James Pendrick, the character who is never killed off and never runs out of funders has discovered that guarana is a brain stimulant. He later claims it is the fountain of youth. Murdoch, playing the traditional scientist, has never heard of it. Crabree tells his girlfriend that men should aspire to higher things than the establishment that she works in. She surprisingly has the smarts and grace to call off the relationship when she sees him with someone who represents "higher things" (assuming this new person does not work for the gutter press).
Nutrients. 2014 Dec 31;7(1):196-208. doi: 10.3390/nu7010196.
Heart rate variability and cognitive function following a multi-vitamin and mineral supplementation with added guarana (Paullinia cupana).
Abstract
The
aim of this study was to assess cognitive performance and heart rate
variability (HRV) following the ingestion of either a
multi-vitamin-mineral preparation supplemented with 300 mg guarana (Ac);
a caffeine supplement (C) or a placebo supplement (Pl). Fifty-six
subjects took part in a randomized, double-blind crossover design,
consisting of three experimental sessions ran on a different day.
Cognitive performance was assessed using a go/no-go task and a simple
reaction time (SRT) task. HRV was assessed in the time domain (RMSSD)
and in the frequency domain (HF) and cognitive tasks were performed
before ingestion, 15 min after ingestion and then every 15 min over the
course of 3 h. Responses were faster (without change in accuracy) when
the go/no-go task was performed between 30 and 90 min after ingestion of
Ac (4.6% ± 0.8%, p < 0.05). No effect was observed on SRT task. A
significant decrease in HRV was observed during the first hour under C
and Pl, whereas HRV remained stable under Ac. The results suggest that
the ingestion of a multi-vitamin-mineral with added guarana improves
decision-making performance and is accompanied by a stable autonomic nervous system regulation during the first hour.
