ModerateCaution
Green Tea Extract
Green tea extract may contain caffeine, creating additive stimulant effects with theacrine.
Recommendation: Use decaffeinated green tea extract or keep caffeine intake low; avoid if insomnia or palpitations occur.
Theacrine
Other ·Emerging evidence ·Reviewed May 2026
Theacrine is a caffeine-like purine alkaloid found in kucha tea and cupuacu and marketed for energy, focus, and reduced habituation. Short human studies suggest subjective energy and focus effects with acceptable short-term safety, but evidence remains limited and often industry-associated. It should be used cautiously in people sensitive to stimulants, insomnia, hypertension, or arrhythmias.
What it's good for
- May increase subjective energy and focus2
- May reduce perceived fatigue
- May support workout motivation
- May have less rapid tolerance than caffeine in short studies
What to watch for
- Insomnia, restlessness, or anxiety
- Headache or jitteriness
- Palpitations or increased heart rate in sensitive users
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding due to insufficient safety data1
- Uncontrolled hypertension, arrhythmia, or significant cardiovascular disease
The bottom line
Evidence rating emerging. Most-documented uses: may increase subjective energy and focus, may reduce perceived fatigue, may support workout motivation. 3 sources indexed (2015–2017), with 3 interaction records on file.
The science
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Theacrine appears to influence adenosine and dopamine-related signaling, producing stimulant-like subjective energy without being identical to caffeine. Human pharmacokinetic work suggests a long half-life relative to caffeine and possible interaction when coadministered with caffeine. Because arousal effects can persist, late-day dosing can disrupt sleep even when users perceive it as smoother than caffeine.1,2
Class
Purine alkaloid stimulant-like compound
Found in food
Kucha tea leaves, Cupuacu fruit seed in small amounts
Low-status signs
None - theacrine is not an essential nutrient and has no deficiency state
Dosing
Dosing & protocol.
Common range
50-200 mg daily, usually in the morning; avoid late-day dosing
Recommended form
TeaCrine or standardized theacrine capsule with clear stimulant content
Can be taken with or without food. Because effects may last longer than caffeine, morning dosing is preferred and combined caffeine should be limited.2
Forms
Forms & what to buy.
Ranked by evidence and value.
TeaCrine Capsule Recommended
Branded nature-identical theacrine used in several human studies. Take in the morning; limit caffeine co-use.
Theacrine Powder
Flexible but higher dosing-error risk. Use a calibrated scale and avoid late-day use.
Theacrine plus Caffeine Blend
May increase subjective stimulation but also raises sleep and cardiovascular risks. Use early and avoid additional caffeine.
Cost
What it actually costs.
Real-world pricing across three quality tiers. Assumes TeaCrine capsule.
BudgetBest value
$6 /mo
$0.20 per dose
Mid
$14 /mo
$0.45 per dose
Premium
$27 /mo
$0.90 per dose
Single-ingredient theacrine is usually cheaper than multi-ingredient pre-workout blends. Updated 2026-06-04.
Goals
Goal-based dosing.
Focus
Dose: 50-150 mg daily2
Timing: Morning or early afternoon
Do not use to compensate for inadequate sleep.
Exercise Motivation
Dose: 100-200 mg before training
Timing: 30-60 minutes pre-workout, not late evening
Avoid stacking with high-stimulant pre-workouts.
Why people use it
Symptoms it's matched to.
Where this appears in the symptom-to-supplement map, ranked by relevance.
Low energy
55% relevance
Adenosine and dopamine-related arousal mechanisms may increase perceived energy.2
EnergyEmerging evidenceTeaCrine capsule
Evaluate anemia, thyroid disease, sleep apnea, depression, or overtraining if persistent.
Poor concentration
42% relevance
Stimulant-like arousal may improve subjective focus in some users.
CognitiveEmerging evidenceMorning single-ingredient theacrine
Objective cognitive evidence is limited.
Exercise fatigue
36% relevance
May reduce perceived fatigue and increase training motivation.
AthleticEmerging evidencePre-workout theacrine
Avoid high-stimulant stacking and late-day use.
Safety
Full safety detail.
Side effects
- Insomnia, restlessness, or anxiety
- Headache or jitteriness
- Palpitations or increased heart rate in sensitive users
- Nausea or GI upset
- Possible blood pressure elevation when combined with caffeine or stimulants
Contraindications
Interactions
Interaction records.
ModerateCaution
Rhodiola Rosea
Rhodiola can feel activating and may add to theacrine-related stimulation.
Recommendation: Avoid starting together; use morning dosing and monitor anxiety, irritability, and sleep.
InfoTiming Sensitive
Melatonin
Theacrine taken late can oppose melatonin-supported sleep onset.
Recommendation: Take theacrine in the morning and melatonin only near bedtime if needed.
Sources
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Randomized controlled trials
2- 1Safety of TeaCrine, a non-habituating, naturally-occurring purine alkaloid over eight weeks of continuous useNeeds sourceNo linkTaylor L et al. · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2016
Daily 200-300 mg TeaCrine was studied for safety markers and habituation over 8 weeks.
- 2A Two-Part Approach to Examine the Effects of Theacrine Supplementation on Oxygen Consumption, Hemodynamic Responses, and Subjective Measures of Cognitive and Psychometric ParametersNeeds sourceNo linkKuhman DJ et al. · Journal of Dietary Supplements · 2015
A 200 mg dose increased subjective energy and focus measures in a small study.
Reference material
1- 3Assessment of the Drug-Drug Interaction Potential Between Theacrine and Caffeine in HumansNeeds sourceNo linkHe H et al. · Journal of Caffeine Research · 2017
Combined administration altered exposure patterns and supports caution with caffeine stacking.
Keep exploring
Deep dives & adjacent profiles.
This page is educational. Do not start, stop, or change a supplement or medication based on it without checking with a qualified healthcare professional.
Use this with your stack
Theacrine in NutriStack.
Add it to your stack, see how it interacts with everything else you take, and get a Stack Score that updates the moment it does.