The seed of guarana, a shrub native to the Brazilian Amazon, is also used as a supplement in some weight loss diets. It is part, like green tea, of “fat burners” which promote the degradation of the latter and the increase in metabolic activity.

How it works ?

Guarana owes its effects to its high caffeine content. In addition to an increase in vigilance and an acceleration of the heart rate, caffeine is responsible for the increase in cell metabolism and therefore for the loss of fat. In particular, researchers have shown that the consumption of this compound increases energy expenditure and has an impact on the feeling of fullness.^{1-2-3 – available only in Polish!}.

How to consume guarana?

Guarana can be consumed in the form of a drink, a fluid extract, capsules or even effervescent tablets. For an adult, the dose of guarana is 1 to 3 g maximum of powder per day. It should not be given to hypertensive patients or children under 16 years of age. On the other hand, ESCOP (European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy) does not recommend its use for pregnant and breastfeeding women.⁴.

Sources : Sources : M. Westerterp-Plantenga, K. Diepvens, A. M. C. P. Joosen, S. Berube-Parent, and A. Tremblay, “Metabolic effects of spices, teas, and caffeine,” Physiology & Behavior, vol. 89, no. 1, pp. 85–91, 2006. A. T. Roberts, L. de Jonge-Levitan, C. C. Parker, and F. Greenway, “The effect of an herbal supplement containing black tea and caffeine on metabolic parameters in humans,” Altern Med Rev, vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 321–325, 2005. S. Bérubé-Parent, C. Pelletier, J. Doré, and A. Tremblay, “Effects of encapsulated green tea and Guarana extracts containing a mixture of epigallocatechin-3-gallate and caffeine on 24 h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in men,” Br. J. Nutr., vol. 94, no. 3, pp. 432–436, 2005. European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy, ESCOP Monographs — The Scientific Foundation for Herbal Medicinal Products, 2è édition, supplément., vol. 1. Nex York: Thieme, 2009.