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You guys need to try this Now Acai, seriously!

CAcfs

Senior Member
Messages
178
There are VERY few things I have found in the 10 years I have had this illness that have made any difference in my energy levels, a noticeable difference, besides obvious things like caffeine and Adderall (amphetamine salts).

Seriously, I notice the boost almost every single time I take 2 capsules. I am using Now brand Acai, 500 mg, 2 per day, taken together. It's noticeable...bad day becomes good day, within an hour or two, magically. I can suddenly stand at the sink, I can take a walk, I feel lively. I keep talking about this here, and I really feel like you guys should try it....(no, not getting paid to write this! at all, no affiliation with company, etc). Maybe people just don't believe me? Or maybe you are sick of hearing about things that are such a simple solution, because it usually doesn't pan out?? I just really hope more try it. It is doing something....months in, still working.

The reason I'm posting again is because I was reading the reviews on iherb today, and I was like, "i have to start pushing PR people to try this." I guess I was realizing it isn't just me and I'm not some lucky random person. I mean, obviously only the ones who saw benefit are posting....but it's a lot of people. Reading these reviews on iherb.com, pretty much EVERY person has used the phrase "more energy" in their review. Here are the reivews. Please click page 2, 3, as well. http://www.iherb.com/product-reviews/Now-Foods-Acai-500-mg-100-Vcaps/13037/?p=1&sr=5

I know we want a CURE, and we want to know what's wrong, and I am not offering that, so it's easy to brush past this post. But seriously, this stuff HELPS!!!!! It doubles my ability to function, at least. That means I'm able to do chores, etc.

And please post what you notice here, whether it's more energy or nothing!!!!!! I am dying to know what people notice from it! Thanks!

Note, a few get allergic reactions to it, like a skin rash, hives, as if they ingested some fruit they can't eat. So if that is you, it's not die-off, don't keep taking it. :)
 

CAcfs

Senior Member
Messages
178
Just also wanted to say, it might seem dumb, like "ohhh if the problem was only so simple as taking an antioxidant." But I swear, it's doing something more than that, beyond just antioxidants. Modulating my NO? Whatever that means... It's doing something for my heart maybe? My dysautonomia? It's like my blood vessels are now pushing the blood upwards? I eat a GREAT diet, rich in steamed kale, berry smoothies, etc. So it's not like I am just deficient in dark, antioxidant rich foods.
 

CAcfs

Senior Member
Messages
178
The bottle says Acai has 'modulatory effects on nitric acid production." I wonder......hmmm. So I googled and found this: http://chronicfatigue.about.com/od/treatmentprotocols/a/Pall_Protocol.htm

I wonder if the Acai is helping with that whole issue.... so if you have this issue, maybe this will help you. I don't have the energy to research this stuff at length. (the acai gives me stamina to do things like stand and do chores, walk/run, etc....not think) But just throwing the link out there for whoever is interested.

Here is a more complex description. Pall Protocol. http://chronicfatigue.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=chronicfatigue&cdn=health&tm=322&f=00&tt=2&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http://sprident.com/martin-pall/

That last link is very neuro-chemistry. You guys would recognize a lot of the supplements talked about half way down, if not all. I think this whole thing is fascinating.
 

ukxmrv

Senior Member
Messages
4,413
Location
London
Couple of questions

What happens to the post exertional malaise side of things? Say for example the difference between a walk after taking 2 tabs of Acai and without.

Is it something that you can take everyday or just now and then?

Glad to hear you have found something that helps.
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
Maybe someone could set up a poll so we can see how those who have ME/CFS tend to do taking these acai pills, I'd be interested in seeing what percent of us find them helpful.

In my own case acai hasnt been helpful in any way.. but I didnt take the pills .. I used to just munch on a handful or two dried acai berries sometimes to that amount daily as my snacks. Where as 2-4g of good quality vitamin C supplements I do find helpful a bit. (I added that as I know some people were wondering if the acai was working via an antioxident affect, so for me, it dont work like vitamin C)
 

jeffrez

Senior Member
Messages
1,112
Location
NY
I tried that a couple years ago. It really threw my immune system out of whack and crashed me for a couple of months at least, as I recall. Think in some people it can lead to NO overload resulting in too much peroxynitrite, or causing some other imbalance. I'd be really cautious.
 

jeffrez

Senior Member
Messages
1,112
Location
NY
Could you explain Jeffrez why it would lead to NO overload?

Just speculating on why it backfired. I think it increases NO, which can get converted to peroxynitrite. If too much NO was signaled, seems possible too much peroxynitrite might have been produced or some redox balance disrupted. Whatever the case, had a really nasty effect on me.
 

*GG*

senior member
Messages
6,389
Location
Concord, NH
Maybe someone could set up a poll so we can see how those who have ME/CFS tend to do taking these acai pills, I'd be interested in seeing what percent of us find them helpful.
Interesting CaCFS. Tania, I think only the person who started the thread can start a poll, and you might have to do it when establishing the thread, although not certain.

GG
 

*GG*

senior member
Messages
6,389
Location
Concord, NH
Couple of questions

What happens to the post exertional malaise side of things? Say for example the difference between a walk after taking 2 tabs of Acai and without.

Is it something that you can take everyday or just now and then?

Glad to hear you have found something that helps.

Yes, I am curious in these regards also.

GG
 

CAcfs

Senior Member
Messages
178
Edit again: Please read also my post way below that starts with "Sue," because I talk about how you have to get up and go beyond what you typically do to notice you have more stamina. But what I said about PEM still stands, it's better because you feel better.

Edit: I wrote two responses, because I don't think I fully answered the question in this first one.....and too tired to edit my own wordiness and condense these into one. So yeah, brain still fried even with Acai. :) End of edit.

I would liken it to doing B12 shots or taking glutathione IV (based on what I've heard about gluta)....you just feel better, and so any PEM you have is then better too. The B12 or Acai is not like a stimulant that pushes you too hard. But you can do much more, and then for the "more" you did, you pay for it "less." But keep in mind, I am not convinced I ever had severe PEM vs just pure inability day after day, not as a result of what I did the day before.

I usually take it everyday and usually see benefits from it everyday. The days I don't notice much, it's normally because I am either having an unusually good day and was on my feet anyways, or it's because I am having an AWFUL day from something like PMS and there is nothing that would get me off couch. But I would say I notice a clear benefit 9/10 days I take it. I would say I take it 5 out of 7 days a week, and when I don't take it, it's because I get distracted and forget, or I pushed the bottle somewhere where I didnt' see it, and realized later I forget to take it. I do think it's good to take a day or two off sometimes with things that are foods, just to let your body reset. So I do that by accident and it works out.
 

CAcfs

Senior Member
Messages
178
I only experience mild/moderate PEM with this illness, my struggle has always been moreso just feeling good enough to do anything, since I crashed. So to answer that question, you have to understand how I approach exercise to begin with, which is, I always just do what I can because I tend to not "pay" too much normally. That said....

If I don't take Acai, walking is a struggle no matter what, and it's almost like I feel malaise WHILE I'm walking because I am pushing myself. Then of course I get the increase in irritability, but I'm always feeling irritable. :)

If I take it, I can tell I took it WHILE I'm walking....as in "wow, this is so much easier, I have so much energy, this feels good."

I would say without Acai I feel the same crap I felt during the walk, after the walk. With Acai, I feel the same good feeling I felt during the walk, after the walk. Maybe "some" PEM even with Acai, but it's nothing compared to what it should be, because I am still feeling the "effects" of the Acai.

I can tell when the Acai wears off and I become more tired and weak again, as it gets to be bedtime (I would say the Acai's effectiveness peaks around the 1 hour mark, but it stays up there until maybe the 3 hour mark, then it starts to dip). But when it wears off, it doesn't feel like a crash at all, it just feels like "oh, the magical good I felt is going away." I might have PEM at that point at like 2 on a 1-10 scale, but it is not really something I think about. Then the next day, like every morning, I feel my usual crappy CFS self, (but not worse PEM because of the day before) but then that changes when I take my Acai again.

It doesn't seem to tire me out over time (weeks and weeks of taking it). And I got that effect from taking Tyrosine everyday (one of the other things that helped me a lot). But I can tell when it's no longer doing it's thing. So in that respect, it's NOT like a B12 shot, because a B12 shot gives you progressively worse mornings until it's been a week or two and it's time for another. The Acai only lasts for that day, then you wake up the next day as a PWC, then you take the Acai again. But it's not like a stimulant, it just makes me forget I'm THAT sick, for the 1-6 hours after I take it.

Hope that helps.
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
thanks.. I loved the comparisons you made with things eg increasing glutathione feeling.. that really did help me to understand the way in which you are feeling that the acai affects you (sounded the same effect as when i was raising my glutathiione).


So in that respect, it's NOT like a B12 shot, because a B12 shot gives you progressively worse mornings until it's been a week or two and it's time for another. The Acai only lasts for that day, then you wake up the next day as a PWC, then you take the Acai again. But it's not like a stimulant, it just makes me forget I'm THAT sick, for the 1-6 hours after I take it.

When i have B12 shots when they are doing something for me, in my case they wear off right at day 4 or 5.. I personally dont get progressively worst mornings but rather a sudden wear off as you describe happening with the acai for you. Seems you must experience the affects of B12 differently to me.
 

CAcfs

Senior Member
Messages
178
jefferez,

I definitely don't have that effect you describe. I have been taking it for like a year, with maybe a week off here and there if I loose the bottle or don't reorder, and I never experience anything negative from it......only good things when I take it. I can say confidently that nothing bad has ever come of taking it for me, no detox reaction, etc etc. Just pure "help." Like some kind of magical smoothie your body never gets sick of, or like pure glutathione IV, from those I've heard that had miraculous effects from it until it wore off, where they say the sky was bluer, etc. No detox reaction!

If you had a bad reaction, dunno what to say, just sharing my experience. It seems like some people are allergic to it as a food, and get hives, or do get really sick. I would say those people should probably not take it, because that's nothing like my experience.

It won't get worse before it gets better, if you are like me!!!!! Otherwise, I wouldn't be taking it; been there, done that--with stuff that you are supposed to just suffer through until theoretically it gets better. Not for me, not after 10 years of this bull, I won't do that anymore. If something makes me feel bad once, I avoid it after that.

If you are like me, you'll take 2 capsules and feel better. If you take it once or twice and notice nothing or don't have a better day, either you need to up the dose, or it's not gonna help you. The disclaimer is: Sometimes I only notice retrospectively that it helped me (taht's like 50% of the time, other 50% I'm like "i feel good now, thank God"), because it isn't a boost like caffeine where you feel jolted, but just look back on your day and see if it was a much better day. From what I gather on iherb, not everyone notices it's helping them until they look back on the week they took it). Soemtimes I'm literally mid-activity, like picking laundry up off the floor, and I"m like, "why am i up??? ohh I took the Acai" Yes, I have a bad memory, and I don't take it at the same time everyday. So I'll notice retrospectively that night that I had a great day, on the days I didn't feel it work, but some people might need to look back at their whole week, if the effect for you was more subtle and it only gives you a 10% boost. For me, it's like a 50% boost, so I usually notice that big of a jump in my day. Like oh....everything sucked, then at 2 PM, 3 loads of laundry got done and i cooked dinner (then I remember i got out my pills after a certain show that was on at 1:30 pm). But you would be surprised that sometimes you jsut pop off the couch without even cognitively realizing what is going on. So for some people, you'll need to look back because the effects sneak up on you, they don't hit you like coffee. Not always.
 

CAcfs

Senior Member
Messages
178
Tania, yeah, I guess I didn't describe that properly. I think what I meant was that that is what happens 4-5 days into the B12 shot, when the effectiveness of the shot starts to drop. I even realized that while typing, but was too tired to change it. :) I think I was like, "they get my point...." :) But actually, the last B12 shots I did, I think it would sometimes wear off in as little as the 24-48 hour mark, because my doctor had me doing these really low dose shots on my own 5 times a week, to spread out the effects.....long story. So when I started my point I was thinking of the old school B12 shots, then I transitioned in my head to my low dose ones that are good for a day or two then you go downhill. If that makes any sense.

I think my point was that you are back to square 1 the next day with Acai, possibly even that night. Though, maybe I am even wrong about THAT. It's hard to tell if my base level is higher the next day, since I then feel better everytime I take it. I think for me it is back to square one everyday (with acai).

But B12 shots ARE like Acai in that you just feel better and don't crash. But the Acai drops off because your body doesn't seem to store the good effects like your body can store B12, folate, etc (my perception).
 

jeffrez

Senior Member
Messages
1,112
Location
NY
jefferez,

I definitely don't have that effect you describe. I have been taking it for like a year, with maybe a week off here and there if I loose the bottle or don't reorder, and I never experience anything negative from it......only good things when I take it. I can say confidently that nothing bad has ever come of taking it for me, no detox reaction, etc etc. Just pure "help." Like some kind of magical smoothie your body never gets sick of, or like pure glutathione IV, from those I've heard that had miraculous effects from it until it wore off, where they say the sky was bluer, etc. No detox reaction!

If you had a bad reaction, dunno what to say, just sharing my experience. It seems like some people are allergic to it as a food, and get hives, or do get really sick. I would say those people should probably not take it, because that's nothing like my experience.

It won't get worse before it gets better, if you are like me!!!!! Otherwise, I wouldn't be taking it; been there, done that--with stuff that you are supposed to just suffer through until theoretically it gets better. Not for me, not after 10 years of this bull, I won't do that anymore. If something makes me feel bad once, I avoid it after that.

I'm really glad to hear it's helping you. If you've been on it for a year and have been okay, seems like it agrees with you. ;-)

That's a good point about allergic reactions. I got worse relatively quickly, after only a few doses, so it very well could have been an allergic reaction. Something at the time made me think it was NO related, but it's been so long now that I honestly don't remember why I thought that.Typically when I get NO reactions, my neck veins and arteries really start to hurt/burn/pins and needles feeling, etc., so that might have been it.

I was really disappointed, b/c after reading about it I thought it was really going to be close to a miracle substance. Apparently it can be if it's something you tolerate, like it seems to be for you. What brand do you take, btw? Maybe what I experienced was a brand or impurity issue, and it would be worth trying again.
 

CAcfs

Senior Member
Messages
178
I take Now brand, from iherb.com (i'll change my title to include the word "brand"), in orange bottle, the pills!!!!. I am hoping everyone who tries it tries that brand....because it's very highly reviewed online, people glow about it. It says there are no chemicals in it, used in the drying process.

However, supposedly it's a fairly common fruit that people are allergic to, so I wouldn't rule that out. The websites I've read of various Acai purveors say something like, 'if you get hives, stop taking it, you're allergic." Kind of like many react to pineapple...my husband can't eat it, but that is a common thing you'll find in the population. (however not saying if you can't eat pinapple that you can't eat Acai, it's just an example of a relatively common human allergy).

Honestly, if something makes me feel like poop, I figure I'm either allergic, sensitive, not processing it well, or it's doing "too much"....in which case, no sense fighting any of those.....I've learned in my years with this illness to not "roll with" what I think are die-offs, or detox reactions, because it normally doesn't pan out (there are exceptions, like yeast die off). But with this especially, because it is a fruit, stop if it doesn't help you.

My hope in writing these long responses is that people try this Now brand, the pills (not the liquid), and that at least 5-20% of those people see a benefit. That is just a rough estimation I've come up with, based on the fact that many HEALTHY people see increased energy from this specific brand.....(reviews I read)..... with things like B12, as you know, normally we benefit more than healthy people.....but then I temper that with the fact that many here already take many NO fighters, so I am estimating like 5-20% of us will see benefit. It is just a hunch. If even one person tells me they went and bought new walking shoes from taking this pill and realizing they can now do more, based on my suggestion, I will feel like all the hassle of typing things out here, when I'd rather be doing something else, would be worth it. :) I am guessing some will come on and say it didn't help them....but please try THIS BRAND. Thanks!!!!!!!!! :) If I seem pushy, it is because I really believe in this stuff for ME, and so if it helps even one other person here, it makes me feel good. I can't keep something that really helps me to myself. There are times when I was really sick when I just wanted good news, so I told myself that if something ever really helped, I wouldn't be quiet about it and just go live my life.

To be clear, I am still sick, brain no better at all, that is why my typing is so fragmented.....it is just that this is putting a dent in my level of disability.

If you want to hear HOW I discovered this, the tea story, scroll through and read where I talk about the tea in a reply to myself......(it's interesting, I didn't just randomly research and decide to try Acai) read my 6th-ish response here: http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...c-oxide-pall-protocol-rich.19413/#post-297653

EDIT: I PASTED IT BELOW (story from B12 forum on how I found this stuff)
 

CAcfs

Senior Member
Messages
178
Tammy, The question about why I'm on Acai is interesting....I told this story last night in chat (and it is detailed, because I am explaining why I don't think it was placebo effect). My parents, myself, and my brother are all Republic of Tea fans. It's not unusual to see mannnnny of the Republic of Tea cylindrical tins in any of our pantries at any given time. I currently have about 8 tins I'm working through. We are all tea fans, just for the flavor and the experience, and trying different flavors is fun.

I was at their house over Christmas, and I can't actually recall if I had had some coffee or not (my guess is I had already had one cup, but they brew it weaker than I), but I remember it was morning and that is my worst time, coffee or not. I decided to have a cup of green tea, grabbed what was there, and brewed a cup. It brewed up purple. Cool. Anyways, as I was slowly nursing it, about halfway through the mug, I was like, "WHAT was in that tea? I feel BETTER." It was like the cloud of illness that I always feel was lifting. My mom was like, "I dunno, I never really drink that, (brother) does." It was like the weird CFS burden I normally have was BETTER, like what happens when you get a B12 shot and it kicks in, or how I imagine glutathione IV is, based on what I've heard. It caught me off guard, wasn't expecting that at ALL. I was sitting in front of TV and it just came over me. I was not really stimulated like with coffee, but just better and able to do more. I was like, "wow, this is going to be a good day." Next day I tried the tea again, same thing, so I had two cups. (It was Republic of Tea's Acai green). And I drink green tea all the time, and tea with hibiscus all the time (it's in many of that brands teas), so it wasn't that. Also, I do smoothies from health food store with frozen blueberries often, etc. But never had a feeling like this.

So this really got me thinking, I believe I bought a tin of the tea but went through it quickly, and then I went on iherb and ordered Now's Acai in capsule form. About 30 minutes to an hour after taking the pills, I can feel it! Same effect, probably moreso, in pill form. I haven't tried the juice. The pills work better than the tea did, but they take a little longer to work. I would say I notice the tea's effects after like 20 min, the pills after like 30-40 min. But tea's a hassle when I'm tired, and the effect isn't as profound, so that is why I take the pills.

My guess is that about 20% of us will see this kind of effect if they take the right dose of Acai. At least that would be my hope. If you read the reviews on iherb, a lot of people saw more energy from it. So I think a portion of the population benefits from it, like with B12.

I am sure people have had dried acai or acai juice, but I think there is something about freeze drying it that preserves the good stuff. Which is what Now's pills are. I won't buy anything else because I know what I'm using is working, so haven't tried anything else.

I noticed the tea has "acai berry bits" in it, so I wonder if those are freeze dried too, like the Now pills. Maybe it's something with steeping them that helped, vs other Acai forms that are out there. I intuitively feel that I wouldn't get as much benefit from the juice, because my body would be processing all that fiber too. Because I have thought about this a lot.......

I would just recommend people try the Now pills if they wanna see if it helps them too. Please let me know. I don't notice too much from 1, but 2 leaves a big noticeable increase in stamina, like I get up off the couch and start washing dishes, and then I'm like, "wow, how am I doing this? oh yeah, took the acai an hour ago." It helps me go walk or even run too. I still have CFS, but this is basically the one thing that helps me tons. I have been taking the pills for like a year, I'd say? Maybe only 9 months....I take breaks sometimes if I forget to reorder. Then if I try 3 pills, I don't notice much of an added benefit.

I had been taking it for awhile without really asking questions, but I noticed the bottle talks about NO, and I started questioning what the heck is going on......so that is how I found out about Pall, after googling NO.
 
I've been taking Acai for some time, although perhaps not as much as you.

My sister with Fibromyalgia suggested it, and it has helped my pain a lot.

It has not, however, been helpful for my CFS that I have noticed.

I have not been taking NOW brand, but take what my sister sent me (free) and take what is recommended in my local store (Super Supplements) that sells the best brands for very good prices (Yes, they're online, No I'm not affiliated).


It is very possible that as an antioxidant some people get sick on it because they start with too much and detox too quickly. All those toxins stored in our bodies can make us pretty sick if we detox too fast and they get dumped into our systems all at once. Just a thought.