Guarana (Paullinia cupana) as a tool for helping with Cognitive function

A systematic review and meta-analysis of eight placebo-controlled studies (328 participants) assessed whether acute guarana (Paullinia cupana) ingestion improves cognitive performance. Guarana produced a small effect on response time (faster performance) across cognitive tasks without affecting accuracy, an effect not clearly related to guarana dose or caffeine content.

The present study aimed to systematically assess acute, dose-related behavioural effects of an extract of guaraná plant for the first time in humans. This double-blind, counterbalanced, placebo-controlled study (n=26) assessed the acute mood and cognitive effects throughout the day of four different doses (37.5 mg, 75 mg, 150 mg and 300 mg) of a standardised guaraná extract (PC-102). Assessment included the Cognitive Drug Research computerized test battery and Bond-Lader mood scales. Guaraná improved secondary memory performance and increased alert and content mood ratings. The two lower doses produced more positive cognitive effects than the higher doses. This research supports previous findings of cognitive improvements following 75 mg guaraná and provides the first exploration of different dose effects of guaraná in humans. The findings suggest that the effects cannot be attributed to caffeine alone.