Acai berries are the fruits of the cabbage palm tree, which grows natively in South America. Acai are dark-colored, berry-like fruits that grow in clusters and are used as both a food source and traditional medicine in many parts of the world. You can take acai berry preparations to treat a wide range of medical conditions and as an antioxidant for overall health. Although there are many claims--some of which amount to false advertising--for acai berry's health benefits, you should talk with your doctor before taking this remedy to discuss proper dosage, health risks and drug interactions.
History
Acai berry juice is a staple of people's diets in Brazil and the berry or seeds have been used to treat several different medical conditions throughout history, says the University of Michigan Health System. A tea made from the roasted berry seeds has been used in traditional medicine to treat fever, and the seed oil is a historical remedy for treating tuberculosis. Topical applications of acai berry include treatments for skin ulcers, while oral preparations have been used to treat diabetes, malaria and other diseases, according to the University of Michigan Health System.
Medicinal Uses
You can take acai berry to treat a wide variety of health conditions, including anemia, diabetes, dysmenorrhea, heart disease and stroke, autoimmune disorders, allergies, diarrhea, and even leukemia or other types of cancer, says Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. You can also use acai root to help in treating hepatitis, jaundice and malaria. Take 3 ½ ounces of frozen acai berry pulp daily or up to 1 liter of acai juice. Or, you can take 1 ounce of acai berry powder mixed in 10 to 12 ounces of water or 1 to 2 grams of acai capsules or tablets daily.
Function
Acai berry contains antioxidants called bioflavonoids, specifically anthocyanins, which are responsible for its health benefits. Antioxidants such as anthocyanins have many beneficial effects on your body, primarily acting to prevent oxidants that cause free radicals, which harm your body's cells, Drug Digest explains. The antioxidants in acai berry can offer anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects, as well as actions in modulating the immune system's response, says the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
Scientific Evidence
Few human studies have been conducted on acai berry's health effects, but several test tube studies have revealed the remedy's potential benefits. For example, a test tube study published in 2006 found that acai's chemical constituents helped to fight leukemia cells. Another laboratory study published in 2008 determined that acai berry offered anti-inflammatory actions. A 2008 study of healthy human volunteers found that the anthocyanins in acai berry had antioxidant effects. A laboratory study published in 2006 revealed that acai berry helped to inhibit immune system responses to allergens, suggesting that it may help to treat allergies and autoimmune disorders.
Warnings
Because of acai berry's antioxidant effects, it might inhibit the effects of some chemotherapy medications, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center warns. If you take acai berry products, juices or fruits that are unpasteurized and manufactured in South America, the products may be contaminated with Trypanosoma parasites, says drugdigest.org. These parasites cause Chagas disease or American trypanosomiasis, which may develop into a long-term, chronic disease that causes severe organ and tissue damage. Therefore, you should consume only pasteurized acai berry products. Also, you should avoid taking acai before having an MRI on your gastrointestinal tract, because its dense nature could interfere with the imaging.
Member Comments
enthalpy July 9
You can use acai to "treat" whatever you want. That doesn't mean that it will have any effect.
cjuneau July 10
that was exactly my thoughts while reading the article....