On December 8, 2009, Health Canada (the Canadian health agency) advised consumers not to use certain Acai Berry products after a large number of shipments of adulterated products were stopped at the border. The product names include: Anti-Aging Acai Berry, Guarana Blast, Brazillian Pure, Anti-aging Vital Rez V, Weight Loss VitalAcai, Dietary Supplement Acai Power Blast and Muscle Mass.

Some of these products are also available to Americans. (ConsumerLab.com has published a Review of Acai Berry Supplements.)

These products are advertized for anti-aging and weight loss and were found to contain undeclared Sildenafil, a prescription drug used to treat erectile dysfunction. Sildenafil may cause serious side effects in some individuals and should only be used under the supervision of a health care practitioner.

Sildenafil should never be used by individuals taking any kind of nitrate drug (e.g. nitroglycerine) as it can cause potentially life-threatening low blood pressure. Individuals with heart problems are at increased risk of cardiovascular side-effects such as heart attack, stroke, chest pain, high blood pressure and abnormal heart beat. Other side-effects include headache, facial flushing, indigestion, dizziness, abnormal vision, and hearing loss.

These products are not authorised for sale in Canada but it is possible they may have been brought into the country by travellers or purchased over the internet. Health Canada has not received any domestic reports of adverse reactions associated with the use of these 7 products.