Ingredient profile
Green Tea and Guarana in Glyco Defender: Does It Have Caffeine?
Yes, Glyco Defender has some caffeine. Guarana seed extract (4th in the blend) and green tea leaf extract (7th) are both natural caffeine sources, and the label prints no caffeine amount. By the label order, one 1 mL dropper holds at most about 3.9 mg of guarana extract and 2.2 mg of green tea extract, so the caffeine is likely small, but not zero.
Written by the Glyco Defender facts deskUpdated
On the label01
What are green tea and guarana in Glyco Defender?
Green tea and guarana are two plant extracts in the Glyco Defender blend, and both carry caffeine. Guarana seed extract sits fourth of 21; green tea leaf extract sits seventh.
Guarana is a climbing plant from the Amazon basin with caffeine-rich seeds. Green tea is the leaf of Camellia sinensis, the same plant behind black and oolong tea, steamed or pan-fired before it can oxidize.
Both lines carry a caret on the label. That mark points to a footnote about a concentrate with a 20:1 extract equivalent, which describes how the extract was made. It does not raise the weight in your dropper. One profile table per line follows.
| 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 3.9 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 2.2 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. |
Caffeine02
Does Glyco Defender have caffeine?
Yes. Glyco Defender contains caffeine from guarana and green tea, though the label does not state how much.
Caffeine is the main active compound in guarana seed (MSKCC, Guarana), and green tea contains it too (NCCIH, Green Tea). Neither the label nor the sales page lists a caffeine figure.
That gap is common. NIH notes that some weight-loss supplement labels name herbal caffeine sources without declaring the caffeine itself (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss). You have to work it out from the blend.
No time of day is printed in the directions. Because of the caffeine, a morning dropper suits light sleepers best. See how to take the drops.
Dose math03
How much caffeine could one dropper hold?
One dropper could hold only a few milligrams of caffeine at most. The two caffeine lines together cannot weigh more than about 4.4 mg of extract, and caffeine is only part of any extract.
The blend totals 15.47 mg per mL, listed from most to least by weight (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)). Guarana in fourth place can weigh at most 15.47 divided by 4, about 3.9 mg. Green tea in seventh can weigh at most about 2.2 mg.
Both cannot max out at once. Every line above green tea must weigh at least as much as green tea does, so the pair together tops out near 4.4 mg. FDA puts 400 mg of caffeine a day as an amount most healthy adults handle without harm (FDA, Caffeine: how much is too much?).
| Line | Place in blend | Extract, at most | Caffeine printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guarana seed extract | 4 of 21 | About 3.9 mg | Not published |
| Green tea leaf extract | 7 of 21 | About 2.2 mg | Not published |
| Both together | 4 and 7 | About 4.4 mg | Not published |
| FDA daily guide for most adults | Not applicable | Not applicable | 400 mg caffeine |
Guarana04
How much caffeine is in guarana?
Guarana seeds are naturally rich in caffeine, and most of guarana's effects come from it. The Glyco Defender label does not give the caffeine content of its guarana extract.
Memorial Sloan Kettering lists nausea and trouble sleeping as common guarana side effects. High doses can cause vomiting, heart rhythm changes, high blood pressure and seizures. Taking guarana with other stimulants may not be safe (MSKCC, Guarana).
The same source says guarana may raise bleeding risk with blood thinners such as warfarin.
Seeds, not the drink
Guarana caffeine in energy drinks often comes in large added doses. In Glyco Defender, guarana is one share of a 15.47 mg blend, so the amount is limited by the label order. The photo shows whole fruit and seeds; the drops hold only a sliver of extract.
Green tea05
Can green tea extract hurt the liver?
Rarely, yes. NCCIH says liver injury has been reported in some people who used green tea products, mainly concentrated extracts in pill form.
The reports are uncommon (NCCIH, Green Tea). NIH also links green tea catechin extracts to liver injury in its review of weight-loss supplements (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss). Those cases involved pills built around green tea, often at hundreds of milligrams.
Weight studies of green tea used 141 to 1,207 mg of catechins a day. Glyco Defender's green tea line is at most about 2.2 mg of extract per dropper, so the scale is very different. Still, small is not the same as tested.
NCCIH adds that green tea at high doses lowers blood levels of nadolol, a beta-blocker for blood pressure. Anyone with liver disease or on nadolol should ask a doctor first.
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See packsSales claim06
Is Glyco Defender really free of stimulant jitters?
Most people will likely notice little, but the drops are not stimulant-free. The sales page says they work "without stimulant jitters", while the label lists two caffeine sources.
FDA lists jitters, a faster heart rate, anxiety and poor sleep among the effects of too much caffeine (FDA, Caffeine: how much is too much?). A few milligrams sits far below the levels that usually cause them. People who are very sensitive to caffeine may still feel something.
Fair reading: the caffeine is small, but the claim leaves out that it exists.
Who should ask07
Who should be careful with the caffeine in Glyco Defender?
People who are sensitive to caffeine, take stimulants or blood thinners, or have a heart rhythm or blood pressure problem should check with a doctor first.
The label already rules out pregnant and nursing women and anyone under 18. FDA also asks people with a condition or medicine that raises caffeine sensitivity to talk with a provider (FDA, Caffeine: how much is too much?).
- You get palpitations or poor sleep from one cup of coffee.
- You take another stimulant, a pre-workout or a weight-loss product.
- You use warfarin or another blood thinner.
- You have liver disease or take nadolol.
Stay on every prescription as directed, and ask your doctor before adding the drops. More on side effects and interactions.
Other lines08
Are there other stimulants in Glyco Defender?
No other line on the label is a known caffeine source. Guarana and green tea are the only two.
The blend also holds maca, eleuthero, ginseng and cayenne, which are sometimes sold for energy, but they are not caffeine sources. Compare every line on the ingredients page or read the full label.
FAQ09
Caffeine, guarana and green tea questions
Does guarana have more caffeine than coffee?
Gram for gram, guarana seed is a rich caffeine source, which is why energy products use it. Glyco Defender holds at most about 3.9 mg of guarana extract per dropper, though, so the total is tiny next to the 400 mg daily figure FDA cites for most adults.
Could Glyco Defender keep me awake at night?
Most people are unlikely to notice, since the caffeine lines weigh only a few milligrams. Light sleepers may still feel it. The label sets no time of day, so taking the dropper in the morning is a simple way to keep caffeine away from bedtime.
Is Glyco Defender safe if I drink coffee?
For most healthy adults, a few milligrams added to normal coffee intake is unlikely to matter. FDA cites 400 mg of caffeine a day as generally fine for most adults. If coffee already gives you palpitations or poor sleep, ask your doctor before adding the drops.
Is there decaf Glyco Defender?
No. The label shows one formula, and it lists guarana seed extract and green tea leaf extract. No caffeine-free version appears on the label or the sales page. If you must avoid caffeine fully, these drops are not a fit.
Does green tea extract affect blood sugar?
Our sources do not show a clear blood sugar effect. NCCIH and NIH discuss green tea mainly for weight, where catechins plus caffeine may have only a modest effect. Glyco Defender's green tea line is at most about 2.2 mg per dropper.
Can I take guarana with a blood thinner?
Ask your pharmacist first. Memorial Sloan Kettering says guarana may raise bleeding risk in people on blood thinners such as warfarin. The amount in one Glyco Defender dropper is small, but bring the full label to your pharmacist so every line gets checked.
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 . Learn about our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a U.S. stocking partner for Glyco Defender, not by the manufacturer or the distributor. We are paid when you buy through our order links.
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