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bovine αs1-casein with benzodiazepine-like activity. FASEB J.15(10):1780-2.</ref>. It has been shown to have potential anxiolytic effects in cats and dogs in two open label trials<ref>Beata, C., Beaumont-Graff, E., Diaz, C., et al. Comparison of the effect of alpha-casozepine (Zylkene) versus selegiline hydrochloride on anxiety disorders in dogs. J Vet Behav 2007;2:175-83.</ref>  <ref>Beata, C., Beaumont-Graff, E., Coll, V., et al. Effect of alpha-casozepine (Zylkene) on anxiety in cats. J Vet Behav 2007;2:40-6.</ref>. However, only one of these studies included a control group, the inclusion criteria were very broad, the populations small and outcomes were measured using questionnaires that had not been validated or checked for test-retest reliability. More studies are required to confirm clinical efficacy.
 
bovine αs1-casein with benzodiazepine-like activity. FASEB J.15(10):1780-2.</ref>. It has been shown to have potential anxiolytic effects in cats and dogs in two open label trials<ref>Beata, C., Beaumont-Graff, E., Diaz, C., et al. Comparison of the effect of alpha-casozepine (Zylkene) versus selegiline hydrochloride on anxiety disorders in dogs. J Vet Behav 2007;2:175-83.</ref>  <ref>Beata, C., Beaumont-Graff, E., Coll, V., et al. Effect of alpha-casozepine (Zylkene) on anxiety in cats. J Vet Behav 2007;2:40-6.</ref>. However, only one of these studies included a control group, the inclusion criteria were very broad, the populations small and outcomes were measured using questionnaires that had not been validated or checked for test-retest reliability. More studies are required to confirm clinical efficacy.
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==L-theanine==
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==L-Theanine==
l-Theanine is an amino acid that is found almost exclusively in certain species of tea plant. It has been shown to have positive effects on positive, activation and anxiety symptoms in human patients with schizophrenia<ref>Ritsner, M.S., Miodownik, C., Ratner, Y., Shleifer, T., Mar, M., Pintov, L., Lerner, V.M. (2011) L-Theanine Relieves Positive, Activation, and Anxiety Symptoms in Patients With Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder: An 8-Week, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, 2-Center Study.  J Clin Psychiatry. 72(1).</ref>, and beneficial effects on stress responses and the ability to concentrate during cognitive tasks<ref>Kimura, K.,  Ozeki, M., June, L.R., Ohira, H. (2006) L-Theanine reduces psychological and physiological stress responses. Biological Psychology.</ref>.  
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L-Theanine is an amino acid that is found almost exclusively in certain species of tea plant. It has been shown to have positive effects on activation and anxiety symptoms in human patients with schizophrenia<ref>Ritsner, M.S., Miodownik, C., Ratner, Y., Shleifer, T., Mar, M., Pintov, L., Lerner, V.M. (2011) L-Theanine Relieves Positive, Activation, and Anxiety Symptoms in Patients With Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder: An 8-Week, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, 2-Center Study.  J Clin Psychiatry. 72(1).</ref>, and beneficial effects on stress responses and the ability to concentrate during cognitive tasks<ref>Kimura, K.,  Ozeki, M., June, L.R., Ohira, H. (2006) L-Theanine reduces psychological and physiological stress responses. Biological Psychology.</ref>.  
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l-Theanine has a range of effects, including binding to glutamate receptor subtypes (AMPA, kainate, and NMDA receptors) and blocking of the binding of L-glutamic acid to the glutamate receptors in cortical neurones<ref>Kakuda, T., Nozawa, A., Sugimoto, A., Nino, H., (2002). Inhibition by theanine of binding of [3H]AMPA, [3H]Kainate, and [3H]MDL 105,519 to glutamate receptors. Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry 66, 2683– 2686.</ref>.
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L-Theanine has a range of effects, including binding to glutamate receptor subtypes (AMPA, kainate, and NMDA receptors) and blocking of the binding of L-glutamic acid to the glutamate receptors in cortical neurones<ref>Kakuda, T., Nozawa, A., Sugimoto, A., Nino, H., (2002). Inhibition by theanine of binding of [3H]AMPA, [3H]Kainate, and [3H]MDL 105,519 to glutamate receptors. Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry 66, 2683– 2686.</ref>.
    
In a small open label trial without a control group, l-theanine reduced a range of anxiety signs in cats with behavioural problems<ref>Dramard, V., Kern, L., Hofmans, J., et al. Clinical efficacy of l-theanine tablets to reduce anxiety-related emotional disorders in cats: a pilot open-label clinical trial. J Vet Behav 2007;5:85-6.</ref>. However, this study was not presented as a full article in a peer reviewed journal, and the lack of detail on the methodology or statistical significance of the findings makes the results impossible to interpret. In a study of the effects of l-theanine on fear of human beings in laboratory beagles, treated dogs showed greater human interaction and approach than the placebo control group<ref>Araujo, J.A., de Rivera, C., Ethier, J.L., et al. Anxitane tablets reduce fear of human beings in a laboratory model of anxiety-related behaviour. J Vet Behav 2010;5:268-75.</ref>. Whether this could translate into a clinical effect in dogs with fear rested problems is not known.
 
In a small open label trial without a control group, l-theanine reduced a range of anxiety signs in cats with behavioural problems<ref>Dramard, V., Kern, L., Hofmans, J., et al. Clinical efficacy of l-theanine tablets to reduce anxiety-related emotional disorders in cats: a pilot open-label clinical trial. J Vet Behav 2007;5:85-6.</ref>. However, this study was not presented as a full article in a peer reviewed journal, and the lack of detail on the methodology or statistical significance of the findings makes the results impossible to interpret. In a study of the effects of l-theanine on fear of human beings in laboratory beagles, treated dogs showed greater human interaction and approach than the placebo control group<ref>Araujo, J.A., de Rivera, C., Ethier, J.L., et al. Anxitane tablets reduce fear of human beings in a laboratory model of anxiety-related behaviour. J Vet Behav 2010;5:268-75.</ref>. Whether this could translate into a clinical effect in dogs with fear rested problems is not known.