Green tea and guarana
Does Glyco Defender Have Caffeine? Guarana Seed and Green Tea Extract, Weighed
Yes, Glyco Defender has caffeine, because guarana seed and green tea leaf extract are both on the label. No caffeine amount is printed. Guarana sits 4th and green tea 7th in the 15.47 mg blend, so the two extracts together weigh at most about 6.1 mg per dropper. The FDA cites 400 mg of caffeine a day as an amount not generally linked to negative effects in most healthy adults.
Written by the Glyco Defender label deskUpdated
Caffeine01
Does Glyco Defender have caffeine?
Yes. Glyco Defender contains two natural caffeine sources: guarana seed extract and green tea leaf extract.
Guarana seeds contain caffeine, and most of the plant's effects come from it (MSKCC, Guarana). Green tea also contains caffeine (NCCIH, Green Tea).
The label gives no caffeine figure. That gap is common: NIH notes that products with guarana often do not declare how much caffeine they hold (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss).
Guarana seed
Place 4 of 21 Paullinia cupana seed extract, marked ^ for a 20:1 concentrate. The larger of the two caffeine sources by label order.
Green tea leaf
Place 7 of 21 Camellia sinensis leaf extract, also marked ^. Brings catechins as well as caffeine.
The math02
How much caffeine could one Glyco Defender dropper hold?
One dropper holds well under 6.1 mg of caffeine. That number is the most the two extracts together can weigh, and caffeine is only part of each extract.
The blend order sets the limits. Guarana in 4th place can weigh at most 15.47 / 4 = 3.9 mg. Green tea in 7th can weigh at most 15.47 / 7 = 2.2 mg.
Even if both extracts were pure caffeine, which they are not, 6.1 mg would be about 1.5% of the FDA's 400 mg daily reference (FDA, Caffeine: how much is too much?).
| Source | Blend place | Extract, at most | Share of 400 mg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guarana seed | 4 of 21 | 3.9 mg | under 1% |
| Green tea leaf | 7 of 21 | 2.2 mg | about 0.55% |
| Both together | Places 4 and 7 | 6.1 mg | about 1.5% |
| Name on the label | Guarana (Paullinia Cupana) Seed Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Paullinia cupana seed |
| Place on the label | 4 of 21 in the 15.47 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #4 of 21 in the 15.47 mg blend, so at most 3.87 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 Leaf Extract |
|---|---|
| What it is | Camellia sinensis leaf |
| Place on the label | 7 of 21 in the 15.47 mg proprietary blend |
| Amount per mL (1 dropper) | Not listed; #7 of 21 in the 15.47 mg blend, so at most 2.21 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. |
Guarana seed03
What is guarana seed?
Guarana seed comes from Paullinia cupana, a plant whose seeds are a natural source of caffeine. Supplements use it mainly for that caffeine.
Common side effects are nausea and trouble sleeping. Very high doses can cause vomiting, heartbeat changes, high blood pressure and seizures (MSKCC, Guarana).
Memorial Sloan Kettering adds that guarana may not be safe with other stimulants. It may also raise bleeding risk with warfarin, though how much that matters is unclear (MSKCC, Guarana).
Seed, not fruit pulp
The label names "Guarana (Paullinia Cupana) Seed Extract". The dark seeds in the photo are the part used; the red husk and white pulp are not.
Green tea extract04
Does green tea extract help blood sugar?
There is no solid evidence that green tea extract helps blood sugar. The public research we cite looks at body weight, and even there the effect is modest at best (NCCIH, Green Tea).
Weight studies used 141 to 1,207 mg of catechins a day (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss). A Glyco Defender dropper holds at most 2.2 mg of the whole extract, about 1.6% of that low end.
The ingredient's role in the drops is best read as a small caffeine and catechin source, not a glucose tool.
- Main compounds: catechins and caffeine.
- Studied for: weight, with small and inconsistent results.
- Blood sugar: no trial of Glyco Defender, and no clear benefit in our sources.
Sensitivity05
Is the caffeine in Glyco Defender a problem?
For most healthy adults, the possible caffeine is tiny next to daily coffee. The FDA's 400 mg reference equals about two to three 12-oz cups (FDA, Caffeine: how much is too much?).
Some people still need care. Those who are sensitive to caffeine, take certain medicines or already use other stimulants should ask a provider (FDA, Caffeine: how much is too much?) (MSKCC, Guarana).
Sales copy promises the drops work "without stimulant jitters". The label still lists two stimulant sources, so read that line as marketing, not a measurement.
Do you already drink several cups of coffee, use energy drinks or take a stimulant medicine? If so, count the drops as one more small caffeine source and mention them to your provider. The label also rules out anyone under 18 and pregnant or nursing women.
Glyco Defender: from $49 a bottle30 mL · 1, 3 or 6 bottles · free US shipping on 6 · 60-day money-back guarantee
See packsIn numbers06
What are the Glyco Defender caffeine numbers?
The Glyco Defender caffeine numbers are two sources, at most 6.1 mg of extract between them, and no printed caffeine amount.
The 400 mg figure is the FDA's daily reference for most adults.
Liver and medicines07
Is green tea extract safe for the liver?
Liver injury from green tea extract is uncommon, but it has been reported. Most cases involved concentrated extracts in tablets or capsules (NCCIH, Green Tea).
At high doses, green tea can also lower blood levels of nadolol, a beta-blocker (NCCIH, Green Tea). The drops hold a small amount, but your pharmacist should still see the label.
Neither green tea nor guarana stands in for any prescription. Keep your medicines on schedule, and ask before adding a caffeine source if you take heart or blood pressure drugs. More cautions are on Glyco Defender side effects.
Related08
What else is in the Glyco Defender blend besides caffeine sources?
The rest of the Glyco Defender blend is mostly roots, seeds and amino acids, none of them a known caffeine source.
Maca leads the list. Read maca, eleuthero and astragalus, and see how to take the drops for timing.
FAQ09
Caffeine, green tea and guarana questions
How much caffeine is in Glyco Defender?
The label does not say. What we can say is that guarana and green tea extracts together weigh at most about 6.1 mg per dropper, and caffeine is only part of that weight. So each dropper holds less than 6.1 mg of caffeine.
Is coffee okay while taking Glyco Defender?
Most healthy adults can, provided their total caffeine stays sensible. The FDA cites 400 mg a day as a reference level (FDA, Caffeine: how much is too much?), and the drops add only a small amount. If coffee already makes you jittery, ask your doctor.
Will Glyco Defender keep me up at night?
It is unlikely at this dose, but sleep varies by person. Guarana's common side effects include insomnia (MSKCC, Guarana). The label prints no time of day, so a morning dropper is the simple way to keep caffeine away from bedtime.
Is guarana seed safe with blood thinners?
It may not be. Memorial Sloan Kettering says guarana may increase bleeding risk with warfarin and similar drugs, although the clinical importance is not settled (MSKCC, Guarana). Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using Glyco Defender with a blood thinner.
Does green tea extract interact with beta-blockers?
At high doses, green tea reduced blood levels of nadolol, a beta-blocker, according to NCCIH (NCCIH, Green Tea). A dropper holds at most 2.2 mg of the extract, but show the label to your pharmacist if you take any heart medicine.
Is green tea extract the same as drinking green tea?
Not quite. An extract concentrates the leaf's compounds, and rare liver injury reports mainly involve extract tablets or capsules (NCCIH, Green Tea). Glyco Defender uses an extract marked as a 20:1 concentrate, though its share of the blend is small.
Can people sensitive to caffeine use Glyco Defender?
They should talk to a provider first. The FDA advises sensitive people and those on certain medicines to ask about caffeine (FDA, Caffeine: how much is too much?). The drops contain two caffeine sources with no printed amount, so the exact dose is unknown.
Who wrote this10
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . See our editorial standards and the way we check reviews. This website is run by a USA Authorized Glyco Defender Retailer, not by the manufacturer or the distributor. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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