Acai Berry Side Effects
There have been a lot of articles in the media lately about the new ‘miracle’ supplement Acai Berries and frankly, I’m skeptical. When it comes to supplements I tend to shy away from them because the unproven benefits don’t seem to be worth risking the unknown side effects. Many weight loss pills can have serious side effects, however Acai Berries are from fruit found in the Amazon Rain Forest so it would seem that it may be worth considering the use of this supplement for weight loss.
For those of you who haven’t heard of this fruit yet, Acai Berries (pronounced a-sigh-y) are small, black berries which looks like a smaller variety of a grape. The fruit has a large seed at its core, surrounded by pulp on the outside. This pulp is used in a wide range of health foods and used to make capsules and added as a supplement to smoothies. The pulp contains a large amount of antioxidants and fiber which is a great benefit to anyone who is trying to lose weight. The berry has also been linked to a decreased appetite which is especially helpful when on a diet.
The first thing I do when I hear so many benefits is look for the catch, so I spent numerous hours researching Acai Berries. Since there were no definitive articles on the side-effects of Acai Berries I decided to write this article to compile my findings. All healthy choices should be done in moderation or you may risk throwing your health out of balance. One of the most common side effects people experience is over consumption of the supplement. Recommended doses range from 500 to 1000 milligrams per day, however some people consume significantly more than that. Between Organic Acai Berry Pills
Fortunately the most common side effects from over ingesting this berry are mild and can include stomach cramps, diarrhea, and dizziness. With any supplement its best to start out in smaller doses and gradually increase the dosage as your body gets accustomed to the supplement. An overdose of Acai Berries isn’t what I’m focusing on in this article. I am concerned with more serious side effects, and while everything I found indicates that Acai Berries are safe for most people, there are some concerns you should be aware of before you take this pill.
Acai Berries and IBS (Irritable Bowl Syndrome)
Acai Berries are known for their ability to cleanse your entire body, but especially your digestive system. For most people this translates into an increased number of bowel movements (to a healthier level), but for people struggling with IBS or other digestive tract problems this can be a serious concern. Acai Berries contain the highest concentration of antioxidants found in any natural food. They have more antioxidant than blueberries and pomegranate, and for people with controlled IBS this can be a good thing. However for people with uncontrolled IBS, or who are struggling to keep their IBS under control this can be a detriment. The increased bowel movements may make it more difficult to develop a healthy, regular digestive system. When suffering from IBS it is always best to consult with your doctor before adding any new supplement to your diet.
Allergic Reactions
People who suffer from severe allergic reactions to pollen or who have a hypersensitivity to acai, blueberries, grapes, or similar fruit are at risk of having an allergic reaction to Acai Pills, which contains the pulp of the Acai Berry. These allergic reactions are typically mild and can include:
- Itchy, watery eyes
- Rash
- Congestion
In some cases moderate reactions can occur and the allergic reaction can spread to other parts of the body causing Itchiness and Difficulty breathing. In extremely rare cases severe allergic reaction can occur causing Anaphylaxis which is a life-threatening reaction in which the body’s response to the allergen affects the entire body. This may begin with itchy eyes or face and within minutes progress to more serious symptoms, including:
- Swelling of the throat making it difficult to breathe or swallow
- Mental confusion or dizziness
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
Allergic reactions to Acai Berries are rare, and can be identified before becoming serious by starting with small doses of the Acai Berry Supplement and slowly progressing to the recommend dosage. If you have concerns about allergic reactions you should consult a doctor prior to taking Acai Berries.
Guarana and Other Additives
Many manufacturers of Acai Berry Pills include additives in their pills. Since one of the primary reasons people take this supplement is to increase their energy levels additives such as Guarana (which contains caffeine) give a more instantaneous boost in energy levels. You should carefully read the ingredients of any Acai Berry supplement you purchase to ensure you are not allergic to any other ingredients. People with a sensitivity to caffeine should ensure they purchase a supplement which contains 100% Acai Berry Pulp
When comparing different Acai Berry brands you will find that the prices differ significantly. Many companies offer free trial offers which enroll you in monthly subscriptions at high costs. When making any purchase online it is important to read the website carefully and only provide your credit card to companies with a secure website and positive customer feedback.
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hey! I am 18 years old and I weigh about 118 lbs. I go to the gym about once a week for about 3 hours and do cardio, and since I have school, its hard to go more, but i want to get a flat and toned stomach. Do you think it would be alright for me to try the Acai Berries? And if so, what kind? (juice,pills,etc). Thanks!
Hi
I have seizure disorder, I take prescription meds for that. Would Acai Berry interrupt with the controlled seizure activity? Is it safe for me?
This is a great article. I’m never fond of ‘FREE’ stuff because there is always a catch. I’ve been contemplating trying acai for months now. I tried the Lemon diet/cleanse and it was great for the cleanse but I missed food so much and it made me feel so nauseous. So I think after reading this article and everyone’s review I’m going to try the acai pill from GNC just to cleanse not for weight loss. I believe that the only way to TRULY lose weight is to eat healthy, cut out refined sugars and junk food and exercise. I just recently changed my diet and do not eat out anymore. You won’t believe then change in my skin and softness and my attitude and my energy levels. I don’t eat greasy foods nor sugar loaded foods anymore. I don’t eat high sodium products nor anything canned. I eat a cucumber a day and it has helped keep me regular and really has improved my skin and I don’t have bags under my eyes anymore, nor acne. I have lost body weight and my BMI has lowered. I’m 28 and about 5’5, 158lbs and I feel great.
I just stopped using the Acai power berry cleanse I got at GNC due to side effects similar to what I’ve been seeing on this site. I used this product for a total of 6 days. The first couple of days were uneventful (no side effects and no trips to the bathroom at all). Around day three I noticed extreme dizziness, shaking and disorientation. It felt like I was having a panic attack. I tried to stick with it thinking there must be a benefit to this, but continued to have episodes like this for the next 4 days (still don’t feel quite right today after stopping yesterday). I did find the dizziness became even worse if I tried drinking a sip of anything with caffeine or when I tried having an alcoholic beverage with dinner one night. I guess this concept kind of makes sense, but not to the extreme I was feeling. It was terrible. I sometimes even felt worse after eating even though I made a real effort to eat even more healthy than usual through this process (I am normally a healthy eater anyway). The long and short of it…the side effects and experienceing even fewer bathroom trips than normal were not worth it for me.
well. i have taked one acai berry tablet.. its part of the HEALTH E TRIM plan.. within 3 hours i could NOT stand up straight and barely breathe… hard to focus on my own conversation the gas psins were so severe never ever again..andf TRUST ME.. it wasnt any over dosing! 1 cpsule doesnt overdose a person….
Started taking acai berry freeze dried for about 1 month with no side affects at all,Then started taking a stronger acai berry not freeze dried and again no side affects until recently,Found i was getting very tierd and had heart burn,stomach cramps and a gassy feeling,Still taking them and still getting the problems but its nothing i cant handle,Only continuing because i workout a lot and the acai berry helps you get ripped,Really started to notice my physique get better since taking them but will just have to put up with the side affects,i find i you drink a couple of pints of beer the gassy feeling goes away{believe it or not} Anyway creatine gives you the same side affects as acai berry,But i do recomend taking these if you workout,Take freeze dried acai berry if you dont want the side affects.
Hi, I started Acai approx 60 days ago. No side effects for first two weeks , then Stupid head aches . After third week i noticed increase in bowel movements , and (SHA) , next moderate diareha for a few days an now on toilet every 2 hours. Just started doing research and found Acai may be the cause. I have been taking 500 mg twice a day. I will stop for a while and may try 500 a day an see what happens. I have noticed a reduce in appetite but have not lost weight, Started taking for the improved circulation and benifits to the heart.
Look i hate to be a negative person but theres some things i have to say, when i was searching for information on this subject, and i still am. I came across al these articles by different people that tried this and they were all very simmilar it was as if some one wrote the article and then changed minor details to make several articles from the original and all of them had one thing in common they all used those colon clensers and it was this that led me to believe that there is more to this than meets the eye. I am a fan of those shows that investigate products to see if they are real or not and every colon clenser they used proved to do nothing or little at all they even had a colon doctor(sorry i can’t remember what they call them) run test on these and he admitted there just a waste of money. And the last thing i have to say we unfortunatly live in a world were everything has a negative side effect and a berry that lets you lose weight without exercising, increases your energy, enhances your metabolisim and gives you a better nights sleep must have one hell of a cost, i mean what kind of strain does this put on your body, the worst part is we won’t now until 5 to 20 years has passed and we can see what long term side effects appear
I have been taking one to two capsules of Super ACAI-1200 (MaritzMayer Laborities) daily for over 6 months and have had no side effects at all. No cramps, dizziness, diarrhea, etc. I am 54 and go to the gym 5 days a week and find that it gives me loads of energy instead of burning out later in the day. I eat regularly (five to six meals spaced out through the day). I do not eat red meat as I find that it makes me feel bloated and lazy. I have not seen any weight loss (I am at my ideal weight) but my body fat % has dropped accordingly due to the cardio that I do. If anything, it has given me a lot more get up and go! I also find that my appetite has really increased (who doesn’t love to eat?) I also just recently had a full medical checkup and the doctor told me that I was in great shape. Am I an exception to all of the problems associated with the acai berry?
I have read in the meantime, since last posting, that when you body is detoxing from the juice you can feel dizzy and have the diarrhea, so i ‘m not sure if it depends on the level of toxins in your system? just thought this might help?
Hi, I took 2 pills of acai berry 7 hours ago for the first time and I can’t seem to fall a sleep, I’m wide awake!!! Should I stop taking the pills? By reading all these posts it kinda scares me I don’t know if I should continue taking anymore pills. All I know is that I have to be at work in 2 hours and I haven’t sleep.
Hi, I have found it best to take first thing in the morning if you work day shift or at the beginning of any off shift .. I only take ounce a da and find I have more energy atr work but am beat when I get home.
I recently started taking Acai supplements and find that I don’t sleep well and I have been having frequent headaches. I’ve gone online searching for side effects and this is the only site I’ve found where any type of side effects have been posted. Thank you for the information.
I’ve been using Nature’s Bounty Acai 1,000mg per serving capsules that I purchased from Walgreen’s.
Within a couple of days, I noticed excessive flatulence with an unusual odor. In the next few weeks, all I noticed the development of diarrhea. I stopped taking it two weeks ago but the diarrhea hit me hard yesterday and today.
I’ve never had diarrhea problems aside from Montezuma’s Revenge several years ago during a trip to India. BTW the Nature’s Bounty Acai ingredients are: Acai berry, soybean oil, gelatin, vegetable glycerine, yellow beeswax, soy lecithin, natural caramel color, silica. At least I didn’t spend much money on these things. Walgreen’s sold me a twin pack of 60 count bottles for $17. They also had a two for the price of one sale, so I ended up with four bottles at a total price of $17. I’ll not be using any more of these things.
I’m on my 2nd day of taking Acai Brazilian burn and acai cleanse.
Nothing unusual yesterday, I did notice boosted energy but today
I have had some dhiorrea I don’t feel as weak and generally
ill as I usually do when I have dhiorrea tho.
I have also experienced some stomach cramps but nothing too
unbearable. I’m going to half the amount I take from tomorrow to
see if that sorts things out a bit, (suggested dose 1000mg a day to 500mg a day) otherwise I think il have to stop
taking as even only these small side effects are not worth it!
The brand I’m using is called Apex Nutraceuticals.
i have been taking the acai pills from gnc for about 3 weeks. the first night i slept for 12 hours. i didnt think this was a horrible side effect. i have been taking it sporadically. ive noticed this dull pain in my pelvic area. i didnt corrilate it. yesterday i took 2 pills and i hadnt had any in maybe 5 days or so. later in the day i was working and i just felt really weak or something. it was hard to describe. THEN, when i got in my car to leave from work i was freaking out. it felt like things were just coming at me too fast. i felt like my eyes were about to close or i would just lose control and pass out while driving. this wasnt like a feeling where you know youre going to faint, just a lingering feeling like you could pass out at any second. i wasnt super short of breathe but i did also feel a bit constricted in my breathing. i wasnt hyperventilating. i felt like i needed the air conditioner in my face to stay awake. the sun was making me feel like i needed to shut my eyes. this experience has really made me rethink the ay i feel about these new sorts of supplements that come out. whether it comes from a all natural source or not i dont think it matters. i had to keep my husband on the phone while i drove home on the access road of the freeway yesterday. im super scared about the comment i read that it has life long side effects. i threw these pills in the trash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I want to know if anyone has gained back the weight after they have stopped taking the Acai? I cant find this information. When taking somthing to help loose weight, I usually will gain it back when I stop taking it.
I am getting married in 6 weeks so just wanted to slim down a few pounds before the big day….I have never worried about my weight and run and cycle every day whilst maintaining a healthy diet. I would never normally think twice about pills for weight loss but the pressure of the wedding caused me to seek out a safe natural short term ‘quick fix’ I have to say I have been quite scared over the last 10 days. I checked on the bottle and it said 100% acai berry, yet I have been having the worst palpitations, lack of sleep and heartburn after taking the pills. What worries me is that I stopped taking them 3 days ago but still the symptoms are with me. I am going to see the doctor on Monday and will be interested as to what they say. I was stupid to even consider taking acai so really it’s all my fault, and I have learnt the hard way that diet and exercise is the answer.
Yes this product works because it leaves you with the worse stomach cramps and you feel you constantly want to throw up rather then eat!!! DO NOT TAKE THIS PRODUCT!!! I’m throwing my capsules away no one should have to feel this way!! I’m lying on my bed as I type trying to recover feel dazed and can’t do anything right now, what do these pills gave inside them? Wish me luck
I have been taking acai supplements now for almost 2 months. I have dropped 10 pounds, and feel actually quite good. of course i go to the gym and don´t eat as much. this could be the reason as well. i have had no side effects at all.
I think they are ok, as long as you don´t over dose, and of course if you are allergic… don´t take them!
I have increased how much i go to the bathroom, at leaste once a day now, but is this not a good thing?
Roxanne…you should actually be having a BM for every heavy meal you have. For example..you eat a balanced breakfast, lunch and dinner…you should be having a BM 3 times a day. Anything less then that and your actually carrying exsess weight. If you only have a BM once every 3-4 days you could be carrying up to an extra 14 pounds in weight alone. I suggest doing a colon cleanse ontop of your Acia Berry suppliment but do it slowly. A 7 day program should be good and make sure its all natural from a health food store. Your cleansing…not looking into pumping your body full of chemicals only to pump some out right. Good luck
I have just started taking it and the reason I have searched for a site like this is I feel very queasy. I agree with a previous post, as an antioxidant,what do you expect? You are being cleared out. I have nowever,reduced to one capsule a day (Holland & Barrett). I’ll let you know if the queasiness subsides
To some of the people above who think that we are all nuts and just a bunch of hypochondriacs……Please don’t judge when you have simply been lucky enough to have no adverse reaction. I have worked in healthcare for 28 years and I knew I should be very cautious about this substance. I have rarely ever had an adverse reaction to food or medications. I took one acai pill yesterday in the morning and realized by 2:00 pm that I had this strange intestinal cramping. No diarrhea, just the cramping. It finally subsided around 10:00am this morning. It was a very uncomfortable feeling. I also noticed another strange reaction. My throat started feeling irritated around the same time the cramping started. I’m not sick in the least, so I know it’s not a sore throat. Plus, it doesn’t feel like a regular sore throat. It’s just a weird irritated feeling. It’s 4:00pm and that feeling is finally starting to subside. I think one pill was enough for me!
i am trying mona vie an acai berry drink which is supposed to boost your immune system and which is supposed to be good for overall health.. anyone try this one yet?
Hi all
I myself started taking the Acai Tablegts with a weight loss tablet called Decaslim.
My problem was I was on holiday in greece, with VERY hot heat. The combination of hot weather, and the flushing of the fluids out of your body = BAD BAD BAD BAD news. You REALLY Need to watch what you’re doing with these things,=. As ‘natural’ as they are, it doesn’t mean you can gain bad side effects.
Okay, on my first day before breakfast = 1 tablet. Then 2 before dinner. I had the runs for 4 days after it. So I thought ‘Hmm, maybe it’s because Im in a hot country compared to lovely cold england! I’ll take them when I get home.’
2 weeks later, I’m home. I took one this morning and had a bowl of cereal with it. Literally 2 hours later I’ve had the runs, the jitters and a little bit of a sick feeling. It’s slowly going away, so I think I need to take half of the tablet, and slowly allow my body to accept it.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE Be careful how many / how much acai you in-take. The more toxins in your body = the more you will poo!
I almost felt like I was going to die / have a heart attack because it was that bad, and I would never wish that feeling on my worste enemy.
Best of luck to those taking it, and don’t worry too much! It’s just a fruit that makes you toot.
Regards – Becky
I went to my local Health Food store today and purchased Acia Berry suppliments and a whole body cleanser. I asked the herbalist all the questions I could and this is what she told me “For anyone taking anything new they are going to experience slight cramping, possible diharrea and other slight side effect. It is something their body is not used to so it will take sometime in order to see results. Start out slowly to reduce the stoumach cramping ect and within a week or two up your dose if you feel you can but do not up it more then reccomended.” Its seems to me that alot of you guys on here are overdosing yourself on this Acia Berry. You can overdose on things like this and when introducing yourself to something you never ate, drank ect before its going to affect you in different ways. I have had no problems yet with what I am taking and I am even going to wait a couple of extra days before I start my colon cleans and whole body cleans. Once step at a time people. There is no need to rush anything. I will post more if I have any results or effects but if you take something properly you should experience minmul effects to none at all. Its like taking Advil….your only told to take one to two tablets every 4-6 hours…so are you going to take another 2 in 3 hours time? No your going to wait right. Well take your time on this and for Godsakes go to a Herbal store and not onto the web where they mass produce this stuff with God know’s what else. And for the people saying they are drinking while taking this…it says right on the product not to consume Alcoholic Beverages while taking the product. Look up the list of things you should avoid. The list I recieved with my purchase was, Exsessive ammounts of tea or coffee intake in a day….ONE cup of coffee or tea PER DAY, NO ALCOHOL, sweetners should be avoided and if you cannot only take about 2 a day, perservatives, food colourings, flavourings that are artificial, hydrogenated, or partially hydrogenated or refined fats and oils, frying, deep frying or overcooking food, salt, mushrooms, peanuts, farmed fish and yeast, all dairy except plain yougert (skim milk with live culture). Remember, this Berry is to help cleans and when your putting stuff into your body that naturally sticks to your insides its going to hurt being forced to come out. Talk to a dietition about what foods are good to eat that wont stick to your walls, like salmon, tuna, chicken, beef, broccoli, radish, alfalfa sprouts, brussle sprouts ect. Keep carbs low, keep high density carbs about average, protien low ect. For some one who is using this and looking to loose weight, your intake of low density carbs should only be about 3.5 servings a day for someone of 150-175 pounds. The more you weight the more you have to eat but also keep down the extra carbs, protien and fat. Research your foods and find a good eating plan BEFORE you take a diet suppliment. Dont just hear the good, jump on it and take it right aways….of course your going to have problems.