Acai became popular in the United States after being presented on the Oprah Winfrey show as an anti-aging food source. Acai consists of compounds that may protect the body from damaging effects of chemical reactions with oxygen. Various acai products are commercially available which claim antioxidant and anti-aging effects, but there is no conclusive evidence to support any health claim, says the National Institutes of Health or NIH. Therefore, first talk to your doctor before using acai.
Identification
Acai is also commonly referred to as acai berry, acai palm, assai palm, cabbage palm, palma manaca, and Amazon acai, among other names. It is available in a variety of oral forms including juices and pills, as well as topical forms such as powders, creams and lotions. Dosing guidelines suggest 1 gram to be taken once or twice a day with food, says Drugs.com.
Uses
According to the National Institutes of Health or NIH, acai is used for a variety of health conditions including arthritis, high cholesterol, flu, obesity and erectile dysfunction or ED. Other uses of acai include managing clinical symptoms such as fever, pain and diarrhea, says Drugs.com. Acai is also used to enhance general health, adds the NIH.
Effectiveness
The NIH reports that there is not enough scientific evidence to determine the effectiveness of acai for either improving general health or managing health conditions such as arthritis and high cholesterol. More information is needed from clinical trials to rate the efficacy of acai, says the NIH.
Considerations
Currently, there is insufficient scientific information to assess the safety of acai, says the NIH. Therefore, the NIH suggests that it is prudent to avoid using acai during pregnancy or lactation. There is also no available information regarding interaction of acai with other foods or supplements, adds Drugs.com.
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