Acai berries are widely used in diet and health supplements. They are found in Brazil and it is said that Brazilians eat as much as 42% of raw acai berries as part of their regular food intake. They are the new “miracle” fruit that promise to help people lose weight and maintain a healthy, more vital life.
Many people are wondering about this controversial ingredient in the supplement. Some say that the outstanding results that people have reported are highly exaggerated. The acai berry is a nutritious fruit; it contains antioxidants which have been proven to promote general well being and vitality. Many are wondering what if any side effects that consuming acai berries have on their body.
The supplements come in powder form, puree form, juice form and in capsules. One side effect that people have reported is that they are aggravated by the acai berry because of their pollen allergy. They report that when consuming the acai berry, their pollen allergy is aggravated. Some of the symptoms are small and minor, however whenever taking a supplement taking to a doctor or a nutritionist is always recommended.
Some people on medication for conditions such as high blood pressure have reported some interactions with acai berry supplements. There are no drug interactions with 100% pure acai berry supplements. Reading what ingredients in supplements should help with dealing with any possible interactions.
There have been no known effects on pregnancy. The recommended dosage for taking acai berry supplements is to consume between 1000 and 4000 mg. This dosage is potency dependant.
Acai berry puree is mashed acai berry with a small amount of grape juice added to sweeten the mixture. There have been no known side effects for the puree. The juice is not pure acai berry juice, but it is mixed with some other mixed fruit juices. There have not been reported severe side effects from taking the juice.
However, some reports show that when too much of the juice is consumed people have had mild diarrhea. This is common in many other fruit juices as well. People that took more than 4 ounces of the acai puree or consumed 12 to 16 ounces of the juice before doing long run have also reported problems.
So to conclude pure acai does not have any side effects. Many companies however, add ingredients to their supplements which may cause unwanted side effects like guarana (caffeine), some fruit juices, sugar and more. Since these mixed products many contain acai berries as a minor ingredient it may reduce the effectiveness of the berry. However many may also add ingredients that will help to enhance the effects of the acai berry. It is always wise to check all the ingredients in any supplement.
There is actually no long term study as to whether any or all of these forms of acai do what they claim to do. Since there is no conclusive evidence, it is not recommended to take this supplement if there are pre-existing medical conditions or there is any concern for possible side effects or any interactions with other medicines.