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EFFECTS OF GUAYAKI YERBA MATE CONSUMPTION ON COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE IN COLLEGE STUDENTS

Abstract

Hickey, R., Gutierrez, M., Jarvis, M., Osuna, V., Zakowski, H., Crosswhite, P.

Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA.

Approximately 61% of college age students report consuming beverages with glucose at least once a week. Students also regularly consume glucose beverages before or during exams. Guayaki Yerba Mate is an increasingly popular beverage with approximately 28 g of sugar and 150 mg of caffeine. PURPOSE: To assess whether there is an optimal time to consume a Guayaki Yerba Mate prior to a cognitive test. METHODS: Thirty college participants ages 18-22, were asked to fast 3 hours prior to the study. Participants were randomly divided into three groups and instructed to consume a Guayaki Yerba Mate either 20-, 40-, or 60-minutes prior to administration of a cognitive test. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the three groups' fasting blood glucose levels prior to taking the test (p=0.588). The 20-minute group demonstrated the highest blood glucose (151.30 mg/dL) at the time of administration of the cognitive test and recorded the highest accuracy on the cognitive test (99.75%). There was no significant difference however between the three groups cognitive test accuracy (p=0.256). CONCLUSION: Although the 20-minute group demonstrated the highest accuracy on the cognitive test, it was not statistically advantageous compared to the other two groups. Our results indicate that consuming a Guayaki Yerbe Matte beverage before an exam may not provide any clear cognitive benefit when taking an exam.

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