Whenever you are considering taking a new nutritional supplement, it is wise to learn all you can about it before you incorporate it into your nutritional regimen. In particular, you need to be aware of the safety issues and any potential side effects.
Acai berry supplements are very popular these days. There as been a lot of news in the media about the many health benefits of acai. However, we haven't heard much about acai side effects. This is in part due to the fact that acai is very safe and when taken as acai extract or 100% pure acai, it has no known side effects. The native people of Brazil where acai palm trees grow abundantly eat raw acai berries with no side effects. In fact, some reports indicate that as much as 42% of the native diet consists of acai berries. This should be a strong indication that acai safety issues are not a concern.
The only real acai safety concerns you should have is in the case of acai supplements that include other ingredients. Some manufacturers of acai juice for example, mix in other fruit juices to enhance the taste. Some people have reported mild diarrhea resulting from the mixed juices. This is probably due to the diuretic effects of all that juice and therefore, not a serious problem.
Some companies add guarana (a form of caffeine) and refined sugars, primarily to cut down on the cost. The side effects of these mixtures may include the jitters you may get from added sugars and caffeine.
Although there are no known acai side effects, take note of the fact that there have been no long-term studies done yet in the medical communities, so if you are taking other prescribed medications and are worried about the interaction of these medicines with acai, you should first consult your physician.
Acai safety is most strongly evidenced by the more than 2000 year long history of a consumption of acai berries by Brazilian tribes in the Amazon Rain Forest. It is further supported by the millions of people now taking acai in the west who have reported no acai side effects.
All the people now taking acai supplements regularly represent the whole range of health conditions. With no known reports of acai side effects, we can be fairly certain of the safety of acai berries. However, if you prefer to wait for scientific evidence of acai safety, you can do so. Just note that you may miss out on all the wonderful benefits of acai berries if you choose to wait.
Acai side effects are virtually non-existent and acai safety is broadly supported in the general population as well as within medical communities.