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AFS - Applied Food Sciences, Inc
Energy + Focus

AmaTea® Max

organic guayusa extract

PurCaf®

organic caffeine

PurTea®

organic caffeine

Java.G®

green coffee extract

Functional Flavor

PurGinger®

organic ginger extract

PurTurmeric®

organic turmeric extract

Functional Mushrooms

Nordic Mushrooms

organic mushroom extracts

Nutritional Actives

PurC®

organic vitamin C

GCA®

green coffee extract

Preventium®

potassium d-glucarate

Plant-Based Protein

PurHP-75®

organic hemp seed protein

Ingredient Technology

CleanStream™

organic microbeadlet curcumin

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AmaTea®MAX organic guayusa extract by Applied Food Sciences, Inc.
AmaTea®MAX organic guayusa extract by Applied Food Sciences, Inc.

Guayusa, pronounced "gwhy-you-sah," is a caffeinated holly species that grows only in the upper Amazon basin of Ecuador and Peru. Historical records suggest that leaves from guayusa have been used and traded since at least 500 CE [i]. Traditionally brewed guayusa leaves are consumed much like tea. However, guayusa is not related to camellia sinensis used to make green or black tea varieties. Instead, guayusa is a cousin plant to yerba mate and contains an intricate makeup of antioxidants and caffeine (related article: The Story of Guayusa).

Energize gaming performance with more focus and fewer jitters.

AmaTea® Max organic guayusa extract elevates brands to a whole new level of performance and functionality. Our patented process enhances the naturally occurring antioxidants and caffeine from guayusa for a nootropic focused energy with no increase in jitters compared to other forms of caffeine. So whether your brand is a supplement, food, or a premium energy drink, you’ll get the most out of it with Amatea® Max, unlike any other caffeine. In addition, our organic guayusa is USDA certified organic, FDA “no questions” GRAS for safe use in food and beverages, and sustainably grown in the Amazon, supporting thousands of indigenous farming families.

Caffeine with antioxidants for work, sports, and gaming.

Experience Fewer Jitters

Active gamers using AmaTea® Max showed no increase in jitters compared to gamers on synthetic caffeine, which significantly increased jitters.

Increase Your Stamina

Gamers using AmaTea® Max showed reduced mental fatigue with improved vigor for more energy, effort, and enthusiasm.

Enhance Your Focus

AmaTea® Max helped gamers as they showed improvements in reaction time, cognitive performance, and kills per match.

AFS recently published several studies on its AmaTea® Max ingredient, including a first-of-its-kind gaming study with the University of Memphis College of Health Sciences, to determine the effect of AmaTea® Max on jitters, cognitive actions, reaction time, and gaming performance throughout 4 hours of gameplay.

No increase in jitter sensation

One of the most substantial outcomes of the gaming study was that active gamers using AmaTea® Max revealed no increase in jitters after one hour of gameplay. Comparatively, gamers using synthetic caffeine noted a statistically significant rise in jittery sensations.[i] Most likely, this is a result of AmaTea® Max’s unique ability to modulate adrenal hormones commonly induced by caffeine alone. In a separate double-blind crossover study, subjects were given AmaTea® Max compared to synthetic caffeine. The study revealed that AmaTea® Max stimulates significantly lower amounts of the “fight or flight” hormone, called epinephrine (commonly known as adrenaline), compared to other forms of caffeine.[ii]

Jittered increased after one hour graph.

Lasting Energy & Stamina

Fewer jitters do not mean less energy. In fact, the caffeine in AmaTea® Max has an absorption rate and sustained energy that rivals all sources of caffeine. Throughout the gaming study, subjects took baseline measurements and then played Fortnite for four one-hour periods. During that time, nearly two-thirds of the participants consuming AmaTea® Max reported an increase in vigor (defined as sensations of energy, effort, and enthusiasm) after one hour of gameplay. Despite the rigors of the test, similar to caffeine, AmaTea® Max subjects also reported a decrease in mental fatigue, particularly after two hours of gameplay, over the placebo.[i]

Caffeine absorption in the body graph.
Participants showed less fatigue with AmaTea®Max
Experienced More Vigor

Focus and attention where it counts

In addition to the data captured within the game, the gaming study conducted a series of AX-Continuous Performance Tests (AX-CPT) and reaction time tests (Go/No-Go). The results showed that 55% of the participants using AmaTea® Max preserved more focus with improvements in their AX-CPT Scores and were the only group to see an increase in performance on the AX-CPT after the 4 hours of gameplay. Additionally, around two-thirds of AmaTea® Max subjects showed improvement in reaction time. On the condition effect for kills per match in Fortnite, nearly a quarter of active gamers using AmaTea® Max increased their kills relative to placebo, with over twelve percent higher kills for AmaTea® Max compared to caffeine.[i]

Cognitive Improvement
Better Scores
Faster Reaction Time
Key Benefits
  • 20% Caffeine
  • 30% Chlorogenic acids
  • Additional polyphenols
  • Ongoing clinical research
  • FDA “No Comment” GRAS
  • Fully water-soluble
  • Responsibly sourced

Target Markets and Applications

  • Energy Drinks / Shots
  • Functional Beverages
  • Nootropic Supplements
  • Sports Nutrition
  • Powders
  • Bars
Flavor

Guayusa is technically very different than other teas in that it lacks a heavy tannin or bitter fraction that would typically cause the astringent, dry-chalky flavor profiles. Instead, guayusa provides a pleasant, almost sweet tea-like flavor.

Meaningful growing

Over the last five years, we worked to build a sustainable supply chain of responsibly and ethically sourced guayusa through co-ops and foundations across Ecuador and Peru. We work with independent farming families, not industrial plantations, protecting both the ecosystem and the cultures surrounding this botanical ingredient. Our farms are not mono-crop systems. Instead, guayusa is grown in ancient forest gardens known as “chakras” among trees and other vegetation utilizing patterns observed in nature. Farming in this method reduces the need to degrade or cut down the forest and creates a more diverse, productive, and ecologically sound land-use system.

Certifications

Tell us about your next project.

Think our premium ingredients are a right fit for your next formulation? Submit an inquiry to chat with our team. We are here to answer your questions.

Applied Food Sciences is a supplier and wholesaler of bulk organic, functional ingredients for the natural products industry. AFS manufactures its specialty botanical extracts for use in food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, and nutritional supplements. Whether you are seeking extracts, powders, or concentrates, you can rest assured that, with over 20 years of experience, AFS can support your project needs.

*It is possible that a different gaming stimulus, varied time of gameplay, or different dosage of the supplement may have yielded different results.

Study References

[i] Bloomer, Richard, et al. 2021 University of Memphis College of Health Sciences. Impact of AMATEA™️ on Physiological Measures and Gaming Performance in Active Gamers: A Placebo Controlled, Double-blind, Randomized Study. JCTRES | Online first

[ii] Krieger DR, Kalman DS, Feldman S, et al. The Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Nervous System Effects of Two Natural Sources of Caffeine in Healthy Adult Males. Clin Transl Sci. 2016;9(5):246-251. doi:10.1111/cts.12403

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Publications

The Story of Guayusa

We want to share our story about the broader impact that sourcing botanicals can have on communities. This article tells the story of a...

Solving the Caffeine Paradox

Caffeine helps us stay alert and focus but can also cause anxiousness that makes it hard to… well, focus – a contradiction that has inspired further research.

Start: Space bar       Jump: Up Arrow &#8593      Duck: Down Arrow &#8595

You made it this far, and you must have some interest in this incredible caffeine ingredient. Well, as you ponder the new products you could make with AmaTea® Max, have some fun running through Dino Valley.