Green tea and guarana
Green Tea and Guarana in Sugar Defender: How Much Caffeine a Dropper Can Hold, and Who Should Care
Green tea and guarana are Sugar Defender's two caffeine sources, 3rd and 7th of 22 in a 200 mg blend. No caffeine amount is printed. The label order caps the two extracts together at under 67 mg per 1 mL, and caffeine is only part of that weight. FDA cites 400 mg a day as fine for most adults.
Written by the Sugar Defender label deskUpdated
The plants01
What are green tea and guarana doing in Sugar Defender?
Green tea and guarana are plant extracts that both contain caffeine. In Sugar Defender they are the only two caffeine sources on the label.
Guarana (Paullinia cupana) is an Amazon vine. Its seeds are the caffeine-rich part, and the label lists the seed extract.
Green tea (Camellia sinensis) leaf extract brings caffeine plus catechins. The best known catechin is EGCG, short for epigallocatechin gallate.
What the photo shows
Red guarana pods split open around black seeds. No green tea photo is in the brand's set.
Label math02
How much caffeine is in Sugar Defender?
The label does not say. It prints no caffeine line, so the only clue is where guarana and green tea sit in the blend.
Guarana is 3rd of 22, so it can weigh at most 200 divided by 3, about 67 mg. Green tea is 7th, so at most about 29 mg.
Both ceilings cannot be true at once. The six lines above green tea must each weigh at least as much, so the two extracts together stay under about 67 mg per mL.
Caffeine is only part of each extract's weight. So true caffeine is lower than 67 mg, by an unknown amount.
| Line | Place | Extract, even split | Extract, ceiling | Caffeine printed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guarana seed extract | 3 of 22 | About 9 mg | About 67 mg | Not published |
| Green tea leaf extract | 7 of 22 | About 9 mg | About 29 mg | Not published |
| Both together | - | About 18 mg | Under 67 mg | Not published |
NIH notes that guarana caffeine is often left off supplement labels (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss). Read the panel on Sugar Defender supplement facts.
In context03
How does that caffeine compare with coffee?
Even the ceiling is small next to a normal coffee habit. FDA cites 400 mg a day, about two to three 12-oz cups of coffee, as fine for most healthy adults (FDA, Caffeine: how much is too much?).
A dropper's two extracts weigh under 67 mg, and caffeine is only part of that. So the drops add less than a sixth of the FDA figure, likely far less.
Small is not zero. People who are sensitive, pregnant, breastfeeding or on certain medicines are told to ask a provider about any caffeine (FDA, Caffeine: how much is too much?).
Count your cups
Coffee, tea, soda and energy drinks all add up. The drops sit on top of them.
Signs of too much
Fast heart rate, palpitations, insomnia, anxiety and jitters, per FDA (FDA, Caffeine: how much is too much?).
Stack with care
Other stimulant products and pre-workout powders can push a day past what you meant.
Guarana04
What does guarana caffeine do in the body?
Guarana acts mostly through its caffeine. Memorial Sloan Kettering credits many of its effects to that caffeine (MSKCC, Guarana).
Nausea and insomnia are the common side effects. High doses can bring vomiting, heartbeat changes, high blood pressure and seizures (MSKCC, Guarana).
The sales page says guarana "Stimulates Your Metabolism" (Sugar Defender sales page). Caffeine is a stimulant, but no study tested the guarana in a Sugar Defender dropper. The label claims nothing about metabolism.
No research we found links guarana to better blood sugar. It is in the blend as a stimulant.
Green tea extract05
Is green tea extract safe, and what is EGCG?
Green tea extract is safe for most people, but rare liver injury has been reported, mainly with concentrated tablets or capsules (NCCIH, Green Tea).
NCCIH calls those cases uncommon. NIH adds that evidence is growing that green tea extract might cause liver damage (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss).
EGCG is the main catechin in green tea. Concentrated extracts deliver far more of it than a brewed cup. The panel prints no EGCG or catechin figure.
On weight, NCCIH says catechins plus caffeine may have only a modest effect (NCCIH, Green Tea). Weight studies used 141 to 1,207 mg of catechins a day, well above a 29 mg extract ceiling.
Dark urine, yellow skin or eyes, or pain in the upper right belly need a doctor. Stop the drops and get checked.
Sugar Defender: from $49 a bottle60 mL · 2, 3 or 6 bottles · free US shipping on 3 or 6 · 60-day money-back guarantee
See packsTiming06
When should you take caffeine-containing drops?
The label names no time of day. It only says adults take 1 mL a day, so the timing is yours to choose.
Our suggestion, not a label rule: if caffeine keeps you up, take the drops in the morning. Pick one fixed time so you neither forget nor double up.
Pick a morning slot
Breakfast or the first coffee is easy to tie a habit to.
Measure 1 mL
One full dropper. The label does not call for more.
Watch your sleep
If nights get worse, note it and talk to your doctor.
More habit tips sit on how to take Sugar Defender.
Safety07
Who should be careful with caffeine in supplements?
Anyone sensitive to caffeine, anyone on other stimulants and anyone taking a blood thinner should ask first. The label also asks anyone on other medication to consult a physician.
Green tea at high doses lowers blood levels of the beta-blocker nadolol (NCCIH, Green Tea). Guarana may raise bleeding risk with warfarin, though how much is not settled (MSKCC, Guarana).
Do not change a heart, blood pressure or diabetes medicine because of a supplement. Show the label to your pharmacist.
The full list is on Sugar Defender side effects.
Profile08
What do the guarana and green tea label profiles show?
Each profile sets one panel line beside research doses, evidence and the main caution.
| Name on the label | Guarana (Paullinia cupana) Seed Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Paullinia cupana seed |
| Place on the label | 3 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #3 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 67 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | Caffeine source |
| Strength of evidence | Not a blood sugar ingredient |
| Marketed or traditional use | Natural caffeine |
| Main caution | Caffeine: insomnia, jitters; caution with other stimulants. |
| Name on the label | Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) Leaf Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Camellia sinensis leaf |
| Place on the label | 7 of 22 in the 200 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #7 of 22 in the 200 mg blend, so at most 29 mg per mL |
| Amount used in research | 141-1,207 mg catechins (weight studies) |
| Strength of evidence | Small, inconsistent |
| Marketed or traditional use | Catechins and caffeine |
| Main caution | Rare liver injury from extracts; contains caffeine. |
Other lines09
Which Sugar Defender ingredients sit near guarana in the blend?
Maca and grape seed sit above guarana, and African mango sits just below it.
See the full ingredients list or pick a line below.
FAQ10
Caffeine questions, answered
Is the caffeine amount in Sugar Defender printed on the label?
No. The panel lists guarana seed and green tea leaf extracts but no caffeine figure. Their places in the blend cap the two extracts together at under 67 mg per 1 mL, and caffeine is only part of that weight. NIH notes guarana caffeine is often left off labels (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss).
Can I drink coffee with Sugar Defender?
Most adults can, as long as total caffeine stays in a sensible range. FDA cites 400 mg a day as not generally linked to problems for healthy adults (FDA, Caffeine: how much is too much?). The drops add less than a sixth of that even at the ceiling, but count every cup and energy drink.
What is EGCG in green tea extract?
EGCG, or epigallocatechin gallate, is the main catechin in green tea leaves. Concentrated extracts deliver much more of it than brewed tea. Sugar Defender's label prints no EGCG or catechin figure, and its green tea line sits 7th of 22, so at most about 29 mg of extract.
Can green tea extract hurt the liver?
Rarely, yes. NCCIH says liver injury has been reported in some people using green tea products, mostly concentrated extracts in pills, and calls it uncommon (NCCIH, Green Tea). Dark urine, yellow skin or eyes, or upper right belly pain should prompt a call to a doctor.
Is guarana safe with blood thinners?
Ask your doctor first. MSK says guarana may increase bleeding risk with blood thinners such as warfarin, though the clinical importance is not settled (MSKCC, Guarana). It may also be unsafe with other stimulants. Sugar Defender's label asks anyone on other medication to consult a physician.
Does guarana speed up metabolism?
Not in any way shown for these drops. The sales page says guarana "Stimulates Your Metabolism" (Sugar Defender sales page), but guarana's effects come mainly from caffeine (MSKCC, Guarana), and no trial has tested the amount in a dropper. The label itself makes no metabolism claim.
Who wrote this11
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by Isugardefender, a Sugar Defender U.S. shop, not by the manufacturer or the distributor. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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