Acai Berry & Kidney Disease

For centuries, the Brazillian acai berry has been discovered and used by Indians for the promotion of overall health. Recently this potent berry has been rediscovered for its supposed vast effect on the overall well being. But, how potent is this berry for resisting infections? Can we begin to call upon the acai berries to prevent kidney disease?

Significance

• The function of the kidneys is to eliminate waste, toxic substances and water out of the body. Unfortunately, when kidneys fail to operate properly, toxic substances build up, and kidney disease may occur. In addition to conventional medicine, there are also options to treating kidney disease using methods of alternative medicine. One such method is with the acai berry.

Benefits

• Although not supported by a generous amount of research, for many acai berry seems to be a viable option for the treatment of kidney disease. Appearing much like grapes or blueberries and harvested in the South American rainforests, the acai berry is said to be high in fiber, have potent antioxidant powers as well as heart-healthy fats. Additionally, according to AcaiStudies.com, acai berry fights cancer and disease and boosts the immune system.

Considerations

• Because free radicals can be caused by impaired kidneys, it may be relieving to know that nature has its own antidote to free radicals in the form of antioxidants. These antioxidants, as found in such foods as blueberries and apples, have been discovered in much higher and potent amounts in the acai berry. Research also indicates that "acai berries cause human cancer cells to self destruct," according to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Implications

• Typical treatments for kidney disease include medications, dialysis or even kidney transplant. However, as research points toward positive outcomes via the antioxidant powers available through nature's acai berries, there will be more alternative therapies available to treat kidney disease. There also is a rise in formulas and products available on the market which claim to treat kidney disease.

Cautions

• It is important to exercise caution when considering the purchase of a product over the counter which makes claims to aid in the cure of any physical ailment. Products may claim to contain acai berry but may actually contain very little of it while combined with other ingredients. It is also important to double check that acai berry will not interfere with any medications already taken. Because there is still very little research on the use of acai berry for treatments of major disease, it is best to use it with caution. For some, this may mean using acai berry as a preventative treatment to aid in one's overall health, as opposed to the specific treatment of kidney disease.