Theophylline: effects, side effects, alternatives and dosage
Introduction
In this article, we’ll give you an overview of the well-known active compound theophylline. It occurs in Guayusa tea, among other things, and therefore plays an important role in its effects. We’ll also cover theophylline dosage, alternatives and the compound itself.
First, theophylline is a naturally occurring substance with numerous physiologically beneficial properties.
You’ll find out exactly what these are in this article.
Contents
- What is theophylline?
-
Theophylline effects
- Theophylline side effects
- Theophylline alternatives
- Theophylline dosage
- Buy theophylline
- Conclusion
1. What is theophylline?
Theophylline is an active compound used to treat lung diseases such as asthma and COPD.
It was first discovered in 1888 in the tea plant, from which green and black tea are made, and is therefore a naturally occurring compound.
1.1 The active compound theophylline
For asthma and COPD, theophylline is still prescribed as an alternative treatment, although most medicines are synthetically produced.
In its pure, dry form, the compound is an odourless white powder.
For optimal solubility in coffee, tea or Guayusa, the drink should be prepared as a hot infusion, not as a cold brew, because theophylline is much more soluble that way.
It dissolves most readily in highly alkaline liquids—but who wants to make tea with ammonia water?!
The active compound theophylline is also structurally related to caffeine. Taking caffeine at the same time may also slow the breakdown of theophylline and consequently prolong its effects.
The good thing is that these two compounds always occur together in nature.
Theobromine belongs to the same family of compounds and can also be found alongside it.
1.2 Where it occurs
The naturally occurring compound is found in many caffeine-rich plants.
Our free comparison of natural energy sources of the best-known caffeinated drinks and plants, including their constituents and effects, contains an even more extensive list of natural theophylline sources. Here are a few examples:
2. Theophylline effects
The effects of theophylline are fascinating because, chemically, the compound is related to caffeine. Its effects are different and very specific, which is why it is also classed among the so-called nootropic compounds and makes Guayusa tea effective as a natural nootropic.
It dilates the airways in the lungs. It does this by relaxing the muscles and at the same time reducing the signals that could lead to tightening of the airway muscles. This helps people breathe more easily.
It also blocks the release of histamine. The body releases more histamine during inflammation and allergies. A lower release of histamine helps relieve chronic conditions such as asthma or bronchitis.
2.1 Respiratory conditions
For these reasons, theophylline and its effects are used in medicine specifically for respiratory conditions.
It helps to widen narrowed airways, for example in bronchial asthma. This can help those affected breathe more easily.
It may also reduce inflammation.
2.2 Sport and performance enhancement
Many people now drink Guayusa before and after exercise to improve performance and reduce the body’s recovery time. This is, of course, mainly due to the entire complex of compounds in Guayusa, not just the effects of theophylline.
Nevertheless, studies specifically on theophylline found a significant improvement in physical performance with this compound alone. Participants were assessed for their maximum performance (time to exhaustion). The result showed a 14% increase in performance from theophylline.
This naturally makes the compound highly interesting to athletes.
2.3 Theophylline in everyday life?
Even a small amount may lead to improved uptake of oxygen in everyday life, including for people without chronic conditions or unusually high sporting demands.
This has a positive effect on overall performance of the body and the brain’s cognitive and memory function.
So a single cup of Guayusa, tea, mate or coffee can generally help you feel better throughout the day.
3. Theophylline side effects
As with almost everything in life, the dose makes the poison! Side effects can occur here, too.
However, these side effects are associated with actual medication with the drug, and not with taking naturally occurring theophylline from plants.
Theophylline side effects may include:
- stomach pain, nausea, vomiting
- headaches, restlessness, insomnia
- increased urge to urinate
- cardiac arrhythmias, convulsions
- potassium deficiency
These side effects may occur at an overdose from 8 µg per millilitre.
It is almost impossible to consume such amounts through normal tea drinking or by eating cocoa.
4. Theophylline alternatives
Alternatives to theophylline for treating bronchial asthma may include Albuterol and Advarir Diskus. Going into this in more detail would take us too far into medical advice.
So here we would like to name some natural plant-based alternatives that do not contain theophylline, but which studies have found can inhibit inflammation and reduce asthma symptoms.
In addition, all caffeine-containing plants such as Guayusa, coffee, tea, guarana and mate are good alternatives, because caffeine also affects the widening of the bronchi.
5. Theophylline dosage
In the study mentioned above that reported a substantial improvement in performance, participants were given a dose of 4.5 mg of theophylline per kg of body weight.
In general, however, self-medicating with a pure substance in this amount is not advisable.
If you have respiratory symptoms, we strongly recommend seeing a doctor and an alternative-medicine practitioner. You can also experiment with natural plants such as Guayusa and plant-based preparations.
If you’re an athlete looking to improve performance, you can try natural biohacking. You’ll find a comparison of the top five natural organic energy drinks in the linked blog article.
Experiment with how different theophylline-containing plants, their dosage and preparation affect your workout and training. Document what you do, then decide for yourself what works for you.
6. Buying theophylline
As mentioned above, the pure active compound is available only on prescription. You should discuss your medication with a doctor and then buy the tablets or powder from a pharmacy.
By contrast, naturally occurring theophylline can be bought in almost any shop or online store. This refers, of course, to plants that contain theophylline.
The highest amount of the compound is found in coffee, with considerably lower amounts in tea, mate and Guayusa.
A brilliant biohacking mix is, for example, the Guayusa coffee blend, which also contains theobromine and L-theanine, both active compounds.
7. Conclusion
Theophylline is a highly interesting compound with many benefits.
When it is not used as medication, its natural form in plants has no known side effects.
Its interaction with other compounds such as caffeine, theobromine, L-theanine and antioxidants can take your natural biohacking to a new level.
Theophylline can also be highly beneficial in everyday life or at the office if you want a little extra performance!
This compound and its positive interactions are one reason why Guayusa tea has no known side effects.
We hope this article has given you an insight into the topic. For more articles like this, visit our blog and subscribe to our newsletter.