Guarana is a plant that contains caffeine, which is used in energy-boosting dietary supplements as an alternative to coffee. It stimulates the nervous and cardiovascular systems, increases heart rate and blood flow, and improves metabolic rate. Claims of weight loss and aphrodisiac effects are unsubstantiated.
The difference between guarana and caffeine is that the former is a type of plant and the latter is a chemical ingredient. Caffeine is one of many naturally occurring chemical compounds in guarana plants. This ingredient was first called guaranine on the ingredient labels of products containing guarana. It is often used in energy-boosting dietary supplements as an alternative to coffee.
This plant originates from South America and has been used by the Brazilian natives for many centuries for medicinal purposes. It is a vine in the maple family and produces clusters of white flowers and dark fruit, ranging from brown to deep red. These fruits contain twice as much caffeine as a coffee bean.
Guarana and caffeine were originally marketed as two separate and individually unique ingredients. Beverages and foods that commonly contain caffeine list this chemical on the ingredient label, such as chocolate, coffee, tea, and soft drinks. Guarana-containing dietary and energy supplements listed the chemical ingredient guaranine on the label, and the manufacturers claimed it was a more natural supplement and an alternative method to caffeine for improving metabolic functions. Later, scientists discovered that guaranine is the same ingredient as caffeine, and guarana products have been properly labeled ever since.
The effect of guarana and caffeine, its main ingredient, in the body is the stimulation of the nervous and cardiovascular systems of the body. Within an hour of being ingested, levels of this chemical appear at their highest in the bloodstream, and its effects can persist for several hours afterward. People who have taken caffeine tend to increase their heart rate, increase their blood flow, and improve their metabolic rate. This can create a general feeling of being awake combined with a better mood and increased focus.
Some foods and drinks containing guarana and caffeine are attributed to weight loss abilities, and are believed to provide an aphrodisiac-like side effect. These claims are generally unsubstantiated and have little to no basis in scientific study. The increase in the body’s overall metabolic rate after ingesting caffeine can cause you to burn more calories than you otherwise would, and can create the feeling of a better mood. However, these are side effects of the chemical’s interaction with the heart and cardiovascular system and are not the result of any hormonal influence on the body by caffeine.
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