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Herb Profile
Guarana
Paullinia cupana
Guarana (Paullinia cupana) carries a Grade C rating — limited evidence.
Last reviewed: •3 sources citedReport a correctionProfile-wide ·C Limited
Use extra caution — Caffeine exposure can cause insomnia, anxiety, tremor, tachycardia, blood pressure elevation, and GI upset. Details
- Evidence
- Limited Evidence
- Typical onset
- Varies by prep
- Safety rating
- High caution
- Best for
- Anti Inflammatory, Antioxidant, Energy, Stress resilience
- Avoid / review if
- Uncontrolled Hypertension, Arrhythmia, Severe Anxiety/Insomnia
At a glance
From this profile's structured data- Evidence
- Grade C
- Safety
- Caffeine exposure can cause insomnia, anxiety, tremor, tachycardia, blood-pressure elevation, and GI upset.
- Profile context
- anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, energy
Next stepsWhere to go next — guides & comparisons
Continue reading
- If you want help with anxiety or stress → Anxiety & stress guides
- If you want to browse more herbs → All herbs
Safety
Safety & Cautions
Caffeine exposure can cause insomnia, anxiety, tremor, tachycardia, blood pressure elevation, and GI upset. Avoid stacking with energy drinks or other stimulants; use cautiously in pregnancy/breastfeeding and cardiovascular disease.
High caution
Caution level: High. Multiple caution categories apply, or the record uses avoid/contraindication language.
- Stimulant-Like ProfileStimulant-like or activating caution language is present.
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding CautionPregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.
Detailed safety fields
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and contraindications
- Uncontrolled Hypertension
- Arrhythmia
- Severe Anxiety/Insomnia
- Stimulant Sensitivity
- And Unsupervised Pediatric Use.
- Additive Effects With Caffeine
- Stimulants
- Theophylline
- Decongestants
- And Some ADHD Medications
Safety classifications
- Stimulant-Like Profile: Stimulant-like or activating caution language is present.
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution: Pregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.
Full safety note
- Caffeine exposure can cause insomnia, anxiety, tremor, tachycardia, blood pressure elevation, and GI upset. Avoid stacking with energy drinks or other stimulants; use cautiously in pregnancy/breastfeeding and cardiovascular disease.
Safety labels
- Stimulant-Like Profile
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution
Evidence-based safety
Caution when combined
Severity and certainty are shown separately. A high-priority caution can still be theoretical: these pairings are screened from shared contraindication mechanisms and are not automatically documented clinical interactions. Provenance identifies the source fields that produced each flag; it does not upgrade the certainty of the pairwise claim.
Moderate Caution
81 flagged pairingsBlood-pressure effects
Moderate Caution
81 flagged pairingsBlood-pressure effects
Representative pairings are shown below. Large mechanism groups are intentionally summarized to keep profiles focused and crawl-efficient.
Blood-pressure effectsCertainty: Theoretical
Data provenance recorded for 81 of 81 pairings in this mechanism group.
- Agmatine sulfate — Theoretical interaction certainty
- ajoene — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Allicin — Theoretical interaction certainty
- American Ginseng Extract — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Andrographis — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Angelica Dahurica — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Astaxanthin — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Astragalus Membranaceus — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Beetroot extract — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Berberis — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Bicarbonate — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Black Seed — Theoretical interaction certainty
+69 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.
Evidence
Evidence Summary
Evidence lens
Read as directional context, not settled clinical proof.
LimitedLimited Evidence
Human clinical evidence: Not the primary signal
Mechanistic / preclinical: Mechanism mapped — Inflammatory Signaling Modulation · Oxidative Stress Modulation
Research maturity: Theoretical / mechanistic research — Mechanistic or unresolved evidence is kept separate from established human outcomes.
Safety boundary: Safety note available — Caffeine exposure can cause insomnia, anxiety, tremor, tachycardia, blood pressure elevation, and GI upset.
This profile cites 3 human studies.
Study design details
Evidence Grade
Grade C: Limited Evidence
Evaluation of methodological rigor, population reach, and evidence alignment.
- Design Match
- Narrative review
- Risk of Bias
- High
- Consistency
- Not assessed
Strongest recorded design is a narrative review, drawn from 3 recorded studies, none of which measured an outcome in people.
How evidence grades work
Each grade reflects the strength and consistency of published human evidence — not marketing claims. Grades are based on study count, design quality, effect size, consistency, and recency.
- Strong
- Multiple RCTs, consistent direction, adequate effect size
- Moderate
- Some RCTs or consistent observational data in humans
- Preliminary / Mixed
- Animal or in-vitro only, or conflicting human data
- Traditional / Theoretical
- Traditional use only; no controlled human trials
Clinical Study Summaries (3)0 human evidence sources · 0 human trials · Participant totals not consistently reported · Consistency not yet classifiable
What the evidence actually shows
This table contains 3 structured sources, including 0 human evidence sources; 0 are human trials. A reliable participant total cannot be calculated because sample size is not consistently structured in the cited sources. Source-to-conclusion relationships are not classified in this structured set, so consistency is not yet classifiable.
Profile-wide evidence grade: see the profile grade above · Confidence: not separately assigned
What would change our conclusion?
Larger, well-controlled human trials using comparable populations, doses, preparations, and clinically meaningful outcomes could materially strengthen or weaken this conclusion. Replication in a different population or a high-quality synthesis resolving current disagreement could also materially change confidence.
| Study | Design | N | Dose | Duration | Population | Outcome | Result & magnitude | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Effects of the consumption of guarana on human health: A narrative review Torres EAFS et al. · Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf · 2022 Background | Narrative review Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
The Use and Impact of Cognitive Enhancers among University Students: A Systematic Review Sharif S et al. · Brain Sci · 2021 Background | Narrative review Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
International society of sports nutrition position stand: energy drinks and energy shots Jagim AR et al. · J Int Soc Sports Nutr · 2023 Background | Narrative review Summarizes selected literature without the full prespecified search and selection methods of a systematic review. | — | — | — | — | — | — | PubMed → |
Dosing & Timing
- No standardized dose
- Preparation specific; use standardized product label for Use standardized preparations that disclose caffeine content and require source backed dosage review before therapeutic claims.
How Guarana works
Simplified mechanism pathway based on preclinical and pharmacological evidence. Does not confirm clinical efficacy.
Mechanism Pathway — How Guarana Works
CompoundTarget / ReceptorMechanismEffect / Outcome
Mechanisms & biological pathways
Preclinical pathways. Proposed mechanisms from in vitro and animal research; these do not confirm clinical outcomes in humans.
- Inflammatory Signaling Modulation
- Oxidative Stress Modulation
Active Compounds
Key constituents studied in Guarana, with full pharmacology and safety profiles.
Compare related active botanicals
Explore botanicals with similar chemistry, effects, or safety considerations in the Botanical Activity Atlas.
Compare & Sourcing
Compare side-by-side tradeoffs or verify active marker guidelines.
Safety first · Harm reduction
This information is educational and not medical advice. Start low, avoid risky combinations, and consult a licensed clinician before making health decisions—especially if you use medications, have diagnosed conditions, or are pregnant/breastfeeding.
Learn how we evaluate confidence, safety, and intensity on the methodology page.
Editorial Review
Checked against primary sources, cited evidence, and contraindication language before publication. Evidence claims, safety language, and affiliate modules are reviewed independently. Not personal medical advice.
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Botanical profile context
How to interpret Guarana
Guarana herb profile with evidence context, key research topics, source notes, safety context, and references presented in an evidence-first format. Use this herb profile as a starting point for evidence review, not as a recommendation to start a new supplement. Botanical products can vary by plant part, extract ratio, standardization, dose, and contaminant testing, so two labels with the same common name may not behave the same way.
When reviewing Guarana, compare the traditional-use context against the human evidence, mechanism notes, and safety cautions. Pay special attention to pregnancy, breastfeeding, liver or kidney disease, blood-pressure effects, sedation, stimulation, anticoagulant use, antidepressants, and any prescription medication overlap.
For product decisions, prefer transparent labels, named extracts, clear serving sizes, and third-party quality testing. Avoid treating a long list of possible mechanisms as proof that an herb will solve a specific condition.