What is Guarana and is it Beneficial?
Guarana has come under much scrutiny lately because it is added to most energy drinks in their “energy blend”. As energy drinks rise in popularity so does the controversy surrounding them. Besides caffeine one of the main ingredients in the energy blends is guarana. Guarana is a plant that is part of the maple family and it is a climbing plant that is native to the Amazon and Brazil. The guarana plant has large leaves and clusters of flowers but the most popular part of the plant is the fruit which is about the size of a coffee bean. Guarana actually has around two times as much caffeine as coffee beans. Originally the guarana seeds were used to make tea, and those early tea drinkers were given the stimulant power of guarana. The seeds of the guarana are much smaller than a coffee bean, but they are much more potent.
The Amazonians have been using guarana as a stimulant and to increase cognitive awareness for centuries. Some reports have indicated that the effects of guarana over caffeine are much more prolonged. Guarana, in doses of 75 mg daily, has been shown to have favorable effects in memory and cognition. In a study with breast cancer patients the subjects who were given guarana had no signs of decreased fatigue and decreased depression. However, since guarana does contain large amounts of caffeine should give the same energy effects as caffeine. Many studies have been done that show caffeine has a thermogenic effect, which can lead to more weight loss than those not consuming caffeine. Remember that guarana, just like most products, are not weight loss miracle pills they only AID weight loss. Some research shows that guarana has antioxidant powers, and can help in killing free radicals. Guarana has also been used in the past to help relieve pain, but it should not be used as the first line of defense against pain.
The other chemicals in guarana are theobromine and theophylline. Theobromine (also known as xantheose) is a bitter powder that is either white or colorless. It has similar effects on the body as caffeine, but to a lesser extent. Theobromine is found naturally in the cocoa plant and most chocolate products. The uses of theobromine are pretty restricted to wide blood vessels, increase urination, and stimulate the heart. Theophylline (also known as dimethylxanthine) is the other main compound in guarana. This drug is used for respiratory disease like asthma. This drug has been decreasing in usage because of the numerous side effects that have become apparent. This compound can be found in tea, but not a therapeutic amount. Theophylline can increase heart rate, blood pressure, renal blood flow, and it is also an anti-inflammatory and it stimulates the central nervous system.
The side of effects of guarana are usually mild and most of them correlate directly with the side effects of caffeine. Those side effects include but are not limited to anxiety, diarrhea, headache, increased urination, nausea, nervousness, shakiness, tremors, trouble sleeping;, upset stomach, and vomiting. The FDA has given the label of “generally safe for us” for products with guarana. The dangers that come with guarana in energy drinks is that people don’t realize that the energy blends that are in their drinks are loaded with caffeine AND guarana. The dangers basically come from the mass amounts of caffeine consumption that the consumer may not be aware of. Since most energy drinks have a proprietary blend that they call their energy blend, they do not have to give you an exact amount of every ingredient. It is very important for those who are sensitive to caffeine to be aware of the guarana in their products, as it is almost identical to consuming caffeine.
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