What is Camu camu?

Camu-Camu ( Myrciaria dubia ) is a bush which grows in the Amazonian rain forest of Peru.  It produces a grape size purplish red fruit with yellow pulp also called Camu Camu.  This fruit is packed with more vitamin C than any other food source so far discovered!  In addition to beta-carotene, potassium, calcium and protein, it contains serine, thiamin, leucine and valine.  These powerful phytochemicals and amino acids have a surprising range of therapeutic effects.  Since Camu Camu came on the market many people have stopped using large dosages of synthetic vitamin C because they find that taking just 2-4 capsules daily of Camu Camu (each capsule contains 300mg) has the additional benefits of being energizing, mood-lifting and highly effective in strengthening the immune system.  

Health care practitioners report that Camu camu has provided very effective nutritional support for Herpes virus sufferers, putting shingles into remission and actually cutting the expected flare-up time in half! In addition, common ‘cold sores’ are said to be less common, not as ‘full blown’ and resolve in one day.  Shingles, is a remanifestation of the chicken pox virus in adulthood in a new form and cold sores are the result of the herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1).  The herpes virus takes a number of different forms and is widespread today as a public health problem.  The Epstein-Barr virus is another common form of the herpes virus which may linger in the body for years, often causing fatigue and raising the total viral load which the body must combat. These symptoms will usually show some improvement in one or two weeks on just 4-5 Camu camu capsules twice a day. Yet another form of the herpes virus is genital herpes which is caused by the herpes simplex virus 2.  The principal anti-viral pharmaceutical medicine is Acyclovir® which like most pharmaceutical drugs, causes unpleasant side effects in some people. 

Users of Wondrous Herbs Camu Camu report that genital herpes will often resolve in 48 hours and outbreaks are drastically reduced.  One woman reported that she usually had an outbreak every 2 months.  She began taking 3 capsules daily, and did not have a recurrence for a whole year.  That was more than 12 months ago and she has not had another episode since.  Some health care practitioners have reported that Wondrous Herbs Camu Camu works the same day to help relieve depression and anxiety, and they have weaned some of their patients off pharmaceutical anti-depressants. There are no side effects, such as photo-sensitivity or gastrointestinal problems, and it can be used safely in combination with pharmaceutical antidepressants.  There have been no reports of its interference with the effectiveness of any pharmaceutical drugs.

On his Ethnobotanical website Dr. James Duke retired chief botanist for the U.S. Dept.of Agriculture (and author of many botanical books including the popular Green Pharmacy and Essential herbs) measures Camu Camu in order of effectiveness by both  traditional use and by quantity of a variety of phytochemical compounds which have demonstrated therapeutic effects. 

 In a comparative study of hundreds of botanicals, ranked in order of effectiveness for various health conditions, Camu-Camu was ranked as follows:

edema - No.1; depression - No.2; colds - No.1; antimutagenic - No. 4; cataracts - No.1; atherosclerosis - No.1; asthma - No.1; anti-oxidant - No.4; gigingivitis/peridontal disease - No.1; infertility - No.1;  glaucoma - No.1; hepatitis - No.1; anti-viral - No.6; migraine-cluster headaches - No.1; osteoarthritis - No.1; Painkiller - No.1;

Camu-Camu is hugely popular in Japan. The Peruvian government expects that it will become a major export when its amazing properties are discovered around the world. It is preparing for the expected large increase in demand by making Camu-Camu seedlings available free of charge to rain-forest dwellers for cultivation. It takes from four to six years for the Camu-Camu bush to bear fruit. The growing popularity of this wild rainforest fruit is contributing to the sustainable development of the Amazon River basin and helping the forest dwellers to maintain their traditional way of life.

Wondrous Herbs Camu Camu is a high potency natural Vitamin C which is far more powerful than Ester C, according to people who have used both. Although the scientific studies don't exist at this point, there are a number of medical doctors who are routinely suggesting Camu Camu to their patients who have herpes infections, because the results are so outstanding and previously only achieved with mega doses of L-lyseine and/or Ester C. We have some testimonials to that effect as well. 

Mainstream doctors are always telling their patients that it's better to get their vitamins from food rather than from vitamin pills. Nowadays, the problem is that most of our foods have precious little Vitamin C in them by the time they reach our table. Wondrous Herbs Camu camu is a food.  Dehydrated pulp from the Camu-Camu fruit that has a guaranteed minimum of 8500mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams. For this reason it is a superfood. Our Camu Camu is wild-harvested in canoes in the Amazon at high water or flooding seasons because the fruits are at their peak maturity at this time.

In his Clinician’s Handbook of Natural Healing, (1998) the highly respected U.S nutritionist and author of numerous books on health and nutrition Dr. Gary Null states that Camu-Camu has extraordinary medicinal properties and is the most potent of herbs that contain phytochemicals with antiherpes properties.  He says that Camu-Camu helps to strengthen the immune system, and maintain healthy gums, eyes and skin and offers support for people who have the hepatitis virus. All forms of the herpes virus lay dormant at the base of the spine and become active when the immune system is stressed beyond its ability to respond effectively.  Common stressors include insufficient rest, prescription drugs, emotional upsets, poor diet, menstrual periods, vaginal yeast infections, and too much sunlight on the skin.  Genital herpes is usually transmitted sexually.   In addition, Null lists disease conditions and the herbs that have been found effective for their health promoting properties in reference to specific system weaknesses and problems.

In discussing the holistic treatment of depression, he lists 19 plants containing chemical compounds with antidepressant properties, in order of potency Camu-Camu is NUMBER 2 on his list. 

Some health care practitioners have reported that Camu Camu works the same day to help relieve depression and anxiety, and they have weaned some of their patients off pharmaceutical anti-depressants.   There are no side effects, such as photo-sensitivity or gastrointestinal problems, and it can be used safely in combination with pharmaceutical antidepressants.  There have been no reports of its interference with the effectiveness of any pharmaceutical drugs.