Acai Berry supliments for weight loss. Thoughts?

[SharpMomOfTwo]

The title says it all. Anyone take them with any luck? Anyone have any knowledge on them?


TIA

 

[Free4Life11]

I would not waste my money.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Consumers should be skeptical of health and weight-loss claims of the increasingly popular Brazilian fruit, acai, and the free trial offers that ask for their credit card information, a nonprofit health group said Monday.

Companies selling acai fruits are under investigation after numerous consumer complaints. The Center for Science in the Public Interest said companies offering free trials of diet pills made with the acai berries have bilked thousands of consumers using fake celebrity endorsements and blogs to lure customers.

Consumers are asked to provide a credit card to pay shipping and handling charges, but begin almost immediately receiving $80 to $90 monthly charges. Thousands of consumers have had trouble stopping those charges once they canceled the free trial offer.

Acai (pronounced a-sigh-EE) comes in a number of forms including juice, pulp, powder and capsule. The berry has been touted as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and an antibacterial. The fruit is said to contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which are essential to human health.

Claims of weight loss are unfounded, said the CSPI.

"There's no evidence whatsoever to suggest that acai pills will help shed pounds, flatten tummies, cleanse colon, enhance sexual desire, or perform any of the other commonly advertised functions," according to the organization's press release.

Acai's popularity has surged on bogus marketing claims, said Jonny Bowden, a certified nutrition specialist and author of several health books.

"Virtually every berry -- blueberry, strawberry, goji, acai -- are anti-inflammatory and high in antioxidants," Bowden said. "This particular one is exotic. It's found in Brazil. It's been marketed to have more of a magic ingredient. It's been over-hyped and marketed to death. There are claims to curing cancer, curing baldness that is all over the place."

Like most berries, acai has good nutritional qualities, but "there is not a drop of research" that supports marketing claims that it prevents weight gain and facial wrinkles, Bowden said.

From: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/23/acai.berries.scam/index.html

 

[Tinijocaro]

I've been reading about it too- hoping others have tried it.

 

[NatashaDisneyCM]

it has been proven hype..