Guarana

Botanical Name: Paulinia Cupana

Common Name: Guarana

Guarana: Boosting Workouts

The native people of Brazil’s upper Amazon rainforest have long known about the use of a plant that can sharpen your mind, boost your energy, and infuse extra drive into any physical endeavor. Their secret? - guarana, the dried paste of the seeds of the climbing evergreen liana Paullinia cupana. To make guarana paste, the bright red seed of the plant is roasted, removed from its protective outer layer, crushed with water, and dried into sticks or blocks.

Guarana is used primarily in the same manner as coffee or tea, as a safe and convenient stimulant due to its caffeine content. In South America, guarana is used ubiquitously in beverages, in the same way that kola nut is employed in the United States. But while kola tends to convey a heavy flavor to beverages, guarana’s taste light. Some guarana beverages are refered to as “champagnes.”

Guarana seed paste has a history of other uses as well. In traditional Amazonian folk medicine, guarana is often recommended for a variety of needs.Guarana is highly revered in Amazonia, and is widely employed by Amazonian natives as a stimulant, to relieve fatigue, to boost energy, aid concentration, and brighten mood. Guarana has also traditionally been used among natives to prevent arterioscelrosis, to treat chronic diarrhea, as an aphrodisiac, and tonic. It has also been used to treat fevers and headache, rheumatism, lumbago, to reduce heat stress, and as a diuretic. In northern Brazil, Guarana powder is often added by the scoop to blender drinks sold at stands.

At this point in time,the stimulant, thermogenic, appetite-suppressing and diuretic properties of guarana have been well substantiated. This makes guarana an ideal supplement for overall workout and fitness purposes. The sex-enhancing use of guarana is probably due to its overall stimulating effect. As far as other therapeutic uses are concerned, more research needs to be conducted to understand these applications.

By weight, guarana naturally contains between 2.5 – 7.0% caffeine. It also contains modest amounts of related compounds theophylline and theobromine.

Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, and is a cortical stimulant, thus moblizing brain function. It stimulates the flow of blood in the brain, and increases secretion of the important neurotransmitter serotonin. Caffeine invigorates the mind, enhances alertness, facilitates thought formation, and decreases fatigue. Caffeine stimulates the cardiovascular system and increases cardiac output. Caffeine is a mild diuretic and stimulates respiration. Caffeine revives the weary and elevates the moderately depressed. Worldwide, caffeine is the most widely enjoyed stimulant of all.

Using Guarana

Since the 1970’s guarana has appeared in dietary supplements in the US as a stimulant, a thermogenic (to boost metabolism for purposes of weight loss), and as an appetite suppressant. Guarana appears in tablets, capsules, and various fluid and dried extracts.

Guarana is a caffeine-based stimulant, and as such, people have varying levels of tolerance. About 15% of adults are sensitive to caffeine. Otherwise, studies show that up to 300 mg of caffeine per day is generally safe and beneficial for most adults. Seek your own comfort level with guarana.

References:

1. Raintree database entry on Boldo, http://rain-tree.com/guarana.htm

2. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics, 2nd ed., (New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1996).

3. Bruneton J. Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry,Medicinal Plants. 2nd ed., (Paris: Lavoisier Publishing 1993).

4. Evans, W.C., Trease and Evans’ Pharmacognosy, 13^th ed., (Philadelphia, Bailliere Tindall, 1989)

4. Bown, Deni. The Herb Society Of America Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses. (1^st ed., (New York: Dorling Kindersley,1995).

5. Agricultural Research Service, Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases. http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/

6. Galduroz JC, Carlini EA “The effects of long-term administration of guarana on the cognition of normal, elderly volunteers.” Rev Paul Med 1996 Jan-Feb 114:1 1073-8