Theacrine Review

Theacrine is an alkaloid molecule that appears to work in a similar way to caffeine – but with less tolerance. Learn if Theacrine is right for you today in our review.

What is Theacrine?

Theacrine is a small alkaloid molecule that is essentially a structurally modified version of caffeine. The chemical is actually synthesized from caffeine in certain plants. These plants then accumulate theacrine, which gives us natural theacrine sources.

Theacrine has shown early promise in recent studies. It appears to offer effects similar to caffeine – but with less tolerance. That means you can continue taking theacrine in small dosages to achieve the same effects over time.

The main problem with theacrine is that studies have been rare. More research is required in order to verify the effects of theacrine.

Theacrine most often comes from the Camellia assamica plant, which has a variant known as “kucha”. The kucha plant is popular for making tea. In fact, the kucha plant actually shares its genus with green tea.

How Does Theacrine Work?

As mentioned above, theacrine works in a similar way to caffeine. Chemically speaking, here’s what the two chemicals look like:

— Theacrine’s chemical name is 1,3,7,9-tetramethyluric acid
— Caffeine’s chemical name is 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine

The main difference between the two chemicals is that one has an additional methyl group and an additional ketone group.

Researchers have determined that theacrine works in two primary ways: it facilitates adenosinergic neurotransmission and dopaminergic neurotransmission.

That means that theacrine enhances physical energy by causing adenosine signaling changes similar to caffeine. It also acts as a dopamine antagonist by causing dopaminergic signaling, which enhances physical energy even further.

In layman’s terms, that means theacrine boosts physical and mental energy in your body by raising levels of certain neurotransmitters – like dopamine.

Benefits of Theacrine

Today, theacrine is commonly found in sports supplements like preworkout formulas. Manufacturers like using theacrine for the caffeine-like effects without the unwanted side effects of caffeine. You can find theacrine in supplements like Shred XT, TeaCor by Cellucor C4, and Purus Labs Theatrim.

Here are some of the benefits you’ll see advertised in theacrine supplements:

— Physical And Mental Stimulant
— Raises Dopamine Levels
— Reduces Stress And Anxiety
— Could Induce Thermogenesis And Facilitate Fat Burning
— May Reduce Inflammation Throughout The Body
— Can Be Taken For Long Periods Of Time With No Tolerance Buildup

Ultimately, theacrine is a stimulant that produces stimulant-like effects throughout the body. Theacrine tea (kucha tea) has been consumed in China for thousands of years for precisely this reason.

The benefits listed above have been noticed mostly in studies on rats. However, at this point, there have been no major theacrine studies involving human subjects.

Theacrine Side Effects

One of the most popular benefits of theacrine is that it comes with few side effects. The chemical compound has been ingested in the form of kucha tea for thousands of years with no reported side effects.

In comparison to caffeine, theacrine has virtually no side effects. If you avoid caffeine because of the jitters, irritability, or other unwanted effects, then theacrine might be a welcome change.

One side effect of caffeine is tolerance buildup: over time, your body grows tolerant to caffeine, which means you have to keep taking more and more of it to achieve the same desired effects.

Theacrine doesn’t seem to have the same tolerance buildup. One study published in 2015 showed that after seven days of theacrine supplementation, subjects showed no signs of desensitization. That means your first dose of theacrine is as strong as your 100th dose.

How to Use Theacrine

A pure form of theacrine has not yet been released onto the market. Typically, you’ll find theacrine as part of a formula, like 98% theacrine standardized for 5% theacrine.

In preworkout supplements and nutritional supplements, you’ll often see theacrine advertised at a dosage between 50mg to 300mg. If you want to take theacrine to boost your energy, then start with doses of 50mg before bumping higher until you feel comfortable with your energy boost.

Theacrine has only recently become popular, and we’re starting to see more and more theacrine-based supplements appear on the market by the end of 2015. Two of the popular theacrine-based supplements available today include:

— Purus Labs Theatrim: This was the first nutritional supplement to contain theacrine. It’s marketed as a fat burner.

— TeaCor by Cellucor C4 (New Formula): Cellucor C4 is a well-known preworkout. At the end of 2014, the company released their New Formula, which contains a branded theacrine-based formula called TeaCor.

You can also buy theacrine in the form of kucha tea. You can order kucha tea online in loose leaf varieties. It’s not extremely popular (it is legendary for its bad, bitter taste), but it can be purchased from certain herbal tea retailers online (especially ones based in China or other parts of Asia).

Should You Use Theacrine?

Theacrine has shown early promise as a powerful stimulant. It doesn’t seem to have the same unwanted side effects as caffeine – but provides a similar boost to your physical and mental energy.

Most theacrine studies to date have been performed on rats, with very few studies taking place in humans. As theacrine-based supplements become more popular, however, you can expect to see more research appearing over the coming months.