Guarana - More Than Just A Natural Energy Booster

Guarana is naturally occurring plant that is found in the Amazon rain forest, primarily in Brazil and Venezuela. It is a shrub type plant that has red fruit with small black seeds in it. These seeds are the "secret" of this plant. The guarana seed is rich in the caffeine chemical guaranine and other natural substances. It is these seeds that are used for guarana extract, whether it is in the form of a supplement, energy drink, or tea. There are many uses for guarana such as energy supplementation, diet purposes, cognitive improvements and more.

Guarana is a type of caffeine. A single serving of guarana can have up to 350mg of caffeine. A guarana seed has about three times more caffeine than a coffee bean does. (A cup of coffee only has between 65-130mg of caffeine.) It also has many more benefits than coffee. It has been shown to naturally boost energy! These days, we can all use a little extra energy in our busy lives. Unlike coffee, the caffeine in guarana is released over time to give you a continuous stream of energy. It can be good for those who work the night shift. Guarana can help you stay up, awake, and alert through those long nights. Some even suggest that guarana is a natural aphrodisiac, which could mesh quite well with the energy boost.

Guarana has also been show to increase your metabolism, which would help in the fat burning process. It is the caffeine in guarana that helps to boost the metabolism. Your metabolism controls the fat burning cells. When your metabolism is working harder the body can more easily burn a larger amount of fat. It has been used to suppress your appetite and cause you to not feel hungry. This is very helpful when it comes to weight loss and dieting. A study was done on 44 overweight patients who took a combination of yerba mate, guarana and damiana (Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics. 2001 June:14(3):243-50). Over a 45 day period the patients reduced their body weight by approximately 11 pounds. The researchers determined the guarana to be beneficial in weight loss regimens. Some studies have even shown that the use of guarana can reduce cellulite.

People have considered guarana as a natural medicine for the bowel. The people of the Amazon have been using this for years. Guarana was commonly used to help "move the bowel." It can also be used for most complaints of the bowel. It can reduce gas and cure diarrhea.

There have been studies that have shown guarana to cause cognitive improvements (Journal of Psychopharmacology, 2007 Jan;21(1)65-70). It was shown to improve memory, alert and content mood ratings. The studied said this could not be attributed to caffeine alone. Guarana is good for enhancing your memory! It has also been shown to make you more alert. So, why not take a dose of guarana before your next big exam? A study was also done that showed guarana to have antidepressant like effects on rats (Phytotherapy Research 2007 June:21(6):531-5). This leads to the idea that guarana not only improves your mood, but over long term administration, it can actually work as an anti-depressant.

In the United States guarana is classified as GRAS, "Generally Recognized as Safe" by the FDA. It can, however, have some side effects. It has side effects similar to those experienced from caffeinated products such as insomnia, urinary frequency, trembling and anxiety. Women who are pregnant or nursing should avoid the use of guarana. Those with heart conditions or high blood pressure should not take guarana. Because of the high doses caffeine in guarana, those with caffeine sensitivities should not take guarana. Guarana has been shown to also reduce clotting in blood, so those who take products that thin the blood should not take guarana. As always, consult your doctor before adding any supplements to your daily regimen.