What Is Tea Drunk? The Science, the Myth of Theophylline, and the Truth About Tea’s Effects
Tea lovers sometimes speak of being “tea drunk.” Not in the alcoholic sense, but as a state of lightheadedness, warmth, focus, or even mild euphoria. The expression raises a question: is this feeling biological, cultural, or both?
A Cultural Notion First
In Chinese tea tradition, cha qi (茶气, “the energy of tea”) has long described the subtle force of tea during long gongfu cha sessions. In the West, the phrase “tea drunk” has spread among enthusiasts as a way to capture the strange state that comes after multiple infusions. But it is not a clinical category: rather, it belongs to the cultural and poetic vocabulary of tea.
The Theophylline Hypothesis
One explanation sometimes heard is that tea drunk comes from theophylline, a methylxanthine of the same family as caffeine. In pharmacology, theophylline is used as a bronchodilator in asthma and COPD, which makes it sound like a powerful candidate.
Yet the numbers tell another story. In a cup of tea, you will find around ~1 mg of theophylline. In clinical practice, effective doses are 300–600 mg/day (corresponding to blood levels of 10–15 µg/mL). In tea leaves, theophylline is only a trace metabolite, not a dominant alkaloid. The gap is so large that theophylline cannot plausibly account for the sensation of tea drunk.
Synergy Rather Than a Single Molecule
If not theophylline, what then? More likely, tea drunk arises from a synergy of compounds:
Caffeine (20–60 mg/cup), the main stimulant, increasing alertness and heart rate.
L-theanine (10–20 mg/cup), unique to tea, associated with relaxation and alpha brain activity.
Polyphenols, abundant antioxidants, which might modulate mood and vascular tone — though direct evidence is lacking.
Taken together, these molecules could create a delicate balance: stimulation tempered by calm focus, a state sometimes described as “calm alertness.”
The Role of Context
Equally important is the context of drinking. Many report tea drunk after long gongfu sessions, on an empty stomach, or in meditative settings. Fasting, repetition, and expectation amplify physiological effects. The experience emerges not just from chemistry, but from ritual and mindset.
Conclusion
Attributing tea drunk to theophylline is a myth. The quantities are negligible compared to medical use. A more convincing hypothesis is a caffeine–theanine synergy, enhanced by ritual practice and psychological framing.
Science can measure molecules, but tea drunk remains partly cultural and poetic. That tension — between data and experience — is precisely what makes tea such a rich subject for both scientists and drinkers.
References
IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Coffee, Tea, Mate, Methylxanthines and Methylglyoxal. Lyon: IARC; 1991. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507021/
Hicks MB, Hsieh YHP, Bell LN. Tea preparation and its influence on methylxanthine concentration. Food Research International. 1996;29(3–4):325-330.
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StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024. Theophylline. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519024/
Nobre AC, Rao A, Owen GN. L-theanine, a natural constituent in tea, and its effect on mental state. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2008;17(S1):167-168.
Gomez-Ramirez M, Higgins BA, Rycroft JA, Owen GN, Mahoney J, Shpaner M, et al. The deployment of attention and working memory in response to an alerting and orienting cue: the effect of L-theanine and caffeine. Nutritional Neuroscience. 2009;12(5):193-198.
