Theacrine (TeaCrine)
A caffeine cousin from the kucha tea plant. Longer-lasting, less jittery, and (unusually) doesn't build tolerance over weeks.
Moderate evidence for sustained focus / energy without tolerance build-up. Cathepsin et al. RCTs support cognitive performance, reduced fatigue, and synergy with caffeine. Effects: 30–60 min acute, 4–6 hours sustained.
Theacrine (1,3,7,9-tetramethyluric acid) is a purine alkaloid structurally related to caffeine. It's found in kucha (a Chinese tea relative) and a few other plants. It hits some of the same targets as caffeine — adenosine receptor antagonism, dopamine modulation — but with slower onset, longer half-life, and (uniquely) no significant tolerance build-up across 8+ weeks of daily use. Effects are typically described as 'cleaner' energy than caffeine — less jitter, less crash, more sustained focus. Often combined with caffeine in pre-workout and nootropic formulas for synergy.
- Form
- TeaCrine — the patented, clinically-studied form. Generic theacrine increasingly available.
- Dose
- 100–300 mg/day. 200 mg is the typical effective dose. Pair with 50–100 mg caffeine for synergy.
- Timing
- AM or pre-task. Effects last ~4–6 hours. Avoid PM.
- Schedule
- Daily. Tolerance build-up is minimal over 8 weeks (unlike caffeine).
- Side effects
- Generally well-tolerated. Less jitter than caffeine. Headache, irritability, insomnia (if taken PM).
- Interactions
- Stimulants, caffeine — additive (usually beneficial, watch for over-stimulation). Antihypertensives — opposing. Adenosine — opposing.
- Contraindications
- Hypertension. Anxiety disorders. Bipolar disorder. Pregnancy / breastfeeding. Cardiovascular disease.
- Lab markers
- Not standard.
- Food sources
- Kucha tea (Camellia assamica var. kucha) — a rare Chinese tea. Trace amounts in some traditional dark teas. Not in everyday Western diet.
Pairs with
Caffeine + L-theanine (the classic focus stack — theacrine extends and smooths the effect). Rhodiola (additive energy / cognitive). L-tyrosine.
within Bioactive amines & polyamines