Acai
Acai is a South American palm berry rich in antioxidants. Clinical evidence for specific health benefits remains limited.
Overview
What is Acai?
Acai (Euterpe oleracea) is a palm native to South America. The dark purple berries of the palm are used in supplements and eaten as food. Acai is notable for its high antioxidant content, which may help protect cells from oxidative stress. Some constituents may also exert anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and glycemic effects, but robust clinical evidence for these effects is limited.
Dosage
Optimal dose is unknown. Follow manufacturer guidelines.
Effect graph
Effect heatmap
SupplementDEX Database
3 conditions for and rated at least stars. All purchase bands. No minimum star filter.
Database Snapshot
Most acai research is concentrated in a handful of conditions.
- Athletic performance accounts for 1 of 3 studies (33%).
- Obesity accounts for 1 of 3 studies (33%).
- Tinnitus accounts for 1 of 3 studies (33%).
- Sparse coverage remains for Athletic performance, Obesity, Tinnitus.
Safety
Oral acai pulp has been safely used at doses of up to 100 g twice per day.
Liquid acai has been safely used at doses of 325 mL twice per day for 12 weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Takeaway
Acai is a South American palm berry with high antioxidant content. Evidence for specific health benefits is limited; small studies suggest possible effects on exercise-related lactate, metabolic parameters in overweight adults, and tinnitus discomfort, but more research is needed.
When shopping, see the Acai buyers guide.
References
Sources5 references
SupplementDEX uses only high-quality sources to determine supplement effectiveness.
SupplementDEX Database · Athletic performance (cyclists, oxidative stress, lactate)
1 reference1.SupplementDEX Database: Athletic performance (cyclists, oxidative stress, lactate) — Terrazas SIBM, Galan BSM, de Freitas EC, et al. Açai pulp supplementation as a nutritional strategy to prevent oxidative damage, improve oxidative status, and modulate blood lactate of male cyclists. Eur J Nutr. 2020;59(6):2985-29952020
A crossover RCT in 10 male cyclists (avg age 33 years) found that 400 g/day pasteurized acai pulp for 15 days reduced blood lactate during exercise by 29% and raised anaerobic threshold versus placebo.
View on PubMed2020
SupplementDEX Database · Obesity / metabolic parameters (overweight adults); Safety (100 g twice/day)
1 reference2.SupplementDEX Database: Obesity / metabolic parameters (overweight adults); Safety (100 g twice/day) — Udani JK, Singh BB, Singh VJ, Barrett ML. Effects of Açai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) berry preparation on metabolic parameters in a healthy overweight population: a pilot study. Nutr J. 2011;10:45. PubMed · PMC2011
An open-label pilot study in 10 overweight adults found that consuming 100 g açaí pulp twice daily for 30 days significantly reduced fasting glucose, insulin, and total cholesterol, improved postprandial glucose response, and showed borderline reductions in LDL and cholesterol ratios, with no impact on blood pressure or inflammation markers.
View on PubMed2011
SupplementDEX Database · Tinnitus
1 reference3.SupplementDEX Database: Tinnitus — Supplementation with açaí (Euterpe Oleracea Martius) for the treatment of chronic tinnitus: effects on perception, anxiety levels and oxidative metabolism biomarkers. Codas. 2022. PubMed · PMC · Full text2022
An RCT in 30 adults (avg age 50.5 years) with chronic tinnitus found that 100 mg/day acai extract for 3 months reduced tinnitus discomfort on the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory versus placebo (p=0.006).
View on PubMed2022
Safety (liquid acai 325 mL twice/day, 12 weeks)
1 reference4.Kim H, Simbo SY, Fang C, McAlister L, Roque A, Banerjee N, Talcott ST, Zhao H, Kreider RB, Mertens-Talcott SU. Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) beverage consumption improves biomarkers for inflammation but not glucose- or lipid-metabolism in individuals with metabolic syndrome in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Food Funct. 2018;9(6):3097-3103External source
How is acai absorbed? (anthocyanin pharmacokinetics, bioavailability)
1 reference5.Pharmacokinetics of anthocyanins and antioxidant effects after the consumption of anthocyanin-rich acai juice and pulp (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) in human healthy volunteersExternal source