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817 points dynm | 1 comments | | HN request time: 1.977s | source
1. OuterVale ◴[] No.43307394[source]
Since reading Gwern's essay on nootropics [1] I've wanted to experiment with theanine. Caffeine is obviously a fantastic stimulant, and I take care not to consume it too frequently (I try to limit my intake to no more than three times a week based on the research of Michael Dickens [2]).

As such, I have next to no tolerance. As great as having no tolerance is for the productivity benefits, it does have undesirable side effects. A single cup of coffee can get me twitchy and slightly shaky, and a cup of tea past noon can impact my ability to fall asleep.

A gripe I have is the lack of good research into the combination of theanine and caffeine, and I think I'd be a good candidate for a blinded test looking into it. I would like to carry one out but really do lack experience in tests of this nature.

Does anyone know any good resources for someone interested in learning how to conduct a self-study such as this, including details regarding common pitfalls?

[1]: https://gwern.net/nootropic/nootropics [2]: https://mdickens.me/2024/04/11/caffeine_self_experiment/