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Guarana has been gaining in popularity since the turn of the century due to the claims of amazing health benefits that range from increased energy to weight management. Do these claims have their backing in modern research? Is guarana a safe supplement, or do its potential side effects outweigh any possible benefits?
Guarana is a compound from the seeds of a plant called Paullinia cupana. P. cupana is found in the Amazon Basin and is often grown and harvested specifically for guarana and caffeine.
The seeds of P. cupana are dried, roasted, and crushed to produce guarana, which is then processed into different forms like raw powders or syrups. These guarana powders and syrups are then used in products like energy drinks.
Guarana has been used for centuries as a traditional medicine in South America as a conventional medicine. It was used for various conditions like headaches, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, and painful periods.
One of the major conditions guarana was used for traditionally was as a stimulant to help decrease fatigue. It was also used to help reduce the sensations of hunger and thirst. This isn’t surprising because caffeine is one of the main components of guarana. Research suggests that guarana has a caffeine content 4–6 times higher than coffee beans. Other components of guarana include phytonutrients like flavonoids, epicatechin, and theobromine, also found in chocolate.
Studies show that guarana may have amazing health benefits like boosting energy, improving memory and attention, benefitting heart health, acting as an anti-inflammatory, and increasing weight management. Research indicates that guarana may also have potent anti-chronic disease properties. While studies indicate that guarana may benefit various health concerns, some possible side effects come with supplementation.
Studies suggest that guarana may be helpful when it comes to boosting energy and fighting fatigue. One double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study involved 40 active men who took a multivitamin and guarana combination before doing a series of physical exercises. The study found that administering a guarana and multivitamin supplement before exercise helped reduce the participants’ perceived fatigue that often comes with physical exertion.
Studies indicate that guarana may help improve cognition, increase focus, and enhance cognition. One double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study involved 129 young adults without any health issues taking a guarana and multivitamin supplement.
The study found that combining multivitamins and guarana helped improve cognition better than a placebo. The participants in the study performed a series of cognitive tests faster and more accurately than those who had taken the placebo. There was also less mental fatigue in the guarana group than in those who took the placebo.
One meta-analysis, a type of study that combines the results from multiple studies on the same subject, found that guarana helped to improve the speed at which participants completed a cognitive task. Additionally, one animal study indicates that guarana may help to improve memory by regulating the activity of an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase. This enzyme breaks down acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter for brain function and memory formation.
Research implies that guarana may help improve cardiovascular health. One study involved both human and test tube experiments focusing on the effects of guarana on lipid oxidation. This negative process occurs when there is a high amount of lipids, or fats, in the body and high amounts of free radicals or oxidative stress. Increased oxidative stress, especially when lipid oxidation is involved, contributes to cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis, a hardening of the blood vessels.
Guarana supplementation may help reduce lipid oxidation and decrease cardiovascular disease risk. A study of 42 elderly subjects without health issues divided them into two groups: one that regularly took guarana and one that never did. The study found that the group that regularly used guarana had 27% lower amounts of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol compared to the group that didn’t take guarana. The test tube portion of the same study found that guarana could decrease LDL oxidation in blood drawn from healthy individuals with normal LDL and cholesterol levels.
Another study involving 637 older individuals found that those who regularly drank a guarana-containing liquid had fewer incidences of high blood pressure, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. Interestingly, although the group that ingested guarana regularly had fewer diagnoses of high blood pressure, the group that never took guarana had lower systolic (top) and diastolic (bottom) blood pressure than the guarana group on average.
Guarana may have anti-inflammatory properties. Long-term, low-grade inflammation has been linked to various diseases and disorders that reduce longevity. Some inflammation-related diseases include diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and even chronic disease. Chronic inflammation has also been linked to accelerated aging.
Studies suggest that guarana may have anti-aging properties. One study in vitro, or test tube study, focused on using human skin cells and guarana to prevent aging. The study found that low-level laser therapy and administering a guarana supplement to human skin cells reduced inflammation, free radical damage, and apoptosis, the programmed death of a cell. Increased premature apoptosis is linked to inflammation, free radical damage, and accelerated aging.
Another animal study found that guarana supplementation helped to reduce intestinal free radical damage and inflammation caused by the drug methotrexate, which is used for autoimmune conditions as well as a chemotherapeutic drug. Studies suggest that guarana may help to increase the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs.
Research suggests that guarana may be helpful for weight management. One double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study focused on 47 healthy overweight participants and the effects of a guarana supplement on weight loss. The participants in the guarana group took a supplement containing yerba mate, damiana, and guarana for 45 days to determine if their body weight would decrease.
The study found an almost 2-pound weight loss in the guarana group compared to only a 0.67-pound weight loss in the placebo group. It also found that the guarana preparation contributed to delayed gastric emptying. Delayed gastric emptying is a slowing in the release of the stomach's contents into the small intestine. When the stomach contents are realized slower into the intestine, there is a sensation of fullness longer and less desire to eat.
Another double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study followed 105 participants for 12 weeks to see the effects of a guarana supplement on weight management. The study found that supplementing with guarana, garcinia cambogia, green tea, and black tea extracts significantly improved body composition and fat loss. The study concluded that an active lifestyle and supplementation with the guarana preparation was superior to a placebo for weight management.
Studies show that guarana may have some amazing health benefits covering various health issues. While guarana may have many health benefits, there are possible side effects that may come with its use. Some side effects of guarana include insomnia, shakiness or feeling jittery, fast or irregular heartbeat, and a feeling of restlessness.
Many of the above-mentioned side effects of guarana may be attributed to caffeine. Since guarana has a higher caffeine content than coffee, those sensitive to caffeine may have a more pronounced reaction. Other side effects of guarana include headaches, gastrointestinal discomforts like nausea and vomiting, and anxiety.
Studies suggest that the side effects of guarana intake may be dose-dependent. Higher doses of guarana may contribute to a greater risk for adverse effects. For example, one study involved 45 healthy participants over 60 divided into three groups. One group took a brown sugar placebo pill. The second group took a guarana supplement, and the third group took a caffeine supplement.
Throughout the study, four participants complained of a burning sensation in the stomach—one in the caffeine group and three in the guarana group. The burning pain in the guarana group was resolved by lowering the dose of guarana from 1 gram per day to 500 milligrams per day and requiring the guarana supplement to be taken with food.
Guarana is a supplement with many potential health benefits ranging from energy and focus to weight management. While one must be wary of possible side effects, the safe use of guarana may help promote health and longevity for years.
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By Dr. Candace Mathers, N.D.
