Health Canada warns against using certain unauthorized Acai berry products
Posted December 9, 2009 10:20 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Health Canada is warning Canadians not to use certain Acai berry products after shipments stopped at the border were found to contain an undeclared drug called sildenafil.
The prescription drug is used to treat erectile dysfunction, but could cause serious side-effects in some people and should only be used under the supervision of a doctor.
The Acai berry products, advertised for anti-aging and weight loss, aren’t authorized for sale in Canada but may have been brought into the country by travellers or bought on the Internet.
The product names are Anti-Aging Acai Berry, Guarana Blast, Brazillian Pure, Anti-aging Vital Rez V, Weight Loss VitalAcai, Dietary Supplement Acai Power Blast and Muscle Mass.
Health Canada said anyone who has bought or used the products and has concerns about their health should talk to a doctor.
It said there have been no reports of adverse reactions associated with the use of the seven products in Canada.
But it notes that sildenafil should never be used by people taking a nitrate drug, for example nitroglycerine, as it can cause low blood pressure. Individuals with heart problems taking sildenafil would be at higher risk of heart attack, stroke, chest pain, high blood pressure and abnormal heartbeat.
Other side-effects include headache, facial flushing, indigestion, dizziness, abnormal vision and hearing loss, Health Canada said.
Images of some of the products can be seen on Health Canada’s website by clicking here.
