What Is Guarana?
Guarana is a climbing plant native to Brazil and other parts of the Amazon region of South America. Its seeds have very high levels of caffeine — about twice as much as coffee beans. Its stimulant effects have long made it a traditional remedy to increase wakefulness, dampen hunger and thirst, and treat headaches and other maladies.
But today, a lot of guarana is grown commercially outside the Amazon and it's used most widely as an energy supplement and an ingredient in products such as energy drinks.
Guarana products usually are made from seeds that have been dried or roasted and then crushed into a powder. The products include:
Guarana powder
This is often sold loose to be added to drinks. In Brazil, the powder is traditionally mixed with water and sweetened with honey or sugar. This drink is considered a tonic for all sorts of ills, including pain and fatigue. It's also used in community ceremonies. The powder can also be put into capsules sold as guarana supplements.
Guarana soda
In Brazil, guarana is also the key ingredient in popular sodas that taste similar to ginger ale. You can buy them in many places in the U.S.
Guarana energy drinks
U.S. consumers are most likely to find guarana in energy drinks, where it serves as a caffeine source. It is often mixed with sugar, vitamins, herbs, and other ingredients. These drinks are most popular among teens and young adults and usually contain more caffeine than colas and other sodas.
Guarana extract
Caffeine extracted from guarana seeds is also added to some skin care products. In theory, it can increase blood flow to the skin and act as an antioxidant, preventing cell damage.
Guarana Benefits
Researchers once believed that the active ingredient of guarana was a chemical only found in the plant -- guaranine. But they later discovered that it was just caffeine.
The potential benefits of guarana are mostly due to the effects of caffeine. Other plant compounds that may lead to benefits are often removed during processing in commercial products such as sodas, supplements, and energy drinks.
Most caffeine research has been done on coffee. The research shows drinking moderate amounts of caffeine, about two cups of coffee per day, helps you feel less tired and more alert. It might even lower your risk for depression.
Experts have not studied caffeine from guarana very much. Limited research suggests it might have some of the effects it's traditionally known for, such as improving focus and easing pain.
Guarana, like other stimulants, might help with weight loss by making you less hungry. However, studies showing its weight loss effects have mostly combined it with other supplements, so it's unclear if guarana alone is effective.
Guarana's sexual benefits
One traditional use of guarana is as an aphrodisiac, a substance that increases sexual desire. Street markets in Brazil sell some concoctions that mix guarana with herbs and other ingredients claimed to boost sexual performance. But there's no strong evidence that guarana has sexual benefits.
Guarana Dosage
There is no standard dose of guarana. Daily doses in various products range from 200-1,000 milligrams. A more important consideration may be the total amount of caffeine in any product containing guarana and how much total caffeine you consume in a day.
The FDA says the safe level of caffeine for many adults is around 400 milligrams a day. That's the amount in two or three 12-ounce cups of coffee. Some energy drinks, including some that contain guarana, have more than 300 milligrams in one container. Caffeine tolerance varies, and some people will get side effects with amounts that don't bother other people.
If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor about whether you need to limit caffeine.
What Are the Risks of Taking Guarana?
Guarana side effects
The side effects of guarana are generally the same as the side effects of caffeine. They include sleep problems, anxiety, restlessness, upset stomach, a faster heartbeat, and a need to pee more.
Some people who consume a lot of caffeine for a long time find they need more and more to get the same effects. That's called tolerance. You might also become dependent, meaning you feel like you can't function without your usual doses of caffeine. If you cut back, you might get withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches and crankiness, though those will go away within a few days.
Guarana risks
High doses of caffeine may raise the risk of high blood pressure. An overdose of caffeine can cause seizures and convulsions.
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 drink containing guarana. People with mitral valve prolapse should speak to their doctor before using guarana.
Medication interactions
If you take any medications regularly, talk to your doctor before you start using guarana supplements. They could interact with medicines such as antidepressants, lithium, sedatives, and blood thinners. Don’t use guarana along with other stimulants, whether they’re medications, supplements, or street drugs. To avoid too much caffeine, be careful when consuming guarana in any form along with other foods and supplements that contain caffeine, such as coffee and sodas.
Takeaways
Guarana, which contains more caffeine than coffee beans, has a long history as a stimulant. It may have some benefits. However, at least in products widely used today, those benefits are likely the same ones you get from any caffeine source. That includes increased alertness. The risks also are the same and that includes trouble sleeping and the jitters when you consume too much.
Guarana FAQs
Can you get guarana naturally from foods?
Besides the guarana seed itself, there are no natural food sources of guarana. You can buy guarana seeds or even whole guarana plants if you want to try making your own guarana supply.
Is guarana in Red Bull?
Red Bull, an energy drink, doesn't list guarana on its label. It is listed on the labels of some other energy drinks, including Monster and Rockstar.
Does guarana help ADHD?
It's possible that guarana, like other sources of caffeine, might temporarily increase focus and attention in some people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But there are limited studies on caffeine's long-term effects on ADHD. Also, if you take stimulant medications for your ADHD, adding caffeine might increase your risk of sleep problems, irritability, and other side effects.
