Welcome to Camu-Camu
The Natural Vitamin C Plant
Properties and Actions Anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, astringent, anti-pain, antidepressant,
emollient, nutritive
Phytochemicals
Natural ascorbic acid, bioflavonoids, beta-carotene, calcium, iron, leucine,
niacin, phosphorus, potassium, protein, riboflavin, thiamin, serine, valine,
alpha-pinene, d-limonene
Health Benefits
• Superior effect over synthetic vitamin C to strengthen and support
the immune system
• Supports the body’s defenses against the herpes virus
• Traditionally used by natives against the cold and flu
• Helps maintain healthy gums, eyes and skin
• Supports healthy liver, lungs, lymphatic and nervous systems.
Camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia) is the name of a bush which grows in the Amazonian rain forest of
Peru. The Camu-camu bush produces an orange-colored fruit about the size of lemons that has the
highest recorded source of natural vitamin C than any other known plant on the planet. In addition to
vitamin C, Camu-camu comes with many other naturally-occurring vitamins, minerals, and amino
acids which has clinically demonstrated far superior benefits over ascorbic acid (synthetic vitamin C
tablets) especially over a 3 to 6 week period.
Camu-camu offers astringent, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-pain, anti-viral, emollient and
nutritive properties and contains natural beta-carotene, calcium, iron, niacin, phosphorus, protein,
riboflavin, thiamin and the amino acids, valine, leucine and serine. This makes Camu-camu
invaluable for metabolic processes, including the formation of white blood cells, maintaining a
healthy immune system, and support for the brain, lymph glands, heart and lungs. The Camu-camu
fruit has a surprising range of therapeutic effects.
Extraordinary Immune Support
Health care practitioners report the extraordinary nutritional benefits of natural-source vitamin C
complex for supporting the body’s immune defense against internal invaders. 100 - 200 mg daily of
natural vitamin C sources such as Camu-camu readily outperforms the benefits previously achieved
with mega doses of ester vitamin C or mega doses of L-lysine.
The Peruvian government expects that Camu-camu will become a major export when its amazing
properties are discovered in the U.S. To bear fruit, the Camu-camu bush must be 4 to 5 years
old. The growing popularity of this wild rainforest fruit is contributing to the sustainable
development of the Amazon River basin and helping the natives to maintain their traditional way of
life.
The Camu-camu fruit has a surprising range of health-promotoing properties. Best known among
these are Camu-camu’s potent ability to strengthen the immune system and to help maintain healthy
gums, eyes and skin.
Dr. Gary Null, Ph.D., a well known nutritionist and researcher, has investigated many of the
extraordinary medicinal properties of this Amazon rainforest fruit (1996). In his “Clinician’s
Handbook of Natural Healing” (1998), he lists disease conditions and the herbs that have been found
effective for their health promoting properties in reference to specific organ/system weakness and
problems.
30 Times More Vitamin C
Oranges provide 500 - 4,000 ppm vitamin C, or ascorbic acid; acerola 16,000 to 172,000 ppm and
Camu-camu up to 500,000 ppm. In comparison to oranges, Camu-camu provides 30 times more
vitamin C, 10 times more iron, 3 times more niacin, twice as much riboflavin, and 50% more
phosphorus. Camu-camu is also a significant source of potassium, providing 711 mg/kg of fruit. In
addition, it has a full complement of minerals and amino acids which can aid in the absorption of
vitamin C.
Wide Range of Health Benefits
The Camu-camu fruit has a surprising range of medicinal effects as measured both by traditional use
and by the variety of phytochemical compounds which have demonstrated therapeutic effects. Dr.
James Duke, retired chief botanist for the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and author of many botanical
books, including the popular Green Pharmacy, lists some of these effects in his Ethnobotanical
website, based on amounts of various phytochemicals which Camu-camu contains (see the below
chart)
Switching to Natural Vitamin C
People experiencing Camu-camu have stopped using large dosages of synthetic vitamin C because
they find that just 100 - 200 mg daily of natural vitamin C with sources such as Camu-camu is
superior in strengthening the immune system, and in its energizing and mood-lifting effects. 150
mgs, once or twice daily, can clear up most cases of bleeding gums and provide remarkable energyboosting
effects.
It has the additional benefit of being non-irritating to sensitive stomachs and bladders.
Anti-Herpes Effect
Dr. Null lists plants which contain anti-herpetic phytochemicals. The plant with the largest amount
of these phytochemicals is Camu-camu. Health care practitioners report that Camu-camu has
provided effective nutritional support to put shingles into remission, and has cut the expected time
for reduction of symptoms in half by supporting the body’s natural defenses. Some users have
reported that cold sores have resolved in just one day and genital herpes outbreak was resolved in 48
hours. In other cases, the Epstein-Barr type of chronic fatigue has shown improvement in one or two weeks.
The Herpes Virus
The herpes virus takes a number of different forms and is widespread today as a public health
problem in the U.S. More than 50% of the U.S. population gets cold sores, which is the result of the
herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1). Many people also suffer from shingles, which is a re-manifestation
of the chicken pox virus in adulthood in a new form.
The herpes virus can remain dormant at the base of the spinal ganglia and become active when the
immune system is under periods of stress. Common stressors include emotional upsets, other
illnesses, prescription drugs, insufficient rest, poor diet, menstrual periods, vaginal yeast infections,
and too much sunlight on the skin. Genital herpes is usually transmitted sexually.
The Epstein-Barr virus is a common form of the herpes virus which may linger in the body for
years, often gradually raising the total viral load which the body must continually combat. Another
form of the herpes virus, genital herpes, is caused by the herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV2). In total,
more than 80% of the U.S. population suffers from some kind of herpes infection.
Beware of Your Source
Beware of your Camu-camu product - many brands that contain Camu-camu also add synthetic
vitamin C to their product. Also, be sure your Camu-camu product contains no toxic additives,
fillers, corn or gluten.
Although the amount of vitamin C which Camu-camu contains may appear low compared to the
amount in synthetically derived vitamin C products, the effects on the human body are
incomparable.
Because of its natural nutrient symphony, including bioflavonoids and other synergists, clinical
evidence suggests that it is far more effective than any amount of synthetic vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
or ester vitamin C, especially over a 3 to 6 week period of use or longer.
Herpes Cleared
Camu-camu may be taken on a daily basis to provide highly effective support of the body’s immune
defenses against the herpes virus. In one case, a 45-year-old woman with genital herpes had
outbreaks about every six weeks. After taking 2 Vcaps daily of Camu-camu (100 mg of vitamin C),
she had no occurrence for over a year before she experienced another outbreak. Then later, none at all.
Anti-Depressant Treatment
In discussing the holistic treatment of depression, Dr. Null lists 19 plants containing chemical
compounds with antidepressant properties in order of potency - Camu-camu is Number 2 on his
list. It appears to provide nutritional support for the brain to optimize its own mood-balancing
chemistry.
Ranking of Camu-camu by Dr. Duke, in a comparative study of hundreds of botanical agents,
ranked in order of effectiveness for various health conditions:
• Antimutagenic - No 4
• Ati-viral - No. 6
• Antioxidant - No. 4
• Asthmas - No. 1
• Atherosclerosis - No. 1
• Cataracts - No. 1
• Colds - No. 1
• Depression - No 2
• Edema - No. 1
• Gingivitis - Periodontal Disease - No. 1
• Glaucoma - No. 1
• Hepatitis - No. 1
• Infertility - No. 1
• Migraine-Cluster Headaches - No. 1
• Osteoarthritis - No. 1
• Painkiller - No. 1
• Parkinson’s Disease - No. 1
