Guarana and LDL oxidation in elderly people
What it found
In 42 elderly people, those who habitually took guarana had 27% lower levels of a marker of LDL oxidation than those who never took it.
In lab tests, guarana extract also made LDL and serum harder to oxidise.
What they found
Studies in people
LDL oxidation in people
The guarana group had 27% lower maximum conjugated diene formation than the no-guarana group. Both men and women who took guarana showed lower levels than those who did not.
Polyphenols and LDL
In the guarana group, total polyphenols were positively linked to LDL levels. No such link was seen in the no-guarana group.
Animal and lab studies
Lab tests on LDL
In lab tests, guarana extract at 1 and 5 micrograms per millilitre completely prevented LDL oxidation for 180 minutes. It also prevented TBARS formation and protected tryptophan in LDL from destruction.
Lab tests on serum
In lab tests, guarana at 1 and 5 micrograms per millilitre increased the lag phase before serum oxidation started. At the highest concentration, it totally inhibited serum oxidation during the test.
Antioxidant potential
Guarana extract at concentrations from 0.01 to 10 micrograms per millilitre reduced AAPH-induced luminol oxidation in lab tests. Concentrations of 0.5 to 10 micrograms per millilitre showed very strong inhibition.
What the authors conclude
“Guaraná, similar to other foods rich in caffeine and catechins such as green tea, has some effect on LDL oxidation that could partially explain the protective effects of this food in cardiometabolic diseases.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say guarana has some effect on LDL oxidation that could partly explain its protective effects in heart and metabolic diseases.
- They note that controlled studies are needed to confirm the possible effect of guarana on LDL oxidation, because the in vivo part did not control how much guarana people took or what other antioxidant-rich foods they ate.
- They suggest that regular consumption of guarana or its inclusion in diet-based therapies could yield certain health benefits and potential defense against oxidative stress and metabolic disorders.
How it was done
LDL oxidation is thought to be an early step in atherosclerosis. The authors wanted to see whether guarana affects LDL and serum oxidation, since previous work suggested it might protect against heart and metabolic diseases.
They took blood samples from 42 healthy elderly people in the Amazon, 23 who habitually took guarana at least 5 times a week and 19 who never did. They also tested guarana extract at five concentrations (0.05 to 5 micrograms per millilitre) on LDL and serum from 3 healthy donors who did not take guarana.
What it can’t tell you
- The study in people compared those who already took guarana with those who did not, so it cannot prove that guarana caused the difference in LDL oxidation.
- The people in the study were all elderly and from one Amazon region, so the results may not apply to other groups.
- The lab tests used LDL and serum outside the body, so they cannot show what happens inside a living person.
The paper
- Title
- Guaraná (Paullinia cupana Kunth) effects on LDL oxidation in elderly people: an in vitro and in vivo study
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Licence
- CC BY. Words in quotation marks are the authors’; the rest is our summary.
- Cite
- Portella Rde L, Barcelos RP, da Rosa EJ, et al (2013). Guaraná (Paullinia cupana Kunth) effects on LDL oxidation in elderly people: an in vitro and in vivo study. Lipids in health and disease. doi:10.1186/1476-511X-12-12Free full textPubMed 23391102DOI
Summary written 29 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error