Colae semen is a herbal formulation that consists of the whole or fragmented dried seeds, freed from the testa, of Cola varieties (Cola nitida and Cola acuminate). The drug exerts its effect as a result of the presence of purine alkaloids such as caffeine, theobromine, theophylline, catechins, proanthocyanidins, and tannins.
Colae semen is used for the treatment and management of short-term physical and or mental exhaustion. Mental exhaustion is a feeling of extreme tiredness, characterized by other feelings including apathy, cynicism, and irritability. You may be mentally exhausted if you’ve recently undergone long-term stress, find it hard to focus on tasks, or lack interest in activities you usually enjoy.
Mental exhaustion often happens as a result of overuse, like physical overuse injuries. Even though you can’t point to it, it has more in common with repetitive stress injuries, like carpal tunnel or tennis elbow. Rather than overstressing a muscle group, mental and emotional exhaustion come from overstressing your mind.
Symptoms of mental exhaustion
The signs of mental exhaustion often begin to appear gradually, but you might notice they seem to creep up more quickly during times of extreme stress — when your brain is working harder than usual, in other words.
Mental and emotional signs
One major sign of mental exhaustion is you feel far less alert than usual and find it challenging to focus, even when it comes to everyday or routine tasks.
Other common signs include:
- feelings of depression, including a persistent sad, low, or hopeless mood
- lingering feelings of anxiety
- difficulty caring about anything
- a sense of detachment, cynicism, or pessimism
- anger or irritability
- difficulty processing and controlling emotions
- a sense of dread
- a decline in motivation or productivity
- feeling lethargic or slowed down in movements or responses
- difficulty concentrating, remembering information, putting thoughts together, or completing work correctly.
How effective is Colae semen?
The traditional use of Cola seed for physical and mental tiredness, symptoms of fatigue, and sensation of weakness can be explained by the caffeine content. The caffeine content of Cola seed is at least 1.5%. However, there are no studies on the effectiveness of Colae semen in the management of mental stress.
How much Colae semen is safe to take?
There is no recommended dosage for this herbal formulation. The maximum daily dose of Cola seed (9 g) is equivalent to 135-288 mg caffeine. Although there are many articles on the pharmacokinetics of caffeine, the main active component of Cola, no data are available on the herbal substance or the herbal preparations, therefore, no conclusion can be drawn on the appropriate dose of Colae semen.
Both the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) consider a daily intake of 400 mg of caffeine to be safe. This amounts to 2–4 cups of coffee per day. That said, it’s worth noting that fatal overdoses have been reported with single doses of 500 mg of caffeine.
Therefore, it’s recommended to limit the amount of caffeine you consume at one time to 200 mg per dose.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, pregnant women should limit their daily intake to 200 mg.
What are the side effects of Colae semen?
Although there was no report on the adverse effects of any Colae semen containing products in the pharmacovigilance databases, the presence of caffeine can cause the following side effects:
- Anxiety
- Dehydration
- Dependency, so you need to take more of it to get the same results
- Dizziness
- Fast heart rate
- Headaches
- Insomnia
- Restlessness and shakiness.
Some people are more sensitive to the effects of Colae semen than others.
