Is there a difference between guarana and caffeine? Is guarana better for you than caffeine?

Dear Reader,

For those who can't stomach the bitter taste of coffee, products made from the seeds of the Guarana (Paullinia cupana) plant may seem like a better choice whenever they need to stay awake or alert. Guarana has been used for as a stimulant for centuries, starting with the inhabitants of what is now Brazil and Venezuela. Three to six percent of the seed is made up of caffeine, and other psychoactive substances such as saponins, tannins and resins can compose another five to ten percent.

Guarana has become increasingly popular as a food additive and dietary supplement in the United States, due to its supposed effects of improving cognitive ability, memory and mood. It can be found in "energy" and vitamin-enhanced drinks, reportedly added in order to provide energy and increase alertness. Some manufactures of guarana soda claim that it's simply the taste of the plant that's the big draw for drinkers. Guarana has also been used to promote weight loss when combined with other ingredients. It is still undecided whether all of these effects are due to the caffeine in guarana, the other active ingredients, or the combination of having both at once.

The conclusions we can draw from the few studies that have been done to examine the safety of guarana as a dietary supplement are limited due to small numbers of study participants. However, anecdotal reports and case studies have shown that dangerous side effects can come from taking guarana supplements, including anxiety, heart palpitations, flatulence, diarrhea, chest pain, and even death. Part of this wide range of symptoms stems from the fact that herbal remedies and dietary supplements do not have to be approved by the FDA, nor do their health claims have to be validated or proven. The amount of each active ingredient in one bottle of pills can vary greatly from both another bottle as well as the label on the bottle, even if the two bottles all came from the same company. Therefore, some formulas may contain three times more guarana extract than what is labeled, while another may not have any guarana in it at all. Unfortunately for the consumer, there would be no way to determine this difference without a laboratory test.

Although it may be good to take risks and challenge yourself, you may want to approach health risks more cautiously. Sticking to something tried and true — that is, caffeine in the form of coffee, tea, and soft drinks — next time you need a pick-me-up may be your best bet.

Alice

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