Guarana and green tea
Does Sugar Defender have caffeine? Yes, from guarana and green tea
Yes, Sugar Defender has caffeine. Guarana seed extract, third in the 200 mg blend, and green tea leaf extract, seventh, are both natural caffeine sources. The label prints no caffeine amount. By label order, the two extracts weigh at most about 67 mg per mL together. That keeps caffeine well under FDA's 400 mg daily guide. The exact dose is unknown.
Written by the Sugar Defender label teamUpdated
Short answer01
Does Sugar Defender have caffeine?
Yes. Sugar Defender has caffeine from two blend ingredients: guarana seed extract and green tea leaf extract.
Guarana seeds are one of the richest plant sources of caffeine, and MSK credits most of guarana's effects to it (MSKCC, Guarana). Green tea leaves carry caffeine as well (NCCIH, Green Tea).
The label lists neither "caffeine" nor a caffeine amount. That is common: the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements notes that products with guarana often do not declare how much caffeine they hold (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss).
Caffeine math02
How much caffeine is in Sugar Defender?
Sugar Defender has less than about 67 mg of caffeine per mL, and most likely far less. That bound comes from the label order, not from a lab test.
Guarana is third of 22, so it holds at most 200 divided by 3, about 67 mg of extract. Green tea is seventh, so it holds at most about 29 mg. The two cannot both hit their caps. Green tea must fit under guarana and the lines above it. Worked through, the pair tops out near 67 mg.
| Line | Place of 22 | Most extract per mL | Even split |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guarana (Paullinia cupana) seed extract | 3 | About 67 mg | About 9 mg |
| Green tea (Camellia sinensis) leaf extract | 7 | About 29 mg | About 9 mg |
| Both together | 3 and 7 | About 67 mg combined | About 18 mg |
| Caffeine per mL | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| FDA guide for most healthy adults | n/a | 400 mg caffeine a day | n/a |
Even if every milligram of both extracts were caffeine, which is impossible, one serving would sit near a sixth of FDA's 400 mg figure (FDA, Caffeine: how much is too much?).
The two plants03
What are guarana and green tea in Sugar Defender?
Guarana and green tea in Sugar Defender are plant extracts. Guarana comes from the seeds of an Amazon climbing shrub. Green tea comes from the leaves of the tea plant.
Guarana fruit splits open to show black seeds in white flesh, which is the brand photo at the top.
Green tea extract concentrates the leaf's catechins along with its caffeine. Weight studies used 141 to 1,207 mg of catechins a day and found only small, uneven results (NIH ODS, Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss). No green tea photo was supplied by the brand, so none is shown.
| 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. |
Sales claim04
Does guarana in Sugar Defender live up to "Stimulates Your Metabolism"?
The sales page says guarana "Stimulates Your Metabolism" (Sugar Defender sales and order pages). What guarana reliably brings is caffeine, a stimulant, and the evidence for weight or blood sugar effects is weak.
MSK treats guarana as a caffeine source, not a metabolic aid (MSKCC, Guarana). NCCIH says catechins plus caffeine from green tea may have only a modest effect on body weight (NCCIH, Green Tea).
"Stimulates Your Metabolism"
One short line next to the guarana photo. No study, dose or caffeine amount is given.
A caffeine source
Effects come mainly from caffeine. Green tea catechins with caffeine show a modest weight effect at most.
Green tea extract05
Is the green tea extract in Sugar Defender a liver risk?
The green tea extract in Sugar Defender is a very small liver risk. Rare liver injury has been reported with green tea products, mostly concentrated extracts in pills or capsules (NCCIH, Green Tea).
Sugar Defender's green tea share is at most about 29 mg per mL, far under the catechin amounts in weight studies.
Know the warning signs. Dark urine, yellow skin or eyes, pain in the upper right belly or deep tiredness mean stop the drops and call your doctor that day.
Sugar Defender: from $49 a bottle60 mL · 1 mL a day · free US shipping on 3 or 6 · 60-day money-back guarantee
See packsCautions06
Who should watch the caffeine in Sugar Defender?
Some people should watch the caffeine in Sugar Defender: anyone sensitive to it, pregnant or nursing, or on certain medicines. FDA says these groups should ask a provider about caffeine (FDA, Caffeine: how much is too much?).
Too much caffeine can cause a fast heartbeat, jitters, anxiety and poor sleep. MSK adds that guarana may not be safe with other stimulants, and may raise bleeding risk with warfarin (MSKCC, Guarana).
Green tea can lower blood levels of nadolol, a beta-blocker, at high intakes (NCCIH, Green Tea). If you take it, ask your pharmacist.
Do not drop a heart, blood pressure or blood thinner pill to make room for a supplement. Bring the bottle to your pharmacist and ask how the caffeine fits with what you take.
- Count every source: coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks and pre-workout powders.
- Skip other stimulant products while you try the drops.
- See the full list on the Sugar Defender side effects page.
Timing07
When should you take Sugar Defender if caffeine keeps you awake?
Take Sugar Defender in the morning if caffeine keeps you awake. The label names no time of day, so a morning dose is a choice you can make on your own.
The label's direction is still the rule: 1 mL a day, about one full dropper. Do not split it into two doses or take more to chase energy.
Morning
The easy default. Any caffeine has the whole day to wear off before bed.
Same time daily
Tie the dropper to breakfast or brushing your teeth so you do not double up.
Track sleep
Sleeping worse after week one? Move the dose earlier or ask your doctor.
Step-by-step use, with the dropper, is on the how to take Sugar Defender page.
Other lines08
Which Sugar Defender ingredients sit between guarana and green tea?
Three lines sit between guarana and green tea in Sugar Defender: African mango in fourth place, eleuthero in fifth and astragalus in sixth.
None of those three is a caffeine source. Compare all 23 lines in the Sugar Defender ingredients list, or open another profile below.
FAQ09
Caffeine in Sugar Defender: questions people ask
Is Sugar Defender caffeine free?
No. Guarana seed extract and green tea leaf extract both contain caffeine (MSKCC, Guarana) (NCCIH, Green Tea). The label does not print a caffeine amount and does not use the word caffeine. If you must avoid caffeine fully, for a medical reason, ask your doctor before trying the drops.
How does the caffeine in Sugar Defender compare to a cup of coffee?
Probably lower, but the label gives no number to compare. FDA puts 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?). The two caffeine extracts in one serving weigh at most about 67 mg combined.
Can I drink coffee while taking Sugar Defender?
Most healthy adults can, if their total caffeine stays reasonable. Count the drops as a small extra source with an unknown amount. If you notice jitters, a racing heart or poor sleep, cut back on coffee first and talk to your doctor.
Will the caffeine in Sugar Defender show up on a drug test?
Caffeine is not on standard workplace drug panels. Some sports bodies do monitor caffeine, at levels far above what one serving could hold. If you compete under strict rules, show the label to your team doctor or league before use.
Is the guarana in Sugar Defender safe with blood thinners?
Ask your pharmacist. MSK says guarana may increase bleeding risk with blood thinners such as warfarin, though how much this matters is not settled (MSKCC, Guarana). Coleus, also in the blend, carries a similar note, so the two small effects could add up.
Why is there no green tea photo for Sugar Defender?
The brand did not supply one. Its image set has a guarana photo, which is why only guarana appears at the top. Green tea is still on the label, as "Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) Leaf Extract", seventh in the blend.
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 . Read our editorial standards and the way we check reviews. This website is run by an authorized American Sugar Defender outlet, not by the manufacturer or the distributor. Purchases made through our order links earn us money.
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