What is Guarana?
Guarana is a drug made from the seeds of Paullinia Capuana, a spontaneous climbing shrub or cultivated in the northern basin of the Amazon River.
Each fruit contains from one to three seeds which, properly dried, ground, kneaded and mixed with cassava flour, give rise to a brown paste with a bitter astringent taste and particularly rich in caffeine (from 2.5 to 8%). Guarana paste can be marketed as such, in the form of cylindrical rolls 10-30 cm long, or used for the production of tonic and refreshing drinks to which it gives an aroma particularly appreciated by South American children.
The freeze-dried extracts of guarana are very common on the European market.
Guarana seeds
Effects and Properties
The presence of caffeine gives the drug strong stimulating and toning properties. The most common effects associated with the use of guarana involve:
- the nervous system (slight arousal, increased attention span and mental concentration, reduced perception of fatigue)
- the cardiovascular system (guarana causes an increase in heart rate)
- the digestive system (increases gastric secretion, is an antidiarrheal and exerts a slight diuretic effect)
- body metabolism (it facilitates the oxidation of energy substrates and its use is recommended in slimming treatments)
Side Effects and Contraindications
Guarana should be administered with caution, especially in children, hyperthyroid and dystonic people. In these cases the assumption of guarana would amplify the common side effects related to its use (tachycardia, palpitations, hyper arousal, insomnia, anxiety).
Guarana-based preparations should always be taken on a full stomach, due to their irritating action on the gastrointestinal mucous membranes. For this reason, pathological conditions such as colitis or gastritis require a reduction in the intake doses.
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