Where is guarana found?
the Amazon basin
Guarana is a Brazilian plant native to the Amazon basin. Also known as Paullinia cupana, it’s a climbing plant prized for its fruit.
What is guarana good for?
Guarana is used for weight loss, to enhance athletic performance, as a stimulant, and to reduce mental and physical fatigue. It is a frequent addition to energy and weight loss products. Some people also use guarana to treat low blood pressure and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and to prevent malaria and dysentery.
Who should not take guarana?
Talk to your doctor before using guarana if you have high blood pressure, anxiety disorders, glaucoma, osteoporosis, heart problems, bleeding disorders, diabetes, kidney problems, or liver disease. At least one death has been reported in a young woman with mitral valve prolapse who consumed a guarana containing drink.
Is guarana a drug?
In 1880 it was introduced as an official drug in the US Pharmacopeia, where it remained listed until 1910. Guarana is used by Brazilian Indians in a stimulating beverage used like tea or coffee. It sometimes is mixed with alcohol to prepare a more intoxicating beverage.
Is guarana in Red Bull?
Bombastically named energy drinks such as Full Throttle, Monster, Red Bull and Rockstar all contain the herbal supplement guarana. The compound is also found in over-the-counter weight loss products, and it’s been marketed as an aphrodisiac.
Can you eat guarana?
When taken by mouth: Guarana is likely safe for most adults when taken in amounts commonly found in foods. Guarana is possibly safe when taken as medicine, short-term. When taken in high doses for a long time, guarana is possibly unsafe. Guarana contains caffeine.
Does guarana have side effects?
Guarana contains caffeine. Doses containing more than 400 mg of caffeine daily have been linked to side effects. Side effects depend on the dose. At typical doses, the caffeine in guarana can cause insomnia, nervousness, stomach irritation, vomiting, and many other side effects.
Does guarana burn fat?
Boosts Metabolism
As a rich source of caffeine, guarana extract can increase your metabolism by 3% to 11% over 12 hours. And you know what happens when your metabolism goes up: you burn more calories. Guarana is also linked to the increases in genes that slow down fat cell production.
Why is guarana banned?
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) lists stimulants and other nutritional supplements that aren’t regulated, which includes guarana, as a banned substance. This is because caffeine in large doses may result in positive drug tests for performance-enhancing drugs.
Can you take guarana everyday?
Guarana is possibly safe when taken as medicine, short-term. When taken in high doses for a long time, guarana is possibly unsafe. Guarana contains caffeine. Doses containing more than 400 mg of caffeine daily have been linked to side effects.
Can you overdose on guarana?
What happens if I overdose? Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. Using guarana in very high amounts by mouth or injected can cause headache, anxiety, nervousness, agitation, pain when urinating, stomach cramps, irregular heartbeats, and it can be dangerous and even fatal.
Is guarana just caffeine?
One of these additives is guarana. Guarana is a climbing plant native to the Amazon whose seeds contain approximately four times the amount of caffeine found in coffee beans. The mix of other natural chemicals contained in guarana seeds is thought to heighten the stimulant effects of guarana over caffeine alone.
Does guarana give you energy?
Guarana Provides Additional Short-Term Stimulation over Caffeine Alone. The actual concentration of guarana present in energy drinks is typically not reported, but caffeine is considered the main stimulant present in the seeds [19].
How long does guarana take to work?
How long does guarana take to work? Like a coffee, the effects of guarana should be felt within 15-20 minutes. The tannins in guarana are said to help maintain a longer period of extra energy but even so, you may feel a drop in energy levels after a few hours.
Is guarana good for kidneys?
Guarana (Paullinia cupana) presents a safe and effective anti-fatigue profile in patients with chronic kidney disease: A randomized, double-blind, three-arm, controlled clinical trial.