Personalied (Functional) Medicine

One of the most surprising things I’ve learned in my functional medicine training is how important amino acids are for how women feel — especially in midlife.

If you’ve ever felt “off” even when your labs look normal, you’re not imagining it. As part of my personalized functional medicine coursework through one of the top five medical schools in the country, I’ve been diving deep into how neurotransmitters and amino acids impact mood, sleep, energy, cognition, and overall well-being — and it has been eye-opening.

L-theanine is an amino acid found almost exclusively in green tea leaves. It’s what gives green tea its smooth, slightly sweet taste — and much of its calming effect. When taken as a supplement, L-theanine can cross the blood–brain barrier and directly support neurotransmitters involved in relaxation, mood, attention, and sleep.

One of the best lessons I’ve learned recently: your adrenals need recovery time. You can’t spend more cortisol than you make.