Ito En, Ltd.

Ayumu Nozawa

Takami Kakuda

Takanobu Takihara

Iwao Sakane

Kazuo Kobayashi

Akio Sugimoto

Yuko Sagesaka

Tomonori Unno

Yuko Suzuki

Yoichiro Kuroda

Kazuyo Muramoto

Masahiro Kawahara

Akihiro Mizutani

Kunihiko Umezawa

A beverage is prepared, which is a beverage containing catechins in ester form (A, mg/L), catechins in free form (B, mg/L), and caffeine (C, mg/L), the contents thereof being()=500 to 6000 mg/L&#x2003;&#x2003;(1)()/()=0.7 to 1.0&#x2003;&#x2003;(2)()/()=6 to 27,&#x2003;&#x2003;(3)such that a high concentration of catechins with high biological functionality, improved flavor and improved product quality with low occurrence of sediment is maintained.

Beverage comprising cathechins and caffeine

The present invention is intended to provide compositions which exert excellent effects allowing improvement in the mental function of humans and animals other than humans, such as reduction of mental fatigue, maintenance and enhancement of concentration maintenance and enhancement of mental vigor, and the like. These compositions are provided as mentally functional compositions containing, as the active component, a mixture component comprising caffeine, theanine, and arginine which are contained in tea. It is preferable that caffeine, theanine, and arginine are mixed such that the mixing ratio approaches a ratio of 1:2:2. Further, by combining the above-described mixture component with sugar and citric acid, mentally functional foods and beverages can be also provided which are taken with ease and effective.

Composition for reducing mental fatigue, composition for maintaining and enhancing concentration, and composition for maintaining and enhancing mental vigor

This invention is characterized by a brain function improving preparation containing theanine not less than 50 &mgr;M. It was confirmed that theanine could increase intracellular Ca,concentration by acting on NMDA receptors even at a low dose of about 50 &mgr;M. Thus, the brain function improving preparation of this invention was shown to be capable of causing plastic change in neurons or neural circuit. Since theanine has been approved as a food additive and being consumed daily, its safety has no problem. Moreover, theanine passes the blood-brain barrier relatively easily and, thus, it is effective as an oral preparation.

Method for improving the brain function, inhibiting glutamate excitotoxicity and rescuing from neuronal death

An excitement accelerating agent was produced by incorporating a very small amount of theanine as an effective compoment in a range that shows the excitement accelerating action. The very small amount in a range that shows the excitement accelerating action means a range containing theanine in an amount of from about 0.17 mg/kg to 0.85 mg/kg, preferably from about 0.17 mg/kg to 0.34 mg/kg based on the weight as an injection agent, and in an amount of from about 0.20 mg/kg to 2.8 mg/kg, preferably from about 0.50 mg/kg to 2.5 mg/kg (0.17/0.338-0.85/0.338) as an oral agent. A safe and effective excitement accelerating agent can be provided by utilizing sufficiently the excitement accelerating action given by theanine, and if it is regularly taken for a long period of time, it is also effective as a nutritious tonic, an energy-increasing agent, and a stamina-sustaining agent.

Excitement accelerating agent

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Shizuoka, Japan

Ayumu Nozawa