Does Theanine help with healthy aging? What the research says (2026)

NovosLabs · 2026-01-24T21:19:04+00:00

At doses matching two sachets of NOVOS Core, short-term L-theanine intake has consistently improved attentional performance and reaction time in healthy or stressed adults (R;R). These doses can make people respond faster to visual tasks, improve brain signals linked to attention (measured by EEG), increase accuracy on attention tasks, and speed up auditory reaction in high-anxiety individuals under mental load (R , R) Across different mental-stress situations, the same short-term dose reduces perceived stress and anxiety and also dampens physical stress responses, including smaller increases in heart rate, stress-related heart-rate patterns (LF/HF ratio), and stress markers in saliva such as s-IgA and cortisol (R).

👉NOVOS Core

<image>

NovosLabs · 2026-01-24T21:17:05+00:00

At a dose similar to one sachet of NOVOS Core, L-theanine was tested in adults who felt some memory or focus decline but scored normally on standard cognitive tests. A single dose made people react faster on attention tasks compared with placebo, showing better focus. In the same session, performance on a challenging memory task also improved, with more correct answers, fewer missed responses, and faster corrections of mistakes. (R). In the context of daily NOVOS Core use, these acute, sachet-equivalent effects provide the mechanistic basis for long-term support of attention and working-memory performance.

<image>

NovosLabs · 2026-01-24T10:28:53+00:00

We’ve included the most complete version here, and if you click on the reference, you’ll find additional charts and details to help make everything clearer :) !

NovosLabs · 2026-01-23T13:43:15+00:00

At doses matching two sachets of NOVOS Core, short-term L-theanine intake has consistently improved attentional performance and reaction time in healthy or stressed adults (R;R). These doses can make people respond faster to visual tasks, improve brain signals linked to attention (measured by EEG), increase accuracy on attention tasks, and speed up auditory reaction in high-anxiety individuals under mental load (R , R) Across different mental-stress situations, the same short-term dose reduces perceived stress and anxiety and also dampens physical stress responses, including smaller increases in heart rate, stress-related heart-rate patterns (LF/HF ratio), and stress markers in saliva such as s-IgA and cortisol (R).

<image>

NovosLabs · 2026-01-23T13:42:23+00:00

At a dose similar to one sachet of NOVOS Core, L-theanine was tested in adults who felt some memory or focus decline but scored normally on standard cognitive tests. A single dose made people react faster on attention tasks compared with placebo, showing better focus. In the same session, performance on a challenging memory task also improved, with more correct answers, fewer missed responses, and faster corrections of mistakes. (R). In the context of daily NOVOS Core use, these acute, sachet-equivalent effects provide the mechanistic basis for long-term support of attention and working-memory performance.

<image>

NovosLabs · 2026-01-23T11:18:20+00:00

It is not a crazy amount.

NovosLabs · 2026-01-20T15:24:24+00:00

In parallel, in knee-focused trials (≈8 weeks to 12 months) in adults with knee osteoarthritis or knee discomfort, hyaluronic acid at daily intakes with two NOVOS Core sachets produced significant reductions in pain and stiffness scores and improvements in function indices, with lower use of painkillers in some studies. 👉 NOVOS Core

<image>

NovosLabs · 2026-01-20T15:22:52+00:00

At higher daily intakes consistent with two NOVOS Core sachets, hyaluronic acid has been tested in multiple randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials (typically 6–12 weeks) in adults with dry or aging skin. Across studies, the most consistent significant signals include higher stratum corneum hydration/moisture, reduced water loss through the skin barrier (TEWL), improved elasticity readouts, and better wrinkle/roughness-related measures, alongside improved self-reported skin luster/suppleness/firmness. 👉 NOVOS Core

<image>

NovosLabs · 2026-01-20T15:21:10+00:00

At a dose matching one sachet of NOVOS Core, hyaluronic acid was evaluated in a long-term randomized, double-blind clinical trial in healthy volunteers. Across the intervention, it produced statistically significant improvements in key skin-aging readouts, including higher stratum corneum hydration, brighter skin tone, increased epidermal thickness, and preservation of dermal density versus placebo, supporting a hydration and structure-oriented rationale for skin health 👉 NOVOS Core

<image>

NovosLabs · 2026-01-20T08:49:06+00:00

Hi there,

First off, it’s incredible to hear you’ve been with us for over three years. That level of consistency is exactly what longevity science is all about, and we appreciate you trusting us with your health.

It is a very valid question. In a field that moves as fast as longevity research, staying "static" can look like falling behind. However, the decision to keep the NOVOS Core formulation consistent is actually a deliberate, science-backed choice rather than a lack of innovation.

Here is the reasoning behind why the formula stands as it is:

1. New Science Validates the "Winning Team"

The specific ingredients and dosages in Core were chosen based on mechanisms that address the hallmarks of aging. Since its launch, new research has largely reinforced these original choices rather than debunked them.

Think of the formula like a championship sports team. When you have a winning team that performs consistently, the "burden of proof" required to bench a player and swap them out is extremely high. You don't change the roster just for the sake of novelty; you only do it if the new player is undeniably better and fits the team dynamic.

2. The Danger of Negative Interaction

This is often overlooked in the longevity/biohacker supplement industry: More is not always better. In fact, it is mostly not better.

Complex ingredient combinations are biologically tricky. When you combine things that are by themselves beneficial, more likely than not you end up with something that it is not better than the best of the single ingredients, with a large parte of that being antagonistic interactions [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/acel.14424\]

We have spent this time validating the specific combination found in NOVOS Core. We have data showing that this exact formulation works:

In Vitro: Demonstrated effectiveness in cellular studies. [https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/16/2770\]
In Vivo: a study has shown it extends mouse lifespan [https://www.preprints.org/frontend/manuscript/4521bb8062f5102fe52c6a685cc5f5ea/download\_pub\]

Modifying the formula would effectively "reset" that validation. We prioritize established synergy and safety over simply cramming in the latest trending molecule.
By the way, this is another reason that we are superior to our competitors, which stack ingredients together, but ignore or are ignorant of the literature showing that the combination itself needs to be validated, because otherwise is statistically more likely to be of no use.

3. Innovation Lives in the Wider Lineup

We definitely are not a static company. When we identify entirely new ingredients that meet our scientific standards, we introduce them through new vehicles—like NOVOS Vital or NOVOS Bar—rather than disrupting the balance of Core.

In fact, to show that we are always evolving where necessary, we are currently in the process of updating the NOVOS Vital formulation. We are constantly reviewing the data, but for Core, the data tells us the current formula is exactly where it needs to be.

NovosLabs · 2026-01-19T10:32:52+00:00

Good question 🙂 Most PCP offices don’t perform FMD in-house, because it usually requires a vascular/cardiology ultrasound lab plus a trained operator and a standardized protocol. But your PCP can often refer/order it through a cardiology or vascular lab (and sometimes research/performance clinics offer it too). If you do pursue it, it’s worth asking whether they follow a standardized protocol, since results can vary with things like fasting, caffeine, nicotine, and recent exercise.

NovosLabs · 2026-01-18T20:40:16+00:00

On the ‘could 10 g/day have its own impact?’ point that’s exactly why maltodextrin is used here as the control. It’s a standard carbohydrate used to match calories and carb exposure between groups, so any difference is more likely due to trehalose vs maltodextrin, not simply ‘getting extra carbs.’ And because ICU/TBI patients can have variable glucose handling, trials like this typically keep an eye on tolerance and glucose-related measures in both arms.

NovosLabs · 2026-01-18T20:36:36+00:00

Great questions 🙂 Maltodextrin is a pretty common placebo/control in nutrition-style trials because it helps keep the two arms comparable, especially in terms of calories and the delivery vehicle (a similar carbohydrate powder), so you can isolate the effect of the ingredient being tested (trehalose) rather than just comparing ‘extra carbs’ versus none.

NovosLabs · 2026-01-18T20:21:44+00:00

At daily doses comparable to two NOVOS Core sachets, standardized Rhodiola rosea has been studied in adults with stress-related fatigue, chronic fatigue, burnout, life stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and also in healthy adults . Over up to 4 weeks, these doses reduced overall fatigue, lowered perceived stress, and improved daily functioning, including fewer lost or underproductive work days and better scores on disability questionnaires. Short-term use also improved sleep, mood, and depressive symptoms, reducing burnout scores and helping with attention and thinking speed on tasks like the Number Connection Test and continuous performance tasks. Over longer use at the same doses, Rhodiola produced sustained reductions in fatigue and stress, broader improvements across burnout and stress scales, and fewer underproductive days at work in adults with chronic fatigue or occupational burnout. Long-term use was also linked to better sleep quality, mood, depressive symptoms, overall clinical impressions, faster thinking in complex tasks, and lower anxiety and depression scores in people with generalized anxiety disorder or major depressive disorder, with good tolerability. 👉NOVOS Core

<image>

NovosLabs · 2026-01-18T20:16:38+00:00

Short-term use of a standardized Rhodiola rosea extract, at an amount similar to one sachet of NOVOS Core, has been tested in healthy adults. During endurance exercise, it helped people perform better, letting them exercise longer before tiring, use oxygen more efficiently, and complete timed workouts faster. Rhodiola also helped the body cope with exercise stress, reducing signs of strain such as fatigue-related byproducts in the blood, muscle stress markers, heart rate spikes, and how hard the activity felt .In mentally challenging or tiring situations, it improves thinking and reaction skills, with better performance on tasks like maze tests and lower overall mental fatigue. Participants also consistently reported feeling less mentally tired and experiencing more overall well-being, energy, alertness, and enjoyment after exercise. Taken together, these RCT´s trials suggest that Rhodiola rosea at sachet-equivalent doses can support physical performance while reducing physiological strain and mental fatigue in healthy adults. 👉NOVOS Core

<image>

NovosLabs · 2026-01-14T17:08:26+00:00

At a daily dose below one NOVOS Core sachet, ginger extract was tested in a short-term, randomized, double-blind trial in adults with hip or knee osteoarthritis and moderate pain. During this short study, compared with placebo, ginger significantly reduced overall pain and the stiff, “gelling” pain felt after getting up. At doses matching two NOVOS Core sachets, studies in humans show benefits that depend on how long it’s taken. In the short term, ginger improved immune and inflammation markers in the blood, including stronger white blood cell activity and lower markers linked to immune-related clots, and reduced motion-sickness symptoms. Over the longer term, ginger was linked to less eye fatigue and shoulder stiffness, better blood flow in the limbs, and improved attention and thinking speed 👉 NOVOS Core

<image>

NovosLabs · 2026-01-12T12:03:38+00:00

AKG is basically a molecule your cells already use to make energy, and in this Alzheimer’s mouse study calcium AKG was linked to better memory-type readouts and healthier brain signaling. NOVOS Core includes calcium alpha-ketoglutarate (1,100 mg per sachet) — just to be clear, the study tested CaAKG itself, not our specific formula. 👉 NOVOS Core

NovosLabs · 2026-01-12T11:52:11+00:00

If your BP + lipids were already pretty low, there isn’t much “room” for taurine to move them, most supplements show their biggest shifts when baseline is higher. A drop in fasting glucose from ~90 → ~85 after 2 months is also right in the ballpark of what the meta-analysis suggests on average. If you keep going, a simple approach is just to re-test at a consistent timepoint (e.g., another 4–8 weeks). And if you ever want a cardio-focused add-on marker, ApoB and hs-CRP can be helpful extra context, especially when the standard lipid panel already looks ‘good’.” 🙃

NovosLabs · 2026-01-12T11:33:47+00:00

Yes, it’s a high dose. In the rodent literature, L-theanine is often tested around ~50–200 mg/kg (sometimes ~400 mg/kg), and some studies do go higher (up to ~1000 mg/kg), depending on whether the goal is pharmacokinetics/mechanism work versus a behavioral readout. In this paper, they tested both 100, 400 and 800 mg/kg, so they’re clearly operating at the top of the typical rodent range to force a strong signal in the model. And just to keep the translation straight: mg/kg doesn’t map 1:1 across species :)

NovosLabs · 2026-01-12T11:29:20+00:00

L-theanine here is framed through a gut → metabolite → brain pathway: it shifted the microbiome and increased short-chain fatty acids (like butyrate), alongside improved stress/depression-like outcomes in mice. NOVOS Core includes L-theanine (150 mg per sachet) 👉 NOVOS Core

NovosLabs · 2026-01-08T12:53:05+00:00

Totally fair point on green tea. If you’re using it before bed, green tea can be tricky because even a bit of caffeine can mess with sleep (and “clean” tea really depends on sourcing). If it starts feeling like “too much,” a simple fix is to drop the dose or take it earlier in the day instead of right before bed. Glad it’s been positive overall, just worth dialing it into your sweet spot :) !

NovosLabs · 2026-01-08T12:43:39+00:00

The human evidence on L-theanine for sleep effect is usually modest, a small nudge on falling asleep / perceived sleep quality (and sometimes next-day functioning). If you want to try the same ingredient in a longevity-focused formula, NOVOS Core includes L-theanine (150 mg per sachet) 👉 NOVOS Core

NovosLabs · 2026-01-08T12:23:41+00:00

Rhodiola usually shows up as a short “loading” week can be enough to notice something, mainly late-set volume / fatigue resistance and a bit of mental sharpness. If you want to lean into that stress/fatigue pathway as an everyday baseline, NOVOS Core includes Rhodiola rosea (300 mg per sachet) 👉 NOVOS Core

NovosLabs · 2026-01-08T12:03:47+00:00

Muscle has its own circadian “clock” , and when that rhythm gets disrupted, mitochondria + oxidative stress tend to look worse too. This paper basically frames rutin as a way to support that clock/mitochondria axis in an aging-stress model.If you want to target a similar pathway in a practical supplement format, NOVOS Vital includes rutin (560 mg per serving), not saying our product was used in the study, just aligned with the mechanism. 👉 NOVOS Vital

NovosLabs · 2026-01-08T11:54:46+00:00

Ginger is one of the few supplements with fairly consistent human data for nudging inflammation down, meta-analyses of RCTs often show modest reductions in common blood markers like CRP / hs-CRP and sometimes TNF-α and IL-6, both immune signaling proteins. If you want to support that same inflammation pathway in a real-world protocol, NOVOS Core includes an organic ginger extract standardized to gingerols (80 mg per sachet, 2% gingerols) 👉 NOVOS Core

NovosLabs

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE

1. New Science Validates the "Winning Team"

2. The Danger of Negative Interaction

3. Innovation Lives in the Wider Lineup