GUARANA USE IN SPORTS

Pure guarana powder is an ideal herb to maintain stamina and ward off fatigue and tiredness.

Pure guarana acts as a coolant and a stimulant to the central nervous system and metabolism.

We receive many enquiries from sportspeople regarding the use of guarana in sports.

The most common question is whether it is legal to use it as a sports drink during sporting events.

To our understanding, guarana is not classified as a prohibited substance by any sporting authority. However, professional athletes should note that pure powdered guarana seed contains an average 4% caffeine (as guaranine).

Most sport disciplines place a limit on the caffeine content allowed during competitive events and athletes should thus be aware of how much guarana they consume.

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According to the Olympic Committee Anti-Doping Code:

For caffeine the definition of a positive is a concentration in urine greater than 12 micrograms per millilitre.

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According to the Australian Drugs in Sport handbook:

"Caffeine is a stimulant which is banned when in large amounts. Recent studies show the amount of caffeine an athlete would need to take in to return a positive test result can be different from person to person.

Caffeine is banned when the concentration in athlete's urine is more than 12 micrograms per millilitre. An athlete would need to ingest approximately 500 milligrams of caffeine over a short period of time to return a positive test result for caffeine.

In most cases, the social use of caffeine should not be a problem (e.g. a can of cola, a chocolate bar or a cup of coffee).

The actual amount an athlete can ingest without going over the limit though, will vary from person to person and depend on factors such as body size and metabolic rate.

It may also be very different for the same athlete on different occasions.

Caffeine use before events should therefore be minimal to avoid problems."

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A teaspoon of Guarana Naturale contains160 milligrams of caffeine, placing it between tea and strong coffee.

It is strongly recommended that no more than 4 grams (1 full teaspoon) of Guarana Naturale is consumed at any one time.

Users should try one third of a teaspoon and work their way up or down from there.

Small framed people need to consume less pure powdered guarana than large framed people to enjoy the same benefits.