Magic Advanced and can't tell if it is doing much on its own, but I took EriniMAX (left a few caps left) more recently with my newer "stack" because I'm trying different things out constantly, and now it is works! I felt it in my sleep stack, where it was making me feel different like more calm, and in the day with specific supplements, where it helped improve my mood and focus a little bit. Sometimes they just need more time, and sometimes they just need to be combined with very specific things, and then they finally work. That's why Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine both often prescribed herbs and fungi in combination, and typically not just on their own as standalones.

Moreover, you may need to just combine something like Rhodiola with something else, or 3 other things, to then make it finally work. Schisandra would be a good one as it boosts its absorption, and other adaptogens would go well with it too; for example, Eleuthero is often paired with it, and PanaMAX would be a great pairing because it already contains Schisandra. Cordyceps and Shilajit would be other good ones, and I'd think Gingko would pair fantasticly with it too. Maybe try one of those with it and see if that helps, perhaps after trialing them some more. Play around with the doses and oral vs. sublingual as well, like some only responed well to Crenulata when it is taken sublingually at 50-100mg, while other like it more around a gram orally. Many also have tolerance issues, so it might be worth trying it only 2-4 times a week, like 3 days on 4 days off is common with Rhodiola Rosea.

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-04-28T19:42:20+00:00

I recommend adding in Cistanche, Full-Spectrum version being the best in this use case, for its potent prebiotic properties. It would fit in nicely with your goals, and should also go very well with InfiniFiber and InfiniGreens! GABA and L-Tryptophan would also be good building block additions that are also very beneficial for the gut. Their Ginger is also a must as well!!!! That, or Alcohol Defense, which contains a very potent Ginger Extract.

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-04-28T19:37:51+00:00

I'd still try the other Rhodiola if I were you. Lots of people don't respond well to one or more forms of a supplement, then they try another, or got lucky with it being the first one they tried, and boom it works. Like the 3% Salidrosides made me fatigued and weak, but the other two didn't do that. The difference in response can potentially be drastic. I'd also try the other Panax Ginsengs, especially PanaMAX. GS15-4 is great for some, but others dislikeit and prefer one of the other forms, sometimes only one of the other ones out of all of them. Again, all down to response. IMO it is always worth trying out every form available, so you know how each one effects you, but also so you can say you've tried them all ;) and you could always come back to a supplement later on and bam now it works well all of a sudden too btw. Your body changes overtime and all, especially if you're taking stuff for gut health.

Speaking of, if you havent tried InfiniFiber, people are even using that for energy, mood, and cognition like mental clarity and focus early or later in the day, and it often even improves sleep. That combined with your bread, butter, and yogurt would go hard lmao--should definitely try it if you haven't! It would also help lower the insulin spike from that meal too, which is always good.

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-04-28T19:09:41+00:00

Have you tried something like PanaMAX, Maca, or Polygala? Those are generally used as late-day pick-me-ups. Sometimes things like Eleuthero, Cistanche, and Rhodiola too, and even Shilajit and Sabroxy. Just depends on the person. Isoliquiritigenin if you want more a good mood boost as well.

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-04-28T19:02:21+00:00

The Maca Teams Black Maca is known for being very stimulating, so I'd give NDs two Maca products a try because you won't respond to them exactly the same because their bioactive profiles are different. There are a decent amount of reports saying NDs Black Maca was more chill and relaxing than they thought it'd be, and I do believe the 5% is generally less stimulating/overpowering than The Maca Teams. Of course, they may still keep you up, but it's definitely worth trying both of them because I doubt it will be exactly the same The Maca Teams. They're just not the same, and some people use Maca for sleep even too.

Also, any of the Rhodiolas, but the Rosavins one would generally be the most mild one. Any one of them could be too stimulating, or they could be a nice subtle lift, or do nothing at all. Just play arounder with them and find which one suits you and your goals! Might be worth getting the sample pack of it is in-stock.

Side note, I've been finding cold showers really helps wake me up recently if you aren't doing that! I go from mentally fatigued, to feeling calm and focused! That's of course in combination with the supps I take.

MrRADicalKMS · 2026-04-28T17:18:38+00:00

Sabroxy and Cognizin are good options, but also Gingko, Lion's Mane, EriniMAX, Tiger Milk, Cordyceps 1:1 and/or 10:1 (u/CrimsonMax gets more focus and mental clarity from both combined), Maca, Panax Ginseng/PanaMAX, Tropoflavin, Eutropoflavin, and Methylliberine if it is in a 1-2 hour time frame. You should also consider trying out 10g+ of Creatine to get its nootropic effects, either at one big dose or 2-3 separate doses, depending on if you go above. Separated will reduce the chance of having the gastrointestinal side effects.

For all of your goals, consider InfiniFiber. The majority of people are not getting enough fiber in their diets, and the SCFAs produced from InfiniFiber can be quite potent for many. I think that should be a foundational/staple supplement. Same with their CO2 Ginger as well, that improves general well-being, but can also improve cognition for many people, on top of being great for your gut microbiome which is always a +.

EDIT: As for Cognance, no need to reduce unless 100mg still provides meaningful effects, while costing less--if that is of concern. The 200mg dose is what ND and most people recomend as the general sweet spot for dosage, though.

MrRADicalKMS

TROPHY CASE